Adwa 1896: Menelik II and Empress Taytu Rout Italy's Lost Night March

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

The road to Adwa began with the 1889 Treaty of Wuchale. Its Amharic text said Ethiopia could use Italy's services in foreign relations; the Italian text said it must, which would have made Ethiopia a protectorate. Emperor Menelik II rejected the Italian reading and used the years of diplomatic stalling to import tens of thousands of French and Russian rifles and Hotchkiss artillery, while Italy's attempts to turn Tigrayan leaders against him failed: by 1894 Ras Mengesha and Ras Alula came to Addis Ababa to pay homage. After early Ethiopian victories such as Amba Alagi, both armies sat starving in Tigray in February 1896. General Oreste Baratieri wanted to wait, but Prime Minister Francesco Crispi demanded a victory.

On the night of February 29 Baratieri sent three columns to seize the heights near Adwa. General Albertone, using a crude map, marched to the wrong pass, and the Ethiopians, informed of every move, destroyed the separated brigades one by one on March 1. About 6,000 Italian and colonial troops died and nearly 4,000 were captured. Menelik halted at the Eritrean border rather than risk a wider war. Crispi resigned, and the Treaty of Addis Ababa recognized Ethiopian independence.

• The Italian journalist Adolfo Rossi warned that the command was hungry for medals and overstretched, and was expelled days before the battle.
• Awalem, an interpreter on Baratieri's payroll, passed Italian movements to Ras Alula.
• When Italian artillery shook Ethiopian morale, Empress Taytu Betul and Ras Mengesha urged Menelik to commit a 25,000-man reserve.
• General Dabormida's brigade wandered into a valley, opened a two-mile gap, and was pinned by forces under Ras Makonnen.
• About 800 captured Eritrean askari had their right hands and left feet amputated as traitors.