Talk:Ethiopian Empire

This page needs added to!!!! Emergency!!!!!

Emergency? Why? We already have Ethiopia & History of Ethiopia. At the moment, this article only duplicates material that exists in those two articles. Unless the scope of this article is defined, we should just merge the two. -- llywrch 20:48, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

I would say the Ethiopian Empire should be separate from all that comes after it in the Ethiopia article. That is a major break in the government of the country. Note Italy has a similar situation, having a separate article on the Kingdom of Italy. Asiaticus (talk) 08:58, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

Native name

Hey we need the native name for the Ethiopian Empire. Like, the Ashanti Empire was called "Asanteman" by the natives and Kongo Kingdom was called "Wene wa Kongo". What did they call Ethiopia back then. And I know it was Abyssinia.Scott Free (talk) 06:04, 12 July 2008 (UTC)

Some chronicles refer to it as "Medra Agazian" or land of liberators but most called it "Ethiopia". Skitbanger (talk) 21:20, 4 August 2021 (UTC)

Capital(s)

Old capitals sucha as Debre Berhan should be included in the info-box. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 189.102.200.171 (talk) 02:09, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

No break

It's ridiculous to consider the five-year Italian occupation a break-worthy event! —Preceding unsigned comment added by Simfan34 (talk • contribs) 15:21, 6 November 2009 (UTC)

Delete this Whole Wiki as there was no such "Ethiopian Empire"

This wiki entry is completely false and misinterpretation of the History of several kingdoms and empires that spanned along time. The history of Kebra Negast (Solomonic dynasty) of Yekuno Amlak of Abysinnia is purely REVISIONIST and an insult to the intelligence of really aware and knowledgeable participants and practicioners of Historical analysis. I will delete this Whole Entry as it is false and based on lies from an ethno-centric politicalgroup within an ethnic group in "modern Ethiopia" ie "Amhara chauvenists" who repeat the lie of the Solomonic dynasty etc! —Preceding signed comment added by Puhleec (talk • contribs) 22:43, 25 September 2010 (UTC)

You aren't an Admin, so you can't delete this article; blanking it will only get you in trouble for vandalism. The best you can do is nominate this article for deletion here, but the reasons you provide are insufficient for anyone to take your objections seriously. You also face the small problem that there are countless history books which take as evident truth the assertion you rant against; unless you can provide reliable sources which show someone besides you think this way, at best you're simply going to be ignored & at worst be banned from editing Wikipedia. -- llywrch (talk) 06:28, 26 September 2010 (UTC)

Llywrch, I'll do you and wikipedia a favor and delete my own account. The fact that you side with this "Ethiopian Empire" to exist only shows your non-neutrality in the issue as much as you have accused me of so. Either way, wikipedia can continue to keep false information on it's site. My "rant" was never angry and you don't have to make this a personal attack as you did. Again, I will be deleting my account as I would not want to participate or even contribute to wikipedia if it is being run by people (such as yourself) who want to push "myths" as "history". Puhleec (talk) 03:45, 28 September 2010 (UTC)

It may be a rant (with no attempt to provide sources) but I'm curious to know what he's talking about - if this a point of view out there (rather than just his idea). there doesn't seem to be any hint in the article. Maybe someone else who is little more scholarly could shed some light. DeCausa (talk) 01:22, 20 December 2010 (UTC)

"Oldest State"?

The opening paragraph asserts that at the time of the Empire's overthrow in 1974, it was the oldest state in the world. I'm pretty sure that's false, as San Marino has been sovereign since almost 300 AD. Perhaps the original author intended to add a qualifier such as "oldest dynasty" or "oldest state in Africa"? Anybody have any insight? --Foolishgrunt (talk) 14:41, 11 April 2011 (UTC)

Aren't Japan or China much older...? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2A02:2028:2C9:8C91:C1E2:F53C:1977:DA96 (talk) 14:49, 12 December 2013 (UTC)

Incorrect Image.

The Northern Somali coast was in Control of the Adal Sultanate. And the Ogaden were under control of the Ajuuran Empire. At first you should check the timeline of the Adal Sultanate, Ajuuraan Empire and The Gobroon Dynasty. How is it possible to posses that places in the Middle Ages when its under control of an other souvereign state? And in the Modern period the Ogaden was under control of Italian Somalia. Thus an other map should be created with acurate borders and also to show its neighbours. Is there any source for this map? e.g; An old map indicating the Empire ore a book that has discribed the Empire and its borders?

• Meantime it should be removed, until a correct one will show up.Runehelmet (talk) 19:56, 9 September 2011 (UTC)

I agree, the map is a fringe one, no other historian be it a Ethiopianist or a Somalist scholar has ever included so much Somali territory under a medieval Ethiopian State, usually only the port of Zeila is included. Not even the Kingdom of Adal stretched that far into modern Somalia. Lee Cassanelli's "Shaping of Somali Society" makes no mention of medieval Ethiopian dominance of the Ogaden. Richard Pankhurst similarly in his book; "The Ethiopian Borderlands" makes no mention of such a large medieval size that also includes the modern Oromo and Southern regions of Ethiopia, which did not come under Ethiopian control until they were conquered as recently as the 19th century.

