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    Today It is us, Tomorrow will be you
     
    Haile Selassie-icon.png Halie Selassie.

    Ethiopian Empireball, or Abyssiniaball, was a kingdom in East Africa. It was one of the two only balls in Africa not colonized by Europeans (the other was Liberia-icon.png Liberiaball). It fought two wars with Fascist Italy-icon.png Fascist Italyball, in which the first one it successfully defeated the Italians and kept its independence during the Scramble for Africa, and the second one it was defeated by the Italians shortly before World War II, but it was considered an occupation, not colonization. It would be liberated during World War II.

    History[edit | edit source]

    Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball was born as an 8-icon.png 8ball. Semetic-Speaking (in current day Amhara-icon.png Amharaball and Tigray-icon.png Tigrayball2-icon.png 2ball's settle around its clay after King Solomon and then was adopted by Kingdom of Aksumball and D'mtball.

    Abyssinia was a well-respected country within the Non-European Western countries during its life. It made many friends such as Russian-Empire-icon.png Russian Empireball Kingdom of Greece-icon.png Kingdom of Greeceball and Republic of China-icon (1912-1928).png Republic of Chinaball.

    Ethiopia had many colonization attempts in which all of them had failed. In the meantime of victories in Ethiopia such as the war against Adal-icon.png Adal Sultanateball with the help of Kingdom of Portugal-icon.png Kingdom of Portugalball.

    Formation and Adal-icon.png Adal War[edit | edit source]

    Its foundation came after Zagwe-icon.png Zagweball was overthrown by those who claimed the legacy of Kingdom of Aksum-icon.png Kingdom of Aksumball, the Solomonic dynasty. Both Ethiopian Christian-icon.png Christianballs and Islam-icon.png Muslimballs united to take Zagwe-icon.png Zagweball down.

    However, the alliance didn't last long, as Ifat Sultanate-icon.png Ifat Sultanateball, invaded the lands of Shewa Muslims, forcing Abyssinia-icon.png Ethiopia Empireball to go to war against Ifat, later destroying them. The remnants of Ifat Sultanate-icon.png Ifat Sultanateball would later re-organize and form the Adal-icon.png Adal Sultanateball.

    Adal-icon.png Adal Sultanateball started hostilities against Abyssinia-icon.png Ethiopian Empireball, and this eventually led to war as they wanted to annex Ethiopia and try to convert it into an Islamic country, though the main reason behind it was not purely religious, rather about tribal wars.

    Ottoman-icon.png Ottoman Empireball gave essential aid to Adal-icon.png Adal Sultanateball in its campaign, Abyssinia-icon.png Ethiopian Emipreball almost fell but was able to survive and defeat the invasion with some help of the PortugueseEmpire-icon.png Kingdom of Portugalball.

    Following the next centuries, Oromia-icon.png Oromoballs would expand to the territories of both Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball and Adal-icon.png Adal Sultanateball. Oromia-icon.png Oromoballs became influential in Ethiopian politics and would have key participation in internal events such as civil wars and regional disputes.

    Ottoman-icon.png Ottoman Empireball would also continue trying to take Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball by either directly launching attacks or using proxies to achieve so, like when it invaded Ethiopian territories in the current Sudan-icon.png Sudanball and later when it backed Harari-icon.png Sultanate of Hararball in a failed attempt of invading Ethiopia. Eventually, over time, Abyssinia traded but never became friends with Ottoman-icon.png Ottoman Empireball.

    Zemene Mesafint, UK-icon.png War with UKball and Yohannes IV[edit | edit source]

    The period is known as Zemene Mesafint (the "era of the lords") started after different factions from the royal clans of Gondarball started to fight for the throne, it also had the Oromia-icon.png Yejju Oromoballs having most of the power by serving as regents to the Ethiopian Emperor. During this period, there was no central military force or authority being exercised, groups would tear the country apart in their struggle for power.

    Then, Tewodros II, a very strong Emperor, ascended to the throne in Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball and ended the period through the use of force, as he was an impeccable military leader. He created the basis for a united Ethiopian state and went on a series of reforms that radically changed the country, proclaiming himself to be the Negus Nagast (the king of the kings in Amharic).

    Tewodros had some very big ambitions, such as he wanted to invade Sudan and Egypt and later expand to Palestine, founding a new biblical Empire with Jerusalemcube as the capital.

