The untold history of the Great king MENELIK The Second

Описание: Menelik II, baptised as Sahle Maryam was King of Shewa from 1866 to 1889 and Emperor of Ethiopia from 1889 to his death in 1913.
At the height of his internal power and external prestige, the process of territorial expansion and creation of the modern empire-state was completed by 1898.
The Ethiopian Empire was transformed under Emperor Menelik the major signposts of modernization were put in place, with the assistance of key ministerial advisors.
Externally, Menelik led Ethiopian troops against Italian invaders in the First Italo-Ethiopian War; following a decisive victory at the Battle of Adwa, recognition of Ethiopia's independence by external powers was expressed in terms of diplomatic representation at his court and delineation of Ethiopia's boundaries with the adjacent kingdoms.
Later in his reign, Menelik established the first Cabinet of Ministers to help in the administration of the Empire, appointing trusted and widely respected nobles and retainers to the first Ministries.
These ministers would remain in place long after his death, serving in their posts through the brief reign of Lij Iyasu (whom they helped depose) and into the reign of Empress Zewditu.
Menelik was the son of the Shewan Amhara king, Negus Haile Melekot, and probably of the palace servant girl Ejigayehu Lemma Adyamo.
He was born in Angolalla and baptized to the name Sahle Maryam.
His father, at the age of 18 before inheriting the throne, impregnated Ejigayehu, then left her; he did not recognize that Sahle Maryam was born.
The boy enjoyed a respected position in the royal household and he received a traditional church education.
In 1855 the Emperor of Ethiopia, Tewodros II, invaded the then semi-independent kingdom of Shewa.
Early in the subsequent campaigns, Haile Malakot died, and Sahle Miriam was captured and taken to the emperor’s mountain stronghold, Amba Magdela.
Still, Tewodros treated the young prince well, even offering him marriage to his daughter Altash Tewodros, which Menelik accepted.

Upon Menelik's imprisonment, his uncle, Haile Mikael, was appointed as Shum of Shewa by Emperor Tewodros II with the title of Meridazmach.
However, Meridazmach Haile Mikael rebelled against Tewodros, resulting in his being replaced by the non-royal Ato Bezabeh as Shum.
Ato Bezabeh in turn rebelled against the Emperor and proclaimed himself Negus of Shewa.
Although the Shewan royals imprisoned at Magdela had been largely complacent as long as a member of their family ruled over Shewa, this usurpation by a commoner was not acceptable to them.
They plotted Menelik's escape from Magdela; with the help of Mohammed Ali and Queen Worqitu of Wollo, he escaped from Magdala on the night of 1 July 1865, abandoning his wife, and returned to Shewa.
Enraged, Emperor Tewodros slaughtered 29 hostages then had 12 notables beaten to death with bamboo rods.