Additionally, this map shows Ethiopian rule over large swathes of North and South Sudan, which isn't explained in the book. From the time-period this map is supposed to cover according to the book (13th to 16th centuries), plenty of scholarly evidence is available that point to independent Kingdoms being sovereign in the two Sudans well after the collapse of the Aksumite State, namely the Kingdoms of Alodia, Nobatia and Makuria, none of them were "Ethiopian" kingdoms, but according to that map they were all part of Medieval Abyssinia.

Just because there is one book making such a ridiculous (unexplained) map doesn't mean it can be used as the definitive example of medieval Ethiopia, which a myriad of well-established sources most certainly do not support (some of which I have already mentioned), outside of the myth of Prester John's fabled empire. Take the Conquest of Abyssinia for example, the medieval scribe that wrote it, still spoke of Adal's expansion into independent Somali territory that was out of both powers control, yet this map makes it look like it was under Imperial control in the Middle Ages. I will therefore replace it with a more neutral map that was used previously in the article. --Somaliweyn10 (talk) 12:58, 13 September 2011 (UTC)

Bring back the old map! The former map is much clearer and shows the location of the Ethiopian Empire compared to other modern day countries. If the map is incorrect, then you could edit it for the proper borders, or make a new file on the world sphere. The sphere is easier to follow! You can make the necasary edits to correct the sphere! Jacsam2 (talk) 12:44, 16 October 2011 (UTC)

You may be right that the current image is hard to 'follow'. You should consult the maker of the former image to adjust the borders. But that is a problem too. If you show the image editor an example of how the Empire looked in a specific time, then the problem could be solved. Runehelmet (talk) 19:10, 17 October 2011 (UTC)

File:Impero Etiope.jpg Nominated for Deletion

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Half of ethiopia

The claim that the "Ethiopian Empire" occupied only half of modern Ethiopia, seems rather strange. What country occupied the rest of it ?Eregli bob (talk) 11:47, 22 August 2012 (UTC)

For example; in the Southern part of modern day Ethiopia( Oromia), various Oromo Sultanates ruled the area, in the east( Ogaden) Somali nomads roamed and controlled the area, in the Northeast the Afar states, notably the Aussa Sultanate and in the Southwest other ethnic groups(e.g. Nuer, Anuak and various Nilotic peoples) inhabited the area and ruled it independently. Not until the series of conquests under Menelik II in the late 19th century, was the Ethiopian Empire expanded into the modern-day state of Ethiopia. Hope this will explain enough. Runehelmet (talk) 14:30, 22 August 2012 (UTC)

This article needs a better explanation of why this is considered an empire (normally comprising a number of subject states). Kortoso (talk) 16:41, 27 September 2013 (UTC)

Emperor Amda Seyon Had conquered most of the sother part of present-say ethiopia Ofdegu (talk) 18:57, 30 April 2021 (UTC)

Etymology of "Abyssinia"

• This article says "Abyssinia (a Europeanized form of the Arabic Al-Habash)". But Arabic is a latecomer in the area, and the Arabic form may be an adaptation of a previous non-Arabic native form. To me, the name A-byssin-ia looks like Greek for "no-cotton-land"; much of it may be too high and cold to grow cotton. Anthony Appleyard (talk) 22:51, 23 February 2016 (UTC)

  Patently obvious it is taken from the world Habesha 2A02:C7C:36FF:3600:6589:E97D:85A5:8BC8 (talk) 19:29, 25 December 2023 (UTC)

  Word rather 2A02:C7C:36FF:3600:6589:E97D:85A5:8BC8 (talk) 19:30, 25 December 2023 (UTC)

  Can you find evidence of it being used prior to the Ge’ez inscription 2A02:C7C:3617:3200:4DFD:A581:E06E:F5B8 (talk) 21:39, 28 November 2024 (UTC)

Byssin is suggested in online dictionaries as an ancient type of cloth. In Wikipedia, we mention "byssus" as a term for sea silk. For etymology see its page in Wiktionary.

In modern Greek, the closest-sounding term to "byssin" would be byssino (Βύσσινο). It is the Greek term for sour cherry. See the page for relater terms in Greek. Dimadick (talk) 22:24, 10 December 2016 (UTC)

End of Ethiopian Empire

Monarchy was officially abolished only in March 1975 (when Selassie was still alive), so is it correct to put an end in 1974?--Shivanarayana (talk) 08:10, 7 December 2016 (UTC)

Empire

Janweh64, I've moved the dubious imperial passage below here per Template:Pages needed ("use a dispute template such as {{Dubious}}, or move those statements to the talk page and ask for evidence"):

During the conquest of the Oromo, the Ethiopian Army carried mass atrocities against the Oromo population including mass mutilation, mass killings and large-scale slavery. Some estimates for the number of people killed as a result of the conquest go into the millions.

