Emperor Tewodros Analysis Essay
Tayo Shonubi
IB1 History
28/9/2012
Emperor Tewodros of Ethiopia
Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia’s rise to power began in 1845 with a meticulous rule which to his oppositions favor, ended in dismal failure and led him to commit suicide in 1858, after thirteen years of power. Tewodros was the heir-apparent to emperor Tewodros I, his father’s throne, but after his father’s death, he became the adopted son of his half-brother. He grew to be an accomplished soldier and leader and was then allotted governor of Qwara by the nominal then king of kings, Ras Ali who had ruled since 1832. Tewodros was the leader responsible for reviving the concept of king of kings, and after reforms to his army, he made a determined and driven submission for king of kings.
After Tewodros made the realization of his absolute power, he carried out expeditions against Gojjam province where he defeated Biru Goshu in the Ethiopian battle of Taquosha not long after, in 1855, he defeated the province of Tigre was crowned emperor Tewodros II, by Abu Salama, the head of the church of Ethiopia. Tewodros made one of his most grave and major expeditions of his rule in 1856 when he battled against the Wallo Galla and thoroughly thrashed the Muslim community, shamelessly and filled with pride, he moved on to occupy the province of Shewa where he captured an eleven year old boy known was heir-apparent to the throne of Sahle Mariam, the boy later became known as emperor Manelik.
Tewodros responded very favorably to European approaches, ‘expecting not their protection and imperialism but assistance in getting technology and arms’. One of his earliest European contacts was Britain. Through his association with the British sprouted a friendship with two Englishmen, Yohannes Bell and Walter Plowdon who were part of the protestant German missionaries. On his journey to eastern Ethiopia, Plowdon was killed, upon hearing this news, Tewodros chose to ‘vent’ by organizing an expedition that unfortunately
IB1 History
28/9/2012
Emperor Tewodros of Ethiopia
Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia’s rise to power began in 1845 with a meticulous rule which to his oppositions favor, ended in dismal failure and led him to commit suicide in 1858, after thirteen years of power. Tewodros was the heir-apparent to emperor Tewodros I, his father’s throne, but after his father’s death, he became the adopted son of his half-brother. He grew to be an accomplished soldier and leader and was then allotted governor of Qwara by the nominal then king of kings, Ras Ali who had ruled since 1832. Tewodros was the leader responsible for reviving the concept of king of kings, and after reforms to his army, he made a determined and driven submission for king of kings.
After Tewodros made the realization of his absolute power, he carried out expeditions against Gojjam province where he defeated Biru Goshu in the Ethiopian battle of Taquosha not long after, in 1855, he defeated the province of Tigre was crowned emperor Tewodros II, by Abu Salama, the head of the church of Ethiopia. Tewodros made one of his most grave and major expeditions of his rule in 1856 when he battled against the Wallo Galla and thoroughly thrashed the Muslim community, shamelessly and filled with pride, he moved on to occupy the province of Shewa where he captured an eleven year old boy known was heir-apparent to the throne of Sahle Mariam, the boy later became known as emperor Manelik.
Tewodros responded very favorably to European approaches, ‘expecting not their protection and imperialism but assistance in getting technology and arms’. One of his earliest European contacts was Britain. Through his association with the British sprouted a friendship with two Englishmen, Yohannes Bell and Walter Plowdon who were part of the protestant German missionaries. On his journey to eastern Ethiopia, Plowdon was killed, upon hearing this news, Tewodros chose to ‘vent’ by organizing an expedition that unfortunately