    It was in this context that UK-icon.png UKball started to see him with bad eyes as they also had imperialistic interests in the region, and this entire talk about past Hebrew Empires made them interested in achieving ancient Jewish religious sights.

    Emperor Tewodros started to jail British emissaries in exchange for weapons, UK-icon.png UKball didn't like this and launched a military campaign against Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball that ended with the suicide of Tewodros and their takeover of the capital, with them stealing many ancient Ethiopian relics, some that are yet to be delivered back.

    UK-icon.png UKball however didn't make Ethiopia its colony as they saw it as a relatively stable kingdom and it would take them a lot of effort to do so. The British ended withdrawing after some months, but before doing so, they made military deals with lords of the Tigrayball, that allowed them to siege power and end the period of chaos that came with the death of Tewodros. Ras Kassa of Tigray became the next Negus Nagast of Ethiopia under the name of Yohannes IV.

    Emperor Yohannes IV improved a lot the army Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball, achieving a great military victory against Khedivate of Egypt-icon.png Khedivate of Egyptball, a puppet state of Ottoman-icon.png Ottoman Empireball that started to invade Ethiopian territory but got ultimately defeated, this victory was very important to Abyssinia.

    Later Mahdist Sudanball got angry with Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball for giving tactical support to UK-icon.png UKball and attempted to invade it out of revenge, they failed, but Emperor Yohannes got killed in battle. His successor was the king of Shewa Menelik after a dispute between the nobility.

    Menelik II and war with Fascist Italy-icon.png Kingdom of Italyball[edit | edit source]

    Emperor Menelik II started internal reforms aimed at strengthening Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball in front of European imperialism. He centralized the empire, abolishing the power of warring regional lords and invading Harari-icon.png Emirate of Hararball, expanding the borders of Ethiopia toward the west, east, and south, which included Oromo regions as well as Sidama, Gurage and Wolatya.

    Menelik also started to modernize the country and develop more diplomatic relations with European countryballs, such as Russian-Empire2-icon.png Russian Empireball and Fascist Italy-icon.png Kingdom of Italyball, the first became a good ally of Ethiopia, same can't be said about the next.

    First Italo-Ethiopian War originated from the disputed Treaty of Wuchale signed under Yohannes, that was the treaty where Fascist Italy-icon.png Kingdom of Italyball got Eritreaball, however, the Italians also claimed they turned Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball into an Italian protectorate.

    Full-scale war broke out in 1895, with Italian troops invading Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball through Italian Eritrea-icon.png Italian Eritreaball after Eritreans failed at their revolt against Italy. They had initial success until Ethiopian troops counterattacked Italian positions and besieged the Italian fort of Meqele, forcing its surrender. Italian defeat came about after the Battle of Adwa, where the Ethiopian army dealt the heavily outnumbered Italians a decisive blow and forced their retreat back into Eritrea.

    Full-scale war broke out in 1895, with Italian troops invading Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball through Italian Eritrea-icon.png Italian Eritreaball after Eritreans failed at their revolt against Italy. They had initial success until Ethiopian troops counterattacked Italian positions and besieged the Italian fort of Meqele, forcing its surrender. Italian defeat came about after the Battle of Adwa, where the Ethiopian army dealt the heavily outnumbered Italians a decisive blow and forced their retreat back into Eritrea.

    This was not the first African victory over Western colonizers, but it was the first time such an indigenous African army put a definitive stop to a colonizing nation's efforts. Fascist Italy-icon.png Italyball was humiliated by this. This led to a nonaggression pact that was eventually broken when Mussolini came to power around World War 2.

    WW1 and beginning of Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie era[edit | edit source]

    During WW1 Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball was internally split between supporters of then Emperor Lij Iyasu who was seen as a friend to the Ottoman-icon.png Ottoman Empireball Ottoman-icon.png and Dervish State-icon.png Dervish Stateball against supporters of Zewditu, who had the elites and most of the army at its side.

    Lij Iyasu ended up defeated and the loyalists of Zewditu backed the war efforts of UK-icon.png UKball, Fascist Italy-icon.png Kingdom of Italyball and France-icon.png Franceball in the Somaliland campaign, helping them killing Dervish State-icon.png Dervish Stateball.

    Also, because of the Armenian genocide, Abyssinia-icon.png, Abyssiniaball lost trust in Ottoman-icon.png Ottoman Empireball again and provided shelter and food for the escaped victims.

