Menilek II summary

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Menilek II, detail of an oil painting by Paul Buffet, 1897; in the Senate Palace, Paris.

Menilek II , orig. Sahle Miriam, (born Aug. 17, 1844, Ankober, Shewa, Eth.—died Dec. 12, 1913, Addis Ababa), King of the semi-independent state of Shewa, or Shoa (1865–89), and emperor of Ethiopia (1889–1913). Captured and imprisoned for 10 years after his father, King Malakot of Shewa, was deposed by Tewodros II, he escaped in 1865 and returned to Shewa to assume the title of negus (king). On the death of Emperor Yohannes IV (r. 1872–89), he ascended to the Ethiopian throne, taking his crown name from Menilek I, legendary son of Solomon and the queen of Sheba. When Italy sought to make Ethiopia a protectorate, Menilek roundly defeated its forces at the Battle of Adwa (1896). In later years he expanded the empire, initiated modern educational programs, and built up the country’s infrastructure.

emperor Summary

Emperor, title designating the sovereign of an empire, conferred originally on rulers of the ancient Roman Empire and on various later European rulers, though the term is also applied descriptively to some non-European monarchs. In republican Rome (c. 509–27 bce), imperator denoted a victorious

Battle of Adwa Summary

Battle of Adwa, (March 1, 1896), military clash at Adwa, in north-central Ethiopia, between the Ethiopian army of Emperor Menilek II and Italian forces. The Ethiopian army’s victory checked Italy’s attempt to build an empire in Africa. The victory had further significance for being the first

government Summary

Government, the political system by which a country or community is administered and regulated. Most of the key words commonly used to describe governments—words such as monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy—are of Greek or Roman origin. They have been current for more than 2,000 years and have not

modernization Summary

Modernization, in sociology, the transformation from a traditional, rural, agrarian society to a secular, urban, industrial society. Modern society is industrial society. To modernize a society is, first of all, to industrialize it. Historically, the rise of modern society has been inextricably