The Making of Modern Ethiopian State 1855-1913: Emperor Tewodros II (1855-1868)

Описание: ‪@ethioforum‬ ‪@OBNoromiyaa‬ ‪@HISTORY‬ ‪@EBCworld‬ ‪@Geezism2022‬ ‪@abelbirhanu1‬ ‪@yamal6979‬ ‪@fanamediacorporation‬ ‪@abelbirhanu1‬ ‪@donkiytube7398‬ #arsenal #europeanhistory #whowillbemylifepartnerta #knowledge #europeancolonialism #lifeisbutadream #history
Emperor Tewodros was a man with a mission. He understood the precarious condition
his country was in. He knew that his country would not remain independent unless some
fundamental measures were taken. So, he envisioned establishing a country that was
territorially united and militarily self-dependent and stronger. Immediately after his
coronation, he set out to unify the country.
The Wallo campaign, where he encountered fierce resistance, started in March
1855. The capture of Maqdala on 12 September 1855 marked the end of Tewodros’s
campaign to Wallo for the time being. His campaign to Shewa also lasted some
five months. It was concluded after the Shewan force was defeated at the Battle of
Bereket in November 1855. Tewodros left Shewa by appointing Haile-Mikael, the
brother of Haile-Melekot, the king of Shewa who died in the middle of the campaign. But
Seifu, another brother of Haile Melekot, continued to challenge Tewodros’s authority.
Similarly, in areas like Gojjam and Semen, rebellion against Tewodros had already
started. Hence, the conclusion of the Shewan campaign marked the peak of Tewodros’s
power and also the beginning of the end of his reign.
The other aspect of his reign was his attempt to modernize the country by
introducing drastic reforms in the areas of military, administration and socio-economy. In the
military sphere, he introduced military titles like Yasr Aleqa (commander of ten),
Yamsa Aleka (commander of the hundred), and Yeshi Aleqa (commander of the thousand).
He tried to organise and replace the regional armies of the Zemene-Mesafint (‘Era of
Princes’) with a salaried national army. He established an arms manufacture at Gafat (near
Debre Tabor) with the help of European missionaries and artisans. As a result, about 35
cannons were produced at Gafat including his famous mortar known as “Sebastopol.”