    The following years were also about internal disputes. Empress Zewditu was a conservative opposed to reforms, in opposition to its appointed heir, Ras Tafari who was modernized.

    As the Empress started to get out of public life, conservative elites launched a revolt against Ras Tafari that was crushed. This would consolidate his power and start a new era in Ethiopian politics that was just as troubled as the previous one, marked by regional conflicts.

    Ras Tafari became Emperor Haile Selassie-icon.png, Haile Selassie, besides his reforms, also put Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball in the League of Nations-icon.png League of Nationsball.

    Second Italo-Ethiopian War and WW2[edit | edit source]

    Three years before WW2, Fascist Italy-icon.png Fascist Italyball started to get more and more involved in Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball's internal affairs, being openly hostile toward it, which led to tensions between the two countries and ended up with Italyball launching an invasion of Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball, that perished in face of its modern army and was subjected to military occupation.

    As most Western European countries didn't actually see Fascist Italy-icon.png Fascist Italyball with bad eyes, they were a fine alternative to Soviet-icon.png Soviet Unionball and Nazi-icon.png Nazi Germanyball, and no actual resistance was made toward the invasion, even with all the efforts of Abyssinia-icon.png Abyssiniaball in the League of Nations-icon.png League of Nationsball.

    Abyssinia-icon.png Ethiopian Empireball became a part of the Italian colony of Italian East Africa-icon.png Italian East Africaball. Internal resistance against the Italians continued till its defeat in 1941, during the East African Campaign of WW2.

    Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie, the former Emperor that had almost been forgotten after the invasion as he had little to no contact with the resistance in Ethiopia, started along with the British to incite Ethiopian and other local forces to join a campaign to dislodge the Italians from Ethiopia-icon.png Ethiopia.

    Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie went to Sudan-icon.png Khartoum to establish a closer liaison with the British and resistance forces within Ethiopia-icon.png Ethiopia. On 18 January 1941, he crossed the border into Ethiopia near the village of Um India.

    On 5 May, the Emperor and an army of Ethiopian Free Forces entered Addis Ababa-icon.png Addis Abababall. After the defeat of Fascist Italy-icon.png Fascist Italyball, the Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia was carried out by remnants of Italian troops and their allies, which lasted until the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces in September 1943.

    The treaty signed in Paris by Italian Social Republic-icon.png Italian Republicball and the Allied powers of World War 2 on 10 February 1947, included formal Italian recognition of Ethiopian independence and an agreement to pay $25,000,000 in reparations.

    Since the League of Nations-icon.png League of Nationsball and most of its members had never officially recognized Italian sovereignty over Ethiopia, Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie had been recognized as the restored Emperor of Ethiopia following his formal entry into Addis Ababa in May 1941.

    Cold War[edit | edit source]

    After all the trauma of WW2, wrong were those who believed the situation in Abyssinia-icon.png Ethiopian Empireball would get better. Emperor Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie had to deal with all the problems he was dealing before the Italian invasion and they just got worse after it.

    His relations with the elites of Tigrayball that were already bad since their opposition to the constitution of 1931 got worse, with them being accused of being bandits (Italian collaborationists) and losing most of their privileges.

    Eritreaball that had finally returned to Ethiopia also started to give Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie headaches. While at the beginning Eritreans were excited for finally being free of European colonialism, they started to get just as unsatisfied as before with the monarchy for similar reasons of that of Tigrayball.

    It is worthy to realize that Eritreaball was at the time in different conditions from the rest of Ethiopia due to decades of Italian colonization. Eritreans had already partially overcome the feudalism prevailing in Ethiopia. To fix such an issue, it was necessary for Emperor Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie to complete Ethiopia's modernization and industrialization process, thus surpassing colonial development in Eritrea with a much larger national one. However, as we will see, he was not able to take a decision on this issue and was split trying to stay on good terms with both the modernists and conservatives.

    The monarchy's relations with other peoples of the empire just got worse over the years, they had committed a lot of atrocities against Harari-icon.png Harariballs. They tried to give autonomy to some regions under so-called "loyal elites", such as in Afar-icon.png Afarball.

    But even this model was not exempt of in problems as every time Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie took a decision it would end up in revolts and famines, such as the one of Tigrayball at the end of the 50s.

