Lecture notes: the History of Emperor Tewodros II in Modern Ethiopian Empire. - The reign, attempts at reunification, policies of modernization

1. The Modern Ethiopia Empire (1855-1906)
TThehe ReignReign ofof TewodrosTewodros IIII:: 18551855 –– 18681868
PreparedPrepared byby;;PreparedPrepared byby;;
MrMr.. AregaArega NegashNegash (MA(MA))
Email: negasharega@gmail.com

2. The Modern Ethiopia Empire
TThehe ReignReign ofof TewodrosTewodros IIII:: 18551855 –– 18681868
Attempts at reunification
Before the coming of Tewodros II to Power-Before the coming of Tewodros II to Power-
there was power struggle between warlords.
In Ethiopia history, this period was -
known by the period of ‘‘Zemene Mesafint’’
or some times the ‘‘Era of warlords’’ from 1769- 1855.

3. The Zemene Mesafint…
 The regional power conflicts: among various objectives, the war lords fought
mainly for the Title of ‘‘Ras Bitwedde’’ to become king maker.
 The central authority lost their supreme power
3
 The central authority lost their supreme power
 Almost all the regions were semi- autonomous
 Period for political fragmentation, civil war, social and economic disorder
 Affected the social and economic life of the peasantry
 The crisis came to an end after Tewodros II crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in 1855

4. Early 1850’s, Kass Hailu before crowned as Emperor
Tewodros II he scored remarkable victory over different
regional lords.
Political Reunification
4
regional lords.
Emperor Tewodros II dreamt of restoring imperial power:
Building political reunification and eliminate the regional
power struggle.

5. Tewodros II: realized the use of force to bring regional lords under control
The Military expedition:
 First: against the region of Wollo - unsuccessful
5
First: against the region of Wollo - unsuccessful
 The second campaign was to Showa - faced a bloody encounter
 The battle of Baraket, 1855
 Hailemelekot of Showa defeated by the imperial army.
 The Emperor went on subduing one region after another through protracted and
punitive military expeditions.

6. The Emperor had the ambition to introduce modernization and European technology to the
country.
Reforms:
Tewodros II attempted lots of reforms
Modernization
6
1. socio- economy reforms
Abolished slavery, banditry and looting of peasants.
Tried to stop polygamy.
2. Religious reforms
Tried to stop divisions of church and declared Orthodox Tewahido as state religion.
Reduced the number of priests and deacon in church to 2 and 3 respectively.
Taking away the church land and distributed to peasants to collect tax.

7.  Introduced national and modern salaried army
 He gave much emphasis to build modern military technology and arms
manufacturing.
Evidently he build small military/canon workshop at Gafat.
Military reformsMilitary reforms
7
 Evidently he build small military/canon workshop at Gafat.
Internal Oppositions to Tewodros II
The internal enemy of the Emperor were the regional lords and clargy.
The his reunification attempts treated the power of the lords.
His policy on church land brought the emperor direct into church-state
conflict.

8. Tewodros wanted to import the technical skilled men for arms manufactruing
locally. Sent various letters to British in order to get skilled personnel.
When his efforts turned fruitless, He gathered and imprisoned all European
missionaries living in the country. He then forced them to build arms locally.
External challengesExternal challenges
8
missionaries living in the country. He then forced them to build arms locally.
They manufactured the first local canon called Sepastopol as Gafat.
Sepastopol

9. The Battle of Maqdala, 1868
9
 The captivity of European however provoked anxiety, especially in Britain. The
British Government asked to release the missionaries, but Tewodros gave deaf ear.
 The British sent 10,000 expedition force led by Robert Napier to Maqdala, 1867.
The first and last major encounter between the British and ethiopian Imperial The first and last major encounter between the British and ethiopian Imperial
army took place at Eroge in April 1868 before the battle of Maqdala.
 The British force defeated Fitawerari Gebrey who was the right hand of the
Emperor.
 The event hastened the downfall of Tewodros.
 At Maqdala, on 13 April 1868, Tewodros comitted sucicide rather than surrender
by foreign force.