References

The citations are unverifiable since they include neither page numbers nor urls. The passage is also somewhat tautological as the Emperor Menelik's conquest of territory flanking his empire is already noted. Soupforone (talk) 04:44, 19 December 2017 (UTC)

The citations are listed above. I've read these sources. They go into further details on these war atrocities committed against the Oromo and other Southern peoples of Ethiopia. Slavery existed in Ethiopia well past the 1900s. Any of these sources and plenty more go further into it.Authorityofwiki (talk) 06:07, 19 December 2017 (UTC)

This is an WP:EXCEPTIONAL claim that requires exceptional proof. I am adding info to the citations to see if we can verify them. The statements seem to lack specificity. Can you provide the page numbers so we can add some dates for these genocidal events. We need to name some perpetrators. From Bulcha (pp 9-14), we can clearly name Tewodros as one of the perpetrators. አቤል ዳዊት (Janweh64) (talk) 11:24, 19 December 2017 (UTC)

Janweh64, thanks for linking the urls & pages above. Bulcha describes the Emperor Tewodros' conquests as an attempt to rebuild a Christian Abyssinian nation and an indiscriminate march against all those ideologically opposed to his Christian state, including Abyssinian Orthodox clergy. This is quite different from the claims that the modern Ethiopia nation-state was established (rather than rebuilt) through conquests by the later Emperor Menelik II, or through treaties with the European imperial powers. Soupforone (talk) 16:04, 19 December 2017 (UTC)

I am sure Tewodros was involved in indiscriminate killings as well, but there is also evidence that some special cruelty was reserved for the Oromo.

• Page 13: "It seems that Tewodros vented his anger on the Oromo even for things that non-Oromos did at his court... when Shawa's crown prince, Menelik, escaped from a prison attached to Tewodros's fort at Maqdela in 1865. Though it was planned by Shawan prisoners with connivance of Tewodros's elder son Meshesha..., the Wallo paid a 'terrible price for Menelik's escape' (Prouty, 1986:6-7)."
• Page 14: "It should be noted also that even during last hours before his death, Tewodros was killing prisoners from Wallo while releasing others... 'He... released the English prisoners, Shawa prisoners and Gojjam prisoners... He threw the rest of the Ethiopian Balabbat and Wallo Balabbatoch [nobility], who numbered more that 500, down the precipice of Maqdala after having shot each of them with a bullet' (Asma Giyogis 1905/1987:599)."

This is only from skimming through the section on Tewodros. Bulcha continues. I have not read the rest. I agree with you the sentence needs to be rewritten but the overall sentiment seems valid and worthy of inclusion.አቤል ዳዊት (Janweh64) (talk) 18:32, 19 December 2017 (UTC)

Page 68 of Ethiopia Through Russian Eyes by Alexander Bulatovich (primary witness) "The dreadful annihilation of more than half of the population during the conquest took away from the Galla(Oromo)all possibility of any uprising." The Bulatovich quote goes further into giving the final population number of the Oromos(Galla) at 5 million(page 163) after the conquest, which by Wikipedia math does put the numbers of those annhiliated due to the conquest into the Millions. Bulatovich is the primary witness of these massacres(during Menelik's conquest of the Southern Ethiopia) and he wrote about it in several of his books. Alexander Bulatovich was a military advisor to Menelik's army.Authorityofwiki (talk) 02:48, 20 December 2017 (UTC)

From [1] Frontiers of Violence in North-East Africa: Genealogies of Conflict Since C.1800 By Richard J. Reid page 87: "The dreadful annihilation... " Authorityofwiki (talk) 03:02, 20 December 2017 (UTC)

From the [2] Congressional Serial Set, Page 962 talks about Menelik personally going on a Slave Raid against the "Vollamo" which might be a misspelling of the "Wollamo". "60,000 men" "counted like flocks of sheeps". Menelik was a slave owner, trader and he made money on each slave sold through out his empire. Authorityofwiki (talk) 03:19, 20 December 2017 (UTC)

Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Part 2

By United States. Department of State[3] Page 962 same as above. Authorityofwiki (talk) 03:21, 20 December 2017 (UTC)

Bulatovich is alluding there to the population of the Wollo region as whole: "The Abyssinians pursue two goals in the governing of the region: fiscal and political — security of the region and prevention of an uprising. All families are assessed a tax. This is very small, not more than a unit of salt a year per family. In addition, families are attached to the land. Part of the population is obliged to cultivate land for the main ruler of the country, and part is divided among the soldiers and military leaders. The whole region is divided among separate military leaders who live off their district and feed their soldiers. At the same time, this had been a destructive and violent imperialism: The dreadful annihilation of more than half of the population during the conquest..." [4]

The Bulatovich's quote about the "The dreadful annihilation of more than half of the population during the conquest took away from the Galla(Oromo)all possibility of any uprising." is very clearly talking about the conquest of the Oromo(Galla), he describes further about the Oromo(Galla) society and how the Abyssinians massacred their people. Bulatovich witnessed and wrote about Abyssinian military raids against peaceful and innocent civilians, the enslavement of women, children and other barbaric acts against civilians by the Abyssinians. There is a Bias that is Pro-Abyssinian and Anti-Oromo on wikipedia by Pro-Abyssinian editors. How is it the statement about "Abyssinians two goals in governing"....is written in a way to Whitewash the Slaughter and Enslavement of non-Abyssinians to be used for Wikipedia while the statement about the "Conquests causing the massacres of people into the millions" not get any mention? I guess the Holocaust didn't happen because White nationalism proponents said so? Equally then, you agree that Massacre of millions of Non-Abyssinians didn't happen because Amhara Ethiopian Nationalists said so? Authorityofwiki (talk) 07:00, 20 December 2017 (UTC)