    Abyssinia-icon.png Ethiopian Empireball split between a modernized absolutist kingdom or an ancient feudal kingdom ended in nothing after Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie did reforms for both as he was going towards absolutism which no one wanted.

    In 1960, a feudalist coup attempt happened as the regional elites were still upset that the feudal kingdoms had been abolished and were afraid the Emperor would become constitutional, they wanted to install Amha Selassie as the new Negus Nagast but failed.

    As everyone in Abyssinia-icon.png Ethiopian Empireball was trying to backstab Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie, he thought that being a good looking figure to other Africans and blacks in the West would save him.

    He started to emphasize the anti-colonial past of Ethiopia in the foundation of the Organisation of African Unityball that happened in Addis Abababall, also been seen as an idol by some black nationalists (Garveysts) such as the Rastafari-icon.png Rastafaris from Jamaica-icon.png Jamaicaball, who founded a religious movement after him.

    Still, this didn't help him in-home at all, because, in the end, anyone can just say a funny Thanos quote and don't do anything. Most African liberation movements didn't associate with Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie as he was still a close ally of UK-icon.png UKball and now USA-icon.png USAball in the continent.

    He would be loyal to their geopolitics as well, as Abyssinia-icon.png Ethiopian Empireball sent troops to fight alongside USA-icon.png USAball led UN-icon.png UNball coalition in the Korean War.

    Abyssinia-icon.png Ethiopian Empireball reached a limit in the 70s after all those decades of troubles and misery, Haile Selassie-icon.png Haile Selassie tried to do some quick progressive reforms, however, such reforms did no progress and conditions didn't improve.

    Popular dissatisfaction continued and chaos in the government escalated. Progressive factions of the army founded the "Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police and Territorial Army" (better known by the Amharic acronym of Derg).

    The Derg was an anti-corruption front that started to arrest members of the government and loyalists of Haile Selassie-icon.png. Haile Selassie tried to launch a proposal to end Derg-icon.png Dergball, but it ended up with the end of the monarchy instead in the Revolution of 1974. After centuries, the Solomonic dynasty found its end.

    Relationships[edit | edit source]

    Friends[edit | edit source]

    • Portugal-icon.png Portugalball - Trading partner and was against Fascist Italy-icon.png Barbarians so I thank it for that. It also removes Adal-icon.png that Somali Sheik
    • UK-icon.png UKball - Fought with me in the war to kick out Fascist Italy-icon.pngThose crazy Nazis from invading my land and get back to regular monarchy.
    • France-icon.png Franceball - Also in my side. It was also getting invaded by Nasty pasta and received its land back just like me. It is also a trading partner.
    • Russian-Empire-icon.png Russian Empireball - Thanks for supporting me against THAT ONE DISGRACEFUL EUROPEAN during the First Italo-Ethiopian War. You are true and beautiful Russia. Glory to the Russian Empire. Remove Commies from the premises.
    • USA-icon.png USAball - Also against Italy and Germany. Not sure though what it did to Japanese-Empire.gifEmpire of Japanball is ok though...that's one big boom boom! Though that bitch  Emperor deserved it not its poor people.
    • South Yemen-icon.png South Yemenball - Buddies, I hope you get your independence soon. But why commie?
    • Armenia-icon.png Armeniaball - I will always support you against Ottoman-icon.png IT I provided shelter and refuge homes during the Armenian Genocide
    • Jamaica-icon.png Jamaicaball - I visited its clay when it was in a drought. Then it was raining when I arrived. After that day, they think I am a god.
    • Djibouti-icon.png Djiboutiball - Used to be  Franceball clay. But now since it is partly gone from European powers, I am proud to say welcome to the world of Independence!
    • China-icon.png Chinaball - Could relate to the invasion from Japan and Italy. It´s annoying, right? Also a trading partner and ally.
    • Israel-icon.png Israelcube - Don't worry my relative, you're safe with me. :D. I protected its people during the Holocaust.
    • Romania-icon.png SR Romaniaball - Trading partner even though it's Communist.
    • Islam-icon.png Islam - I accepted you early. If it weren't for me, you would not exist. So you need to thank me for saving your religion. I approve of it. Also my king during yours Prophets time convert to islam so thanks?
    • Kingdom of Greece-icon (soldier).png Kingdom of Greeceball - Fellow Fascist remover! We both defeated the weak nazis during world war 2 and became a friend of all. Nice job their bud.
    • South Korea-icon.png South Koreaball - I helped it out during the Korean War! We are friends and are also against Kingdom of Italy-icon (Africa).png Japanese-Empire.gif THE RAPISTS.
    • Ethiopia-icon.png My restorer - My grandchild. It takes me as its inspiration but why did you remove Kebab? The only bad kebabs are Somali and Ottoman but the rest did nothing to you, child!

