Battle of Adwa
Adwa, Tigray Province, Ethiopia
What happened
Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu Betul of Ethiopia, with commanders Ras Alula and Ras Makonnen, led the Ethiopian army against the Italian army of General Oreste Baratieri. Italy and Ethiopia had signed the Treaty of Wuchale, but its Italian and Amharic versions said different things, and Italy claimed it gave Italy control over Ethiopia. Under pressure from Rome, Baratieri launched a surprise attack near the town of Adwa, but his columns lost touch with each other in the rugged mountains. A much larger Ethiopian army of 73,000 or more defeated the Italian army.
Why it matters
Result: Ethiopian victory. Leaders: Menelik II / Taytu Betul against Oreste Baratieri / Vittorio Dabormida. Why it matters: Ethiopia kept its independence, the only African nation of that era to do so by winning a war against a European power. Adwa became a symbol of African resistance and inspired Pan-African movements around the world.
What came next
The defeat brought down the Italian government, and in the Treaty of Addis Ababa Italy recognised Ethiopia as an independent country. Adwa Victory Day is still a public holiday in Ethiopia.
Did you know?
The Adwa Victory Day is a public holiday in all regional states and charter cities across Ethiopia.
Timeline
- 1886Menelik and Taytu found the city of Addis Ababa.
- 1 March 1896Ethiopia defeats Italy at Adwa.
- After the battleThe Treaty of Addis Ababa recognises Ethiopian sovereignty.