References

Authorityofwiki, most of the captives that Bulatovich described were not ethnically Oromo but rather adjacent Nilo-Saharan-speaking populations. According to Mustafa Kemal Mirzeler, Bulatovich was not biased against either the Afroasiatic-speaking Abyssinians or Oromos, but instead against the Nilo-Saharan-speaking southerners [5]-- "During his stay in Ethiopia Bulatovich was sympathetic to the ruling Amhara people and the Galla/Oromo people, perhaps because as the ruling elite, the Amhara people were important players with regard to world geopolitics and the foreign policy of Russia. The Galla people’s legends and folk traditions, especially the tales of Ras Gobana, inspired the admiration of Bulatovich. Apparently, Bulatovich was prejudiced against the “negroid” features of the southern Ethiopians and he expressed his feelings openly, but surprisingly, he cared deeply for a three-year-old southern Ethiopian child who had been castrated and thrown into a ditch during one of his military expeditions. Bulatovich named the child Vaska and took him to Russia, where he educated him. In 1907 Bulatovich sent Vaska back to Ethiopia because, after the onset of puberty, Vaska was subjected to cruel jokes and he was ostracized by his classmates. In 1911 Bulatovich visited Vaska in Ethiopia. In this final trip to Ethiopia, Bulatovich tried to establish a Russian Orthodox monastery on an island to the south of Addis Ababa, in an effort to heal the dying Menelik with his prayers.[...] For Bulatovich, with the cadre of Hamitic and Semitic ethos (Seltzer 2000:51), it should be possible for Menelik to expand his territories and create a local administrative system under its racial elite rule.[...] Bulatovich evokes in his readers a sense of similarity between the Orthodox Christian Europe and the Galla people emblematic of Ethiopia, which, according to him, can become a mediator between the civilized Europe and the uncivilized African interior.[...] The allegory embodies the triad of a European man, African men with the Hamitic civilizing influence, and ugly and weak dark African women and their children, who were captured in large numbers from the defeated savage African men, and interrogated at gunpoint and death threats. Almost all the southern Ethiopian women Bulatovich described were very dark and “ugly,” representing the antithesis of the light-skinned Galla and other Abyssinian women." Soupforone (talk) 15:32, 20 December 2017 (UTC)

Soupforone Read again page 68, Bulatovich clearly talks about the "Dreadful annihiliation of the (Galla) Oromo people" by Abyssinian conquest?....I respectfully ask, do you not read that quote by Bulatovich and come to the conclusion he is talking about genocide of a non-Abyssinian ethnic group , the Oromos? And the Bias I am talking about is Wikipedia Editors who have a Pro-Abyssinian Bias, always whitewashing or playing apologetics about atrocities committed by successive Abyssinian governments. We need an article to further explore this, or another Mengistu Hailemariam will rule again due to everyone pretending genocide isn't happening in Ethiopia now or in the past. The Famines in Ethiopia, were genocide and have always been genocide perpertrated by the ruling ethnicities goals of conquest and wiping away Non-Abyssinians. Authorityofwiki (talk) 00:49, 21 December 2017 (UTC)

Janweh64, here is what Bulcha indicates on Emperor Tewodros' overall conquests: "The Wallo and Yejju Oromos were not only in conflict with the Abyssinian state since the sixteenth century, but also were influential in internal Abyssinian politics.[...] men and women from a Yejju Oromo ruling family were even able to dominate the political scene in the Abyssinian court at Gondar during the Era of Princes.[...] notwithstanding his many campaigns, "[he] never controlled Wallo closely and even seriously threatened the activities of the rebels there..."[...] Tewodros' terror was not limited to the destruction or ethnic cleansing of Muslims or Oromos[...] What started as a campaign against the Wollo Oromo developed into indiscriminate terror against all types real or imagined enemies, including the clergy of the Abyssinian Orthodox Church". I therefore suggest phrasing to that effect, alongside Bulatovich's note on the empire's two chief goals under Emperor Menelik. Soupforone (talk) 05:43, 20 December 2017 (UTC)

"Ethiopian Empire" only the "Solomonic Dynasty"

It appears that adding the Preceding Kingdoms and presenting them as "Dynastys" of an "Ethiopian Empire" is blatantly wrong. The Ethiopian Empire is only the Solomonic Dynasty because it was Only Abyssinian(Abyssinia). It is incorrect to refer to the Agwe as a Dynasty of the Abyssinia nor refer to the Aksumite kingdom as Abyssinia either? This entire article needs to be re-structured to make the distinction clear that "Ethiopian Empire" in this article only means "Abyssinia(Habesha)" otherwise article is just a hodgepodge of nonsense.Authorityofwiki (talk) 07:15, 20 December 2017 (UTC)

@Authorityofwiki: Please slow down. I have reverted your edits not because I disagree with them but because you cite no sources. If you want to change Zagwe dynasty to Zagwe Kingdom, please go to that article and make a move request and explain why you think Zagwe Kingdom is the WP:COMMONNAME for this nation-state. አቤል ዳዊት (Janweh64) (talk) 14:07, 20 December 2017 (UTC)

It appears that Zagwe was both a kingdom and that kingdom's ruling dynasty. Soupforone (talk) 15:33, 20 December 2017 (UTC)

Abyssinia(Habesha) "kingdom", "empire"

