Page:1902 Encyclopædia Britannica - Volume 25 - A-AUS.pdf/37

] On the retirement of the Northerners, Siefu, another brother of Hailu, proclaimed himself Negus of Shoa at Ankober, and beat the local representatives of Theodore’s Government. The emperor returned, however, in 1858, and after several repulses, succeeded in entering Ankober, where he behaved with great cruelty, murdering or mutilating all the inhabitants. Siefu kept up a gallant defence for two more years, but was then killed by Kebret, one of his own chiefs. Thus chaos again reigned supreme in Shoa. In 1865, Menelek, now a Dejazmach of Tigre, took advantage of Theodore’s difficulties with the British Government, and escaped to Workitu, queen of the Wollo Galla country. The emperor, who held as hostage a son of Workitu, threatened to kill the boy unless Menelek were given up; but the gallant queen refused, and lost both her son and her throne. The fugitive meanwhile arrived safely in Shoa, and was there acclaimed as Negus. For the next three years Menelek devoted himself to strengthening and disciplining his army, to legislation, to building towns, such as Litche (near Debra Brehan), Worra Hailu (Wollo Galla country), &c., and to repelling the incursions of the Gallas. On the death of Theodore (13th April 1868), many Shoans, including Bas Darghe, were released, and Menelek began to feel himself strong enough, after a few preliminary minor campaigns, to undertake offensive operations against the northern princes. But these projects were of little avail, for another Kassa, an adventurer of Tigre, had by this time (1872) risen to supreme power in the north. With the help of many rifles and guns, presented to him by the British in return for his help in the campaign, he had beaten Has Bareya of Tigre, Wagshum Gobassie of Amhara, and Tekla Giorgis of Gondar, and after proclaiming himself Negus Nagasti under the name of Yohannes or John, was now preparing to march on Shoa. Here, however, Menelek was saved from probable destruction through the action of Egypt. This Power had, by the advice of Munzinger, their Swiss governor of Massawa, seized and occupied in 1872 the northern province of Bogos; and, later on, insisted on occupying Hamasen also, for fear Bogos should be attacked. John, after futile protests, collected an army, and with the assistance of Bas Walad Mikael, hereditary chief of Bogos, advanced against the Egyptian forces, who were under the command of one Arendrup, a Dane. Meeting near the Mareb, the Egyptians were beaten in detail, and almost annihilated at Gundet (13th November 1875). An avenging expedition was prepared in the spring of the following year, and, numbering 14,000 men under Batib Pasha, Doling (American), and Prince Hassan, advanced to Gura and fortified a position in the neighbourhood. Although reinforced by Walad Mikael, who had now quarrelled with John, the Egyptians were a second time (25th March 1876) heavily beaten by the Abyssinians, and retired, losing an enormous quantity of both men and rifles. Colonel Gordon, governor-general of the Sudan, was now ordered to go and make peace with John, but the king had moved south with his army, intending to punish Menelek for having raided Gondar whilst he, John, was engaged with the Egyptians.

Menelek’s kingdom was meanwhile torn in twain by serious dissensions which had been instigated by his concubine Bafana. This lady, to whom he was much attached, had been endeavouring to secure the succession of one of her own sons to the throne of Shoa, and had almost succeeded in getting rid of Mashasha, son of Siefu and cousin of Menelek, who was the apparent heir. On the approach of John, the Shoans united for a time against their common enemy. But after a few skirmishes they melted away, and Menelek was obliged to submit and do obeisance to John. The latter behaved with much generosity, but at the same time imposed terms which effectually deprived Shoa of her independence (March 1878). In 1879 Gordon was sent on a fresh mission to John on behalf of Egypt; but he was treated with scant courtesy, and was obliged to leave the country without achieving anything permanent.

The Italians now come on the scene. Assab, a port near the southern entrance of the Bed Sea, had been bought from the local Sultan in 1869 by an Italian company, which, after acquiring more land in 1879 and 1880, was bought out by the Italian Government in 1882. In this year Count Antonelli was despatched to Shoa in order to improve the prospects of the colony by treaties with Menelek and the Sultan of Aussa. Several missions followed upon this one, with more or less successful results; but both John and Menelek became uneasy when Beilul was occupied by the Italians in January 1885, and Massawa taken over by them from Egypt in the following month. This latter act was greatly resented by the Abyssinians, for by a treaty concluded with a British and Egyptian mission under Admiral Hewett and Mason Pasha in the previous year, free transit of goods was to be allowed through this port. Matters came to a head in January 1887, when the Abyssinians, in consequence of a refusal from General Gene to withdraw his troops from Waa and Tula, surrounded and massacred 400 Italian troops at Dogali. Beinforcements were sent from Italy, whilst in the autumn the British Government stepped in and tried to mediate by means of a mission under Mr (afterwards Sir Gerald) Portal. His mission, however, proved abortive, and after many difficulties and dangers he returned to Egypt at the end of the year. In April 1888, the Italian forces, numbering over 20,000 men, came into touch with the Abyssinian army; but negotiations took the place of fighting, with the result that both forces retired, the Italians only leaving some 5000 troops in Eritrea, as their colony was now called. Meanwhile John had not been idle with regard to the Dervishes. Although he had set his troops in motion too late to relieve Kassala, Bas Alula, his chief general, had succeeded in inflicting a handsome defeat on Osman Digna at Amideb in July 1887. A large force of Dervishes had, however, entered and sacked Gondar in April 1887, and to avenge this John took the field in force against the enemy, who were still harassing the north-west of his territory. A great battle ensued at Gallabat, in which the Dervishes, under Zeki Tumal, were at first beaten. But a stray bullet pierced John’s heart, and his men fled, leaving camp and stores, besides the body of their emperor, in the hands of the enemy (9th March 1889).

Immediately the news reached Menelek he proclaimed himself emperor, and received the submission of Gondar, Gojam, and several other provinces. In common with other northern princes, Mangasha, reputed son and heir of King John, and Bas Alula, refused to acknowledge the sovereignty of Menelek, but on the latter marching against them in the following January with a large army, they submitted. As it happened, Count Antonelli was with Menelek when he claimed the throne, and promptly concluded with him on behalf of Italy a friendly treaty, to be known hereafter as the famous Uccialli treaty. In consequence of this the Italians occupied Asmara, made friends with Mangasha, and received Bas Makunnen,