Ethiopia (Continued)

Green Ethiopia

Local People

Ethiopia Village

Abyssinian - Adal War

Between 1528 and 1540 armies of Muslims, under the Imam Ahmed ubn Ibrihim al-Ghazi, entered Ethiopia from the low country to the south - east , and overrun the kingdom, obliging the emperor to take shelter in the mountain fastnesses. But the Portuguese, John Bermudez, a subordinate member of the mission of 1520, who had remained in the country after the departure of the embassy, was, according to his own statement, obtained successor to the Abuna (archbishop),and sent to Lisbon .

In response to Bermudez's message , a Portuguese fleet under the command of Estevao da Gama, was sent from India and arrived at Massawa in Feb. 1541. Following a force of 400 musketeers under the command of Cristovao da gama, a younger brother of the admiral , mmarched into the interior and was successful to drive the enemy at the Battle of Wofla on 28th. Aug., 1542. Though they drove out the enemies , the emperor of Ethiopia had to profess obedience to Rome to make his way out of the country. Ethiopia had several Muslim states.

Zemene Mesfint : Age of princes

All of this contributed to Ethiopia's isolation from 1755 to 1855, called the Zemene Mesafint or "Age of princes." The Emperors became figureheads, controlled by warlords like Ras Mikael Sehul of Tigray, and by the Oromo Yejju Dynasty, which later led to 17th. century oromo rule of Gonda changing the language of the court from Amharic to Afaan Oromo.

By 1880s Sahle Selassie, as king of Shewa, an later as Emperor Menilik II, with the help of Ras Gobena's militia began expanding his kingdomto the South and east resulting the borders of Ethiopia of today.

The bitter religious conflict contributed to hostility toward foreign Christians and europeans, which persisted into the 20th. century and was a factor in Ethiopia's isolation until the mid-19th. century, when the first British mission, sent in 1805 to conclude an alliance with Ethiopia and obtain a port on the Red sea in case France coquered Egypt.This opened the door of Ethiopia to other European travellers, missionaries and merchants till Tewodrs's reign.

Addis Ababa

Addis Sheraton

City, Addis Ababa