Moved from User talk:Janweh64

Hi Janweh,

Please see that I updated the Ethiopian Empire also known as Abyssinia with a reference to [6] The source states that the Zagwe (Agwe) were a distinct ethnicity, kingdom, and dynasty from the Abyssinians of which Yekuno Amlak is the 1st of the Solomonic Dynasty. Although, there is the myth of Queen Sheba and King Solomon and Menelik I, that is just a myth and does not match the Archaelogically studied Aksumite King list. In addition, there is no mention of a Queen in the Aksumite Kings list. Uknowofwiki (talk) 04:09, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

@Uknowofwiki: You misunderstand me. I don't care about any of this. We just need a source that refers to the beginning of the Ethiopian Empire as 1270, that the Zagwe dynasty is not considered by scholars as the beginning of the Ethiopian Empire and that it actually began with the Solomonic. No need for an argument. Please just provide a scholarly work with a page number. I can be easily be convinced if you simply provide a good reliable source. —አቤል ዳዊት (Janweh64) (talk) 04:38, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

Journal Article THE ZAGWE PERIOD AND THE ZENITH OF URBAN CULTURE IN ETHIOPIA, CA. 930-1270 AD Tekeste Negash Africa: Rivista trimestrale di studi e documentazione dell'Istituto italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente Anno 61, No. 1 (Marzo 2006), pp. 120-137 [7] Uknowofwiki (talk) 04:45, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

@Uknowofwiki: That is 17 pages. Please provide a direct quote or a single page I can verify your claim that the Ethiopian Empire began in 1270 and that the Solomonic Dynasty heralds the beginning of the Ethiopian Empire. "Exceptional claims require exceptional sources".—አቤል ዳዊት (Janweh64) (talk) 04:58, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

Already provided a link and the Scholarly Journal Article read Page 120, its the Introduction.Uknowofwiki (talk) 05:02, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

I have read the introduction. It only establishes that Zawge Dynasty is distinct from Abyssinian and the Solomonic Dynasty. This page is about the Ethiopian Empire. For a long time this page included Zagwe Dynasty as the beginning of the Ethiopian Empire (which may have been incorrect). Simply provide a source that says otherwise and states it clearly so we can make the change properly. Otherwise, someone else will come along in a few weeks and change it back. If you want to make this correction permanent on Wikipedia, you need to provide a clear reference.

I have been editing Ethiopian-related pages on Wikipedia for years and every week there is a new editor with their own biases and their own claims. It is frankly frustrating and unproductive.—አቤል ዳዊት (Janweh64) (talk) 05:13, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

Question What is the term "Ethiopian Empire" exactly referring to? 1. Abyssinia? 2. Solomonic Dynasty? The article as it currently is written, it is projecting a term "Ethiopian Empire" onto different kingdoms at different time periods. Uknowofwiki (talk) 05:08, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

I don't know. Perhaps the problem is that "Ethiopian Empire" is a made up term created on Wikipedia. That maybe the root of the issue.—አቤል ዳዊት (Janweh64) (talk) 05:13, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

Personally, I believe the Ethiopian Empire only began with Tewodros II and Unification of Ethiopia. Everything after Zagwe and before Tewodros should go on a separate page on just Abyssinia. The disambiguation page Abyssinia should be moved to Abyssinia (disambiguation). That is the discussion we should be having.—አቤል ዳዊት (Janweh64) (talk) 05:23, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

It seems many sources use the term "Ethiopian Empire" and "Abyssinia" interchangeably, in addition, the name of the modern country is called Ethiopia. However in this articles case, it appears that the sources lead to mean "Ethiopian Empire" = "Abyssinia", example [8] Page 1, talks in big letters "Abyssinia" then refers it in the paragraph "Being a narrative of recent events in the Ethiopian Empire". If Abyssinia = Ethiopian Empire, then Abyssinia's start date would be with reliable sources 1270 with Yekuno Amlak. Treaties between Italy, Britain, France and Ethiopia(Abyssinia) used these terms interchangeably. I see your frustration but it might need to be corrected. As for the Zagwe Dynasty, they are seen as different from the Abyssinian kingdom(Ethiopian Empire). I think there is major work to be done here and other articles relating to these periods in the Modern country of Ethiopia's history. A country can have different kingdoms, empires during different time periods within its geographic boundary. What i have noticed on Wikipedia is an attempt by "Abyssinian(Habesha)"-centrists attempting to edit every page and present all the different kingdoms as if they were always Abyssinian/Ethiopian empire which is a term that is very specific to the ethnic groups: Amhara and Tigrayans. You may have dealt with Oromo, Eritrean, Somali, Tigre editors trying to make sure their history and identity is not misrepresented and whitewashed by "Abyssinian"-centrists. I know this sounds like a soapbox rant but it is the reality of Wikipedia. For example, the Abyssinian people article has been getting editted where some users are adding their own Definition with no sources to even back what they say. Uknowofwiki (talk) 05:27, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

I would like to add that I agree with your assessment regarding having a discussion on this more. Uknowofwiki (talk) 05:30, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

Wikipedia has an established method for avoiding this issue of ethnic bias, by insisting on only rephrasing what the reliable scholarly sources actually say. I don't care to have any discussion about "centrist". On the other hand, your argument is based on synthesis which I object to.

