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1892
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Italians lease land along the horn of Africa from the Sultan of Zanzibar (as well as taking a sub-lease on parts currently leased by the British) – this region will be come Italian Somaliland in 1905.
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1893
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12
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Feb
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Italians try to buy off Menelik with the promise of two million cartridges. He takes the cartridges but still refuses to accept their version of the treaty. Only Turkey, France and Russia support Menelik's stance and sell him large quantities of arms and ammunition. Italy transfers its support to Ras Mangasha.
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27
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Feb
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Menelik once again contacts European powers, maintaining his claim to Ethiopia:
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"Ethiopia has need of no one; she stretches out her hands unto God."
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1894
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15
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Mar
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Germany and French sign a pact for spheres of influence in tropical Africa. The scramble for Africa is escalating.
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Jun
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Peace is brokered between Ras Mangasha and Menelik II in response to increased pressure on Ras Mangasha by the Italians. Other Ethiopian feudal chiefs follow suit. Menelik is proclaimed negusa nagast (king of kings).
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17
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Jul
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Italians take Kassala, on the Eritrean–Sudanese border, from the Mahdists.
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Late
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After putting down revolt in Eritrea (led by a minor chief, Bahta Hagos – who is accused of supporting Ras Mangasha), General Oreste Baratieri, the Italian governor of Eritrea, takes the Ethiopian towns of Adigrat, Adowa, and Makalle. Ras Mangasha is harried out of the region. General Baratieri is heralded as a national hero by the Italian press.
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1895
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Italians request to use the port of Zeila, in British Somaliland, as a staging post for their invasion of Ethiopia (and to block arms imports through Djibouti in French Somaliland). Permission is refused when France, an ally of Ethiopia, protests to the British.
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Jul
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General Baratieri sails back to Italy to receive a public commendation from Crispi's government (and to receive further instructions on the Ethiopian conflict).
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17
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Sep
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Menelik II summons his feudal host to Addis Ababa: roughly 196,000 men including 34,000 loyal Shoan troops. He has amassed over 70,000 modern rifles and sufficient boxes of ammunition through trade links (via Harar) with the French at Djibouti and British at Zeila.
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"God, in his bounty, has struck down my enemies and enlarged my empire and preserved me to this day. I have reigned by the grace of God. As we must all die sometime, I will not be afflicted if I die... Enemies have come who would ruin our country and change our religion. They have passed beyond the sea which God gave us as our frontier... These enemies have advanced, burrowing into the country like moles. With God's help I will get rid of them."
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24
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Sep
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Ras Makonnen, Menelik's first cousin and governor of province of Harar, arrives at Addis Ababa with his troops.
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26
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Sep
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General Baratieri returns to Massawa
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9
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Oct
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Ras Mangasha brushes with General Baratieri's vanguard and flees south. Baratieri decides to permanently garrison (and fortify) Makalle, Adigrat, and Adowa.
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11
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Oct
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Menelik II, accompanied by Empress Taitu and 5,000 loyal Shoan troops, heads north to Woro Illu to await the arrival of other provincial armies. Ras Makonnen is sent ahead to link up with Ras Mangasha and to open dialogue with Baratieri (a ploy to buy time). The Ethiopian vanguard consists of almost 30,000 soldiers.
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7
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Dec
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Battle of Amba Alagi (roughly 100 km south of Makalle. The 1,300 Askari under command of Major Pietro Toselli are annihilated by the Ethiopians vanguard in a mountain pass. Ethiopians continue north and place the 1,200 man Italian garrison at the town of Makalle under siege. General Baratieri pulls back to Adigrat, abandoning Adowa and leaving the garrison at Makalle to fend for itself. Reinforcements are called up from Massawa to Adigrat.
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About's African History Chatroom:
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Alistair Boddy-Evans – your Guide to African History
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