    Frenemies[edit | edit source]

    • Afar-icon.png Afarball - Same as Harariball. You are my child ever since I annexed Aussaball.
    • Oromo-icon.png Oromiaball - YOUR ALSO MINE!!! Also stop winning about Menelik. Selassie gave you more rights than you ever had.

    Enemies[edit | edit source]

    • North Korea-icon.png North Koreaball - You are fake Korea!! South Korea-icon.png South Koreaball is Free and True Korea!! You are a dictator IMPOSTER!
    • Adal-icon.png Adal Sultanateball - Damn you, annoying somali muslims who annexed a lot of my clay.
    • Eritrea-icon.png Eritreaball - Grandchild who is an embarrassment and dictates everyone and also friends with North Korea-icon.png Fake Korea in modern times. MY OLDEST CHILD SHOULD ANNEX YOU BY NOW!!
    • Union of South Africa-icon.png Union of South Africaball - Racist Asshole. I hope you die one day! Go to hell...I will make sanctions! I really do not care if you are an ally...I still hate you.. you only live off discrimating 8-icon.png black people you fake! YOU ARE NAZI TO BLACKS! YOU NAZI WANNABE! AT LEAST YOU DIED IN 1994 ALTHOUGH I COULDN'T SEE IT..
    • Sultanate of Egypt-icon.png Egypt Eyaletball - Oh you Ottoman side chick or whatever the hell you are, stop invading me and stop persecuting Coptic Christians in your country! They did nothing wrong!
    • Harari-icon.png Harar Sultanateball - I rightfully conquest you! YOU'RE MY CLAY NOW!!!
    • Dervish State-icon.png Dervish Stateball - Okay maybe I hate Italy to okay, but if I and Italy did one thing right together, it's killing you, and you murderous genocidal Islamic cult persecution Coptic Christians. I am still keeping Ogadenia-icon.png Ogadeniaball.
    • Derg-icon.png Dergball - STUPID SUCCESSOR WHO KILLED ME! GOOD THING MY CHILD KILLED YOU! HAHAHA YOU STUPID LITTLE COMMIE YOU DIED NOT EVEN 15 YEARS INTO YOUR EXISTENCE! YOU'RE SO TRASH!!

    THE WORST EMPIRES EVER TO EXIST [edit | edit source]

    • Fascist Italy-icon.png DUMBASS FASCIST SCUM - WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE THE HATRED OF YOU EVIL SHIT! YOU ARE THE ABSOLUTE WORST COUNTRYBALL EVER TO EXIST. Tried to colonize me twice you failed!! No injera and coffee supplies for you!
    • Ottoman-icon.png Ottoman Empireball - We are trading partners but... you were the one who invaded me three times to take over the Nile river...YOU KNOW I WAS THE SECOND FIRST PERSON TO REMOVE KEBAB RIGHT? 
    • Axis In general - But especially these guys
      • Japanese-Empire.gif Empire of Japanball - Free my friends KOREA AND REPUBLIC OF CHINA
      • Nazi.gif Nazi Germanyball - This evil European who supplied gas for Mussolini to murder me and my people because we have Semitic blood? Why? Remove you terrorist bitch. Halie Selassie Strong. It laughed at the gassings. Karama will pay. I support the Jews against you and provided homes when the Italians left when I was liberated by the Brits. I will do anything I can for your terrorism to be stopped. You attempted to murder me AND my relative...
    • Italian Social Republic-icon.png GENOCIDEBALL - This Nazi tried to kill my Jewish population and tried to kill my people since we are both ethnically black and Semitic! I don't know what the hell is wrong with it! I am just so glad AXIS is gone! 'REEMMMOOVVEE!!
    • Soviet-icon.png Assasionball - We are both allies during WWII but... You were the one who helped killed me and my last emperor and made your own republic during my famine. That's all I'm going to say.

    Gallery[edit | edit source]

    PolandGallery.png
    Polandball Wiki has a gallery of artwork, comics, GIFs, and videos of Ethiopian Empireball.

    Click here to see it.

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