This is how your argument goes so far: Source 1 claims that "Ethiopian Empire" and "Abyssinia" interchangeable terms, source 2 claims Zawge dynasty is separate from Abyssinia, therefore Zagwe dysnasty is separate from the Ethiopian Empire. This is logical but it is against Wikipedia's policies on original research. We need a source that clearly says the Ethiopian Empire began with the Solomonic Dysnasty. Otherwise this will not last. Someone will change it and this is all a waste of time.—አቤል ዳዊት (Janweh64) (talk) 05:47, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

Is the term "Ethiopian Empire" and this article a case of Synthesis as well? It appears this article is presenting the Solomonic Dynasty as the start and end of the "Ethiopian Empire" example the end is 1974. Tells me, the Solomonic dynasty is the main identifier of the "Ethiopian Empire". If you add the Zagwe Dynasty, yet the Solomonic Dynasty but considers they as "Usurpers" and themselves as "Restorers", then further Tewdros II is the "Reunifyer" of this "Ethiopian Empire". We need further discussion on defining what the "Ethiopian Empire" is. Again, I think this article is a Synthesis to begin with especially when we have to use Legends as "sources". I think my source only brings into question this article's correlation to the reliable source. As for your question, where is a source that says the Ethiopian Empire started on this date? Uknowofwiki (talk) 05:56, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

Source Here is a source that is discussing this same problem we face in terms of naming and extent of what this "entity" entails. [9] The medieval European(Portoguese) contacts with the region sort of has giving us this list of names and their associations to "people", language, and territory (via some of the maps). Uknowofwiki (talk) 06:19, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

"Unholy alliance"

This is unquestionably a POV judgment on the events described, it's uncited and is therefore original research by the editor who added it, and just because you don't like an edit or an explanation is no reason to leave a snarky comment on the IP address's page. 192.91.173.34 (talk) 04:17, 4 March 2020 (UTC)

It's a political term that describes the entire paragraph, which is properly sourced. Wait for consensus here before reverting again. Sundayclose (talk) 04:22, 4 March 2020 (UTC)

It's not sourced at all, and it's not even a complete sentence. 192.91.173.34 (talk) 04:27, 4 March 2020 (UTC)

It's a complete sentence, and as I said, it describes the entire paragraph, which is well sourced. Sundayclose (talk) 04:30, 4 March 2020 (UTC)

I agree with Sundayclose. Muslim and Christian states formed coalitions, this is why I added the sentence for context. I inserted a reference describing collaboration between Yekuno Amak and Shewa, hopefully that will suffice Magherbin (talk) 23:53, 4 March 2020 (UTC)

The objection here is based on a misunderstanding of the term "unholy alliance". If you bother to take a couple of minutes to click the link and read the article, that is quite obvious. It's a metaphorical term that has nothing to do with the unholiness or holiness of any individual or group that it describes. In fact, it can apply to situations with no religious context whatsoever. In this case it refers to the alliance between Christians and Muslims, but it could be applied equally as well to (for example) Union and Confederacy in the American Civil War, or the Soviet Union and United States during the Cold War. The entire paragraph describes the alliance between Christians and Muslims, and the term "unholy alliance" is used to introduce the paragraph, which is well sourced. As such no citation is needed. although Magherbin kindly provided one. It helps if these matters are rationally discussed instead of impulsively removing a phrase based on a misunderstanding of its meaning. Sundayclose (talk) 00:45, 5 March 2020 (UTC)

I've made a new version of the flag but it was removed, just wondering could the user who removed it explain why he did so?

@Havsjö: Hey! I've made a version of the flag which I think might be a bit more authentic and better looking that the current one used, link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Ethiopian_Empire.svg However it was swiftly removed by User:Havsjö, I was just wondering if you could explain why did you remove it, if something is amiss is there any way to improve it? Thanks in advance! 85.94.107.36 (talk) 09:24, 10 June 2020 (UTC)

Its depicting the exact same thing looking basically identical, but the older one is the "standardized", high quality file used on wikipedia --Havsjö (talk) 15:58, 10 June 2020 (UTC)

"but the older one is the "standardized", high quality file used on wikipedia" they are both SVG files of the same quality so I'm not sure what you meant there, I thought my own version would be a little bit closer to the actual flag used by the Empire.Медун 1876 (talk) 06:41, 13 June 2020 (UTC)

This should be renamed to Abyssinian/Habesha Empire/Kingdom

It was the most common name in the past and wasn't used frequent until modern Ethiopia. — Preceding unsigned comment added by SonOfAxum (talk • contribs) 07:23, 3 January 2021 (UTC)

No, it should not be named "Abyssinian/Habesha Empire/Kingdom." The name Ethiopian (Amharic and Tigrinya: ኢትዮጵያ ʾĪtyōṗṗyā, , Oromo: Itoophiyaa, Somali: Itoobiya, Afar: Itiyoophiyaa) or Ethiopian Empire ( Mängəstä Ityop'p'ya) was the terms used by people in Ethiopia at the time to refer to their country. The term "Abyssinian" is a foreign word not unused by the people or government of Ethiopia in that era, was an erroneous exonym. Also, an "Habesha Empire/Kingdom" never existed by that name but it is true that the Aksumites on occasion did refer to themselves as "Habesha" when writing in the Sabaean language and informally in Ge'ez, but used the term "Ethiopian" when writing in Greek and in formal Ge'ez writtings. ItsLife1 (talk) 19:00, 5 February 2021 (UTC)

