biography
| name: |
Menelik II
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| |
originally Sahle Miriam, also spelled Sahlé Mariam
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1844–1913)
|
| biography:
| Emperor of Ethiopia (1889–1909), born in Ankober, Shewa (Shoa), C Ethiopia. As ruler of the Kingdom of Shoa, he conquered the Oromo people to the S, and annexed their land. When he succeeded as emperor, he united Shoa with the N kingdoms of Tigray and Amhara, and signed the Treaty of Wichale with Italy. A disagreement over the interpretation of the treaty led to a war in which Menelik's forces defeated an Italian army at Adwa (1896). The European powers then recognized Ethiopian independence. During his reign he carried out a wide-ranging programme of modernization and founded the city of Addis Ababa. |
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