Ethiopia, Kingdom of Abisinia, 1 Gersh – EE 1895 / 1903

Description

In 1270, Yekuno Amlak deposed the last king of the Zagwe dynasty starting the Solomonic dynasty, which claimed to be a descendant of King Solomon, through Menelik I, emperor of the s. X A.C. that he would be Solomon”s son and the queen of Saba, and first Ethiope emperor. In the S.XV the Kingdom establishes new diplomatic contacts with the West, believing some people identifying with him, the mythical kingdom of the lend Juan, of the medieval legends. Contacts were established with Aragon, Portugal and England of those who are recorded. From 1508, it seems that contact with Portugal will be continuous. In any case, in the twenty -one the kingdom of Abisinia begins an expansive stage, conquering the Ifat sultanate and the war will intensify with the successor of the Ifat sultanate, called Sultanate of Adal that will have Ottoman support. Adal”s sultanate had important initial victories, but then with Portuguese aid, the kingdom of Abisinia came out victorious looting Harare. In 1622, by Jesuit influence, the emperor changes the religion of the State to Catholicism, which causes an orthodox lifting. In 1632, Emperor Fasilides would return to the orthodox worship expelling the Jesuits. In 1769 with the victory of a revolt, we entered a time of isolation, in which the regional lords hold the real power, the emperor being a mere adornment. This era is known as Zemene Mesafint. This era of isolation ends with an alliance with the British, after Tewodros II could re -centralize and consolidate power to a large extent. In spite of everything, the country would have to face continuous Ottoman/Egyptian invasions, although Tewodros II died in a British punitive expedition, for the imprisonment of some missionaries and British representatives. In 1878 Muslims were forced to become Christianity or be eliminated, producing the murder of thousands of them. Between 1885-1889 Ethiopia joined the Mahdist war against the Sudanese messianic leader, also invading at this time the Harare Sultanate. With Menelik II the kingdom is modernized, approaching its current form. In 1916 Haile Selasie arrived (first as regent), with relations with the main ethnic groups of the country. In 1931 when he is already emperor, the first Constitution was created, to the Semajanza of the Japanese of 1890 trying to create a model of the nation state.