Although the term "Abyssinia" was largely an exonym, the page should be named Abyssinian Empire because it is in english and several other empires such as the Roman empire and the Byzantine empire are named in their english name and this page should not be any different. Skitbanger (talk) 21:17, 4 August 2021 (UTC)

It was an exonmyn and was designed to dislocate the history by claiming the people were semiticised inhabitants and distorting the meaning of the word Habesha which does not mean mixed. 2A02:C7C:36FF:3600:6589:E97D:85A5:8BC8 (talk) 19:33, 25 December 2023 (UTC)

References

The death of Yeshaq

There were calims on the article that Yeshaq was challenged and killed by Jamal ad-din, However, niether the Abyssinian nor the walashma chronicles state such death of the emperor. The only primary source that claims so is al-Maqrizi who states the emperor is "said to have died" in a battle where he defeated the sultan. This is disputed by Rene Basset who states in page 135 of Study of ethiopian history that Yeshaq has killed Jamal ad-din in Harajah. Also Agaw historian Taddesse Tamrat claims that "one can sense" an attempt to suppress the violent death of the Emperors while providing no logic whatsoever. If you have further information on this, please share Ofdegu (talk) 19:17, 30 April 2021 (UTC)

That wasnt the only content you removed. Propose a neutral draft on the talk page. Magherbin (talk) 20:00, 30 April 2021 (UTC)

The other content I removed talks about the invasion of sultanate of Hadiya by Zara Yaqob which never happened since the sultanate was a vassal of the Emperors since Amda Seyon and the cited source for the claim that the Sultanate was invaded and the princess was captured does not state niether the capture of the emperor nor the invasion of the sultanate it simply indicates a suppression of a rebellion and a start a tradition of marrying Hadiya princesses while not providing sour Ed that the Abyssinian Emperors ever married Hadiya princesses again so my removal those contents is justified. Walkerdude47 (talk) 11:37, 1 May 2021 (UTC)

The other content I removed talks about the invasion of sultanate of Hadiya by Zara Yaqob which never happened since the sultanate was a vassal of the Emperors since Amda Seyon and the cited source for the claim that the Sultanate was invaded and the princess was captured does not state niether the capture of the emperor nor the invasion of the sultanate it simply indicates a suppression of a rebellion and a start a tradition of marrying Hadiya princesses while not providing sour Ed that the Abyssinian Emperors ever married Hadiya princesses again so my removal those contents is justified. Walkerdude47 (talk) 11:37, 1 May 2021 (UTC)

Territory of the Empire

Maghrebin,The Empire, according to several sources, also covered additional territories such as somaliland and sudan at certain points in its history. If there is a contrary idea, please discuss it in this talk page before reversing edits. Skitbanger (talk) 21:12, 4 August 2021 (UTC)

I dont know about this but i'm too busy to review it. Perhaps someone else can look at it. Dont sock by the way its disruptive, you're a new editor requesting discussion and restoring sock edits, this is suspicious especially when these pages are targeted by sock puppets. Magherbin (talk) 03:57, 5 August 2021 (UTC)

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 3 March 2022

Add the Dinar to the currencies of the Ethiopian Empire as it was used by the Ethiopian royal court during the Gondarian period.

" ZemenfesKidus (talk) 02:33, 3 March 2022 (UTC)

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made.  melecie  t - 05:21, 3 March 2022 (UTC)

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 3 March 2022 (2)

Change the events to better reflect the history of the state. ZemenfesKidus (talk) 03:16, 3 March 2022 (UTC)

 Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate.  melecie  t - 05:22, 3 March 2022 (UTC)

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 27 April 2022

I want to put "Unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy
(1931-1974)" on the government system of the Ethiopian Empire. Is it okay? Jude Brian Lardera 2005 (talk) 06:08, 27 April 2022 (UTC)

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. ScottishFinnishRadish (talk) 16:02, 27 April 2022 (UTC)

Okay. Jude Brian Lardera 2005 (talk) 02:12, 28 April 2022 (UTC)

I look at the 1931 constitution and the 1955 constitution, but did they make Ethiopian Empire an absolute monarchy still or a semi-constitutional monarchy?

Link to the 1955 constitution - https://chilot.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/1955-revised-constitution-of-ethiopia1.pdf

Link to the 1931 constitution - https://chilot.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/ethiopian-constitution-of-1931.pdf Jude Brian Lardera 2005 (talk) 04:19, 2 May 2022 (UTC)

books on abyssinia

hey can anyone recemond a good book on abyssinia i cannot find one and need it for a project Bumblebeegoat (talk) 20:15, 9 February 2023 (UTC)

The final paragraph under the subsection 'Ahmad Gragn’s invasion' in the Early Solomonic Period section incorrectly links to Siemens, the electrical unit, instead of Simien, the location

Title says it all really, made my account just to report this lmoa. No idea which page it should link to instead - I'm for sure not an expert on Ethiopian History - as there's the page for the Simien Mountains, but the line sounds like it's a city or fort being mentioned, that there doesn't seem to be a page for, unless it's under a different name now. Either way, it's probably not meant to be linking to the electrical unit!

