Russion Protection of Ethiopian Independence in the Nineteenth Century
Russian Protection of Ethiopian Independence in the Nineteenth Century
Mackenzie Stewart
History 122
Professor A. Chowdhury
March 7, 2013
Russian Protection of Ethiopian Independence in the Nineteenth Century
In the latter half of the nineteenth century the significant powers of Europe, including Britain, France, and Italy began fixing their sights on the ‘uncivilized’ nations of Africa for potential colonial expansion. While resistance was common, Africa was not equipped to defend against the industrialized armies of Western Europe. Thanks to Russian friction with Italy, along with both financial and military aid from Russia, it was possible for Ethiopia to stand as the only African nation able to resist European colonization during the scramble for Africa. Though not the only industrialized nation to aid the expansion and independence of Ethiopia, Russia is the key force behind the success of Ethiopian anti-imperialism in the 1890s.
Relations between Ethiopia and Russia were stronger than those of any other European-African relationship at the time. Menelik’s eager-to-please attitude towards all European nations played a small role in this development. However, after tentative connections were established, Russia became extremely interested in the relationship, for the sole reason of religious similarity between Russians and Ethiopians. The Russian population and government were dominated by Orthodox Christianity; the nation of Ethiopia was predominately Christian as well. It is important to note that despite these partial religious overlaps, contact between the two churches had been sparse and largely negative. The Russian Church originally saw the beliefs of the Ethiopian Christians to be misguided, and even heretical. The Church in Russia, eager to improve relations with the Ethiopians and extend the influence of their faith, pushed toward a reunion of the two churches. The Russian’s goal was to bring Ethiopia into Orthodoxy in order to extract
Mackenzie Stewart
History 122
Professor A. Chowdhury
March 7, 2013
Russian Protection of Ethiopian Independence in the Nineteenth Century
In the latter half of the nineteenth century the significant powers of Europe, including Britain, France, and Italy began fixing their sights on the ‘uncivilized’ nations of Africa for potential colonial expansion. While resistance was common, Africa was not equipped to defend against the industrialized armies of Western Europe. Thanks to Russian friction with Italy, along with both financial and military aid from Russia, it was possible for Ethiopia to stand as the only African nation able to resist European colonization during the scramble for Africa. Though not the only industrialized nation to aid the expansion and independence of Ethiopia, Russia is the key force behind the success of Ethiopian anti-imperialism in the 1890s.
Relations between Ethiopia and Russia were stronger than those of any other European-African relationship at the time. Menelik’s eager-to-please attitude towards all European nations played a small role in this development. However, after tentative connections were established, Russia became extremely interested in the relationship, for the sole reason of religious similarity between Russians and Ethiopians. The Russian population and government were dominated by Orthodox Christianity; the nation of Ethiopia was predominately Christian as well. It is important to note that despite these partial religious overlaps, contact between the two churches had been sparse and largely negative. The Russian Church originally saw the beliefs of the Ethiopian Christians to be misguided, and even heretical. The Church in Russia, eager to improve relations with the Ethiopians and extend the influence of their faith, pushed toward a reunion of the two churches. The Russian’s goal was to bring Ethiopia into Orthodoxy in order to extract
Bibliography: George F. H. Berkeley, The Campaign of Adowa and the Rise of Menelik (New York: Negro Universities Press, 1902). R. H. Kofi Darkwah, Shewa, Menilek, and the Ethiopian Empire 1813-1889 (London: Heinemann Ltd., 1975). Haggal Erlich, Ethiopia and Eritrea During the Scramble for Africa: A Political Biography of Ras Alula, 1875-1897 (East Lancing: Michigan State University Press, 1982). Czeslaw Jesman, The Russians in Ethiopia: An Essay in Futility (London: Chatto and Windus, 1958), 29. 87-88, 99. Harold G. Marcus, The Life and Times of Menelik II: Ethiopia 1844-1913 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1975). Richard Pankhurst