Video Credit Biniyam Adamu
The Battle of Adwa (Tigrinya: ዓድዋ; Amharic: አድዋ)
Sunday 1 March 1896, Ethiopian forces under the leadership of Emperor Menelik II defeating an Italian Army sent to conquer the Empire. The battle took place near the town of Adwa in Tigray.
Adwa became a symbol for African, and African-American, resistance to European expansion. Menelik saw Adwa as a way to solidify his rule and preserve his independence.
Menelik had to navigate, and the admirable support he received from his wife Empress Taytu. This marriage, linking the southern Shoa (Menelik) and northern Tigray (Taytu) regions of Ethiopia, which played an important part in unifying Ethiopian.
The Treaty of Wichale (1889) to friendship, the Italians and Ethiopians had different opinions about the nature of that friendship.
This is the famous "mistranslation" where the Italian treaty indicated Ethiopia would be a protectorate of Italy, while Emperor Menelik II argued no such wording existed in his copy. After the Italians occupied the northern Ethiopian city of Adigrat Menelik summoned his forces and defeated the Italians at the battle of Amba Alage.
Some believe Menelik II used "mistranslation" as a strategic choice to protectorate status to his advantage, such as a loan of four million lire from Italy used to purchase weapons until his position was strong enough to claim there was a "mistranslation."
These include his choices after the battle, such as not invading Eritrea and his care of the Italian prisoners, which preserved his strong negotiating position and assured he did not undo the effort he made in the European press, including a colored lithograph in Vanity Fair the 19th century equivalent to a Time cover, to foster sympathy for Ethiopia.
Menelik II successfully pitted Italy against its European rivals while stockpiling advanced weapons to defend his empire against the Italians and British.
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