Is this how I properly report an error? Not sure how else I could do this other than making a talk topic for it. Sen "SenkoBread" koBread (talk) 12:44, 13 June 2023 (UTC)

Flag

If anybody has concerns about the flag change i can give you Empire legal documents, photos, images official texts about the Empire flag to back up my edit CtasACT (talk) 05:01, 16 January 2024 (UTC)

State visit to the U.S displays the plain green, yellow and red tri-colour flag source: Arrival ceremony for Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, 12:00PM | JFK Library the #11-13 Image file. The Imperial coat of arms was only on the car since Selassie was on it, the same standard as U.S president has a U.S federal Presidential flag on his/her car and the same as the Royal Family in UK have the British royal standard on their vehicles nonetheless have their country flag displayed on the visiting public place. Other sources: In Chapter VIII Article 124 of the 1955 Constitution of the Ethiopian Empire it states "The Flag of the Empire consists of three horizontal bands, the uppermast green, the middle yellow and the nethermost red, in such details as determined by law" Source: 1955-revised-constitution-of-ethiopia1.pdf Another source is: Haile Selassie state visit to Yugoslavia Where only the plain green, yellow and red tri-colour flag is shown officially, the star flag is of Yugoslavia next to the plain green, yellow and red tri-colour flag. Another source is: Queen Elizabeth II and Haile Selassie I On top you can clearly see the Flag of the United Kingdom not the UK royal standard nor the Ethiopian Royal Standard but flags of the Union Jack and the plain green, yellow and red tri-colour flag. Another source is: When Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillp the Duke of Edinburg and Emperor Selassie visit a place the again plain green, yellow and red tri-colour flag is shown, and the lion of Judah nowhere to be seen. So according to Chapter VIII Article 124 of the 1955 Constitution and numerus official state visits by host nations and even an official state invitation in Ethiopia, the flag has always been plain green, yellow and red tri-colour flag, the Lion of Judah was simply a Royal banner an equivalent to again this of the UK or this in the US not the flag of the entire country. CtasACT (talk) 05:13, 18 January 2024 (UTC)

Burden of proof, legally speaking, historical photographically speaking there is a more extremely larger burden of proof to equate the Royal Imperial Standard as the flag of the whole Empire then it is to equate the plain, green, yellow, red flag as the flag of the Empire via the sources i stated which again at are an official legal and diplomatic level CtasACT (talk) 05:58, 18 January 2024 (UTC)

Some Notes on the History of the Ethiopian National Flag on JSTOR on Page 11, states "the flag in three colours - green, yellow and red, which finally became the Ethiopian national flag." Which again does not state any Lion of Judah inside of it, second source: Whitney Smith in "Flags through the Ages and across the World" states that the Lion of Judah flag was the state flag of the Ethiopian Empire, nonetheless while the plain, green, yellow, and red where the national flag of the country of the Ethiopian Empire.

Review

So Whitney Smith states the Plain, green, yellow, and red flags where the National Flag of the Ethiopian Empire, Chapter VIII Article 124 of the 1955 Constitution of the Ethiopian Empire verbatim states the national flag of Ethiopian Empire is Plain, green, yellow, and red flag, so i personally gave Photographic image from State visits, i also gave a legal document which officially states so and so, and i finally gave two scholarly sources one being Whitey Simth and the other being Stanley Chojnacki A Professor Emeritus, i gave the sources now chose if you will obey or follow Wikipedia's WP:SCHOLARSHIP rule which i more then well did, or simply drag this more which i prefer not. CtasACT (talk) 01:19, 20 January 2024 (UTC)

@CtasACT Sorry I didn't see these messages, you should of pinged me.

red, green, white, blue and red. Thus the two top colour in combination with white recall the Italian colours, while the blue an red combined with white, that of France. White was obviously considered the Imperial colour, a fact which agrees with our knowledge the Ethiopian banners from other sources. A standing lion is directed to the left and recalls the lion of the first series of Ethiopian silver dollars of 1893. The lion holds a long narrow staff surmounted by a cross; a long pennon is attached to the staff. [..] The Italian part of the flag would obviously be eliminated after the victory of Adwa in 1896. As to the French part, it became obsolete. Perhaps between 1891 and 1897 some thoughts were given to the national flag and colours, yellow, green and red having been chosen.[10]

Pennants of those three colours had been displayed before the first official flag was established by Emperor Menilek II on October 6, 1897; his flag bore on the yellow stripe the first letter of his name in Amharic script. Later the imperial coat of arms—consisting of the “Conquering Lion of Judah,” a lion holding a staff topped by a cross with ribbons in the three national colours—appeared on the flag when it was used for official purposes.[11]

But even if I was wrong, the main problem I have with your edits is the quality of the file you are replacing the image with, literally messing up so many pages with that. Please find an image with a better quality if you try to replace it again Socialwave597 (talk) 15:45, 20 January 2024 (UTC)

No problem will try to fix the low-quality edits, + can you explain is it the render quality of the flag or something else, to not bring any confusion CtasACT (talk) 18:19, 20 January 2024 (UTC)

@CtasACT It is the render quality and also the dimensions of the flag itself. On the infobox, wherever this flag is shown, the flag just looks really thin and wide. My recommendation is to leave the country template and to just add both the plain flag and the imperial emblem on this article's infobox (ex: Derg article.) Socialwave597 (talk) 01:01, 21 January 2024 (UTC)