History
Ethiopia’s human history dates back at least 4.4 million years, landing it squarely in East Africa’s heralded Cradle of Humanity. Recorded history dates to 1500 BC, when a civilisation with Sabaean influences briefly blossomed at Yeha.
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Kingdom of aksum
This kingdom, ranking among the ancient world’s most powerful, rose shortly after 400 BC. Its capital, Aksum, sat in a fertile area lying at an important commercial crossroads between Egypt, Sudan’s gold fields and the Red Sea. At its height the kingdom extended well into Arabia.
Aksum flourished on trade, exporting frankincense, grain, skins, apes and, particularly, ivory. In turn, exotic imports returned from Egypt, Arabia and India. Aksumite architecture was incredible, and Aksum’s impressive monuments still stand today.
The 4th century brought Christianity, which enveloped Aksum and would shape Ethiopia’s future spiritual, cultural and intellectual life.
Aksum flourished until the 7th century, when its trading empire was fatally isolated by the rise of Arabs and Islam in Arabia. Ethiopia soon sank into its ‘dark ages’, a period that has left little evidence.
Early dynasties
The Zagwe dynasty eventually rose around Lalibela in 1137. Although only lasting until 1270, it produced arguably Ethiopia’s greatest treasures: the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. Despite the architectural wonders, this period remains shrouded in mystery as stones weren’t inscribed, and no chronicles were written. The dynasty was overthrown by Yekuno Amlak, self-professed descendant of King Solomon and Queen Sheba. His ‘Solomonic dynasty’ would reign for 500 years.
Although Islam expanded into eastern Ethiopia during the 12th and 14th centuries, it wasn’t until the late 15th century, when Ottoman Turks intervened, that hostilities erupted. After jihad was declared on the Christian highlands, Ethiopia experienced some of the worst bloodshed in its history. Only Portuguese intervention helped saved the Christian empire.
Towards a united empire
Filling the power vacuum created by the weakened Muslims, Oromo pastoralists and warriors migrated from what is now Kenya. For 200 years intermittent conflict raged. Two 17th-century emperors, Za-Dengel and Susenyos, even went as far as conversion to Catholicism to gain the military support of Portuguese Jesuits. The Muslim state wasn’t immune to Oromo might either; Harar’s old city walls were built in response to their conflicts.
In 1636 Emperor Fasiladas founded Ethiopia’s first permanent capital since Lalibela. By the close of the 17th century, Gonder boasted magnificent palaces, beautiful gardens and extensive plantations. However, during the 18th century, assassination and intrigue became the order of the day, the ensuing chaos reading like Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Gonder collapsed in the mid-19th century and Ethiopia disintegrated into a cluster of feuding fiefdoms.
The shattered empire was eventually reunified by Kassa Haylu, who crowned himself Emperor Tewodros. However, his lofty ambitions and pride led him to cross the British, resulting in his death. His successor, Yohannes IV, fought to the throne with weapons gained by aiding the British during their Tewodros campaign. Later, Menelik II continued acquiring weaponry, using it to thrash the advancing Italians in 1896, saving Ethiopia from colonialism.
In 1936 Mussolini gained revenge as Italian troops overran Ethiopia. They occupied it until capitulating to British forces in 1941.
The derg to democracy
By 1973 a radical military group, known as the Derg, had emerged. They used the media with consummate skill to undermine and eventually depose Emperor Haile Selassie, before their leader, Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam, declared Ethiopia a socialist state in 1974.
Despite internal tensions, external threats initially posed the Derg’s biggest problem. Only state-of-the-art weaponry, gifted by the Soviet Union, allowed them to beat back Somalia’s 1977 invasion. In Eritrea, however, the secessionists continued to thwart Ethiopian offensives.
The ethiopia–eritrea war
During the 1980s, numerous Ethiopian armed liberation movements arose. For years, with limited weaponry, they fought the Soviet-backed Derg’s military might.
When Mengistu lost Soviet backing after the Cold War, his days were numbered and the rebel Ethiopian and Eritrean coalition forces finally claimed victory in 1991.
After the smoke cleared, Eritrea was immediately granted independence, Mengistu’s failed socialist policies were abandoned, and in 1995 the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was proclaimed. Elections followed, and the second republic’s constitution was inaugurated. Meles Zenawi, as prime minister, formed a new government.
Despite being friends who fought together against the Derg for over a decade, Meles Zenawi and Eritrea’s President Isaias soon clashed. Bickering over Eritrea’s exchange-rate system for their new currency led to Eritrea occupying the border town of Badme in 1998. Soon full-scale military conflict broke out, leaving tens of thousands dead on both sides before ceasing in mid-2000. The settlement included the installation of an OAU-UN buffer zone on Eritrean soil.
Ethiopia today
Ethiopia is again at a poignant period in its history. Controversial 2005 elections and the government’s heavy-handed reprisals have cast doubts on democracy, and everyone’s hoping another democratic freedom fighter hasn’t turned dictator.
Despite many opposition members being unjustly jailed, their parties continue to rally, and in mid-2006 Ethiopia’s largest opposition party formed a new political alliance with Ethiopia’s four largest rebel groups.
If internal political turmoil wasn’t enough, relations with Eritrea heated up again in late 2005. Things are still tense as Ethiopia occupies Badme (awarded to Eritrea by the UN) and Eritrea refuses to allow UN helicopters to monitor troop movements along the border.
The southern front took an interesting turn in August 2006, when Ethiopian troops entered Somalia in support of the Somali government’s fight against the Islamic militia who control Mogadishu. Things escalated in December 2006, when Ethiopia officially declared war against the Somali Islamic militia and launched air attacks on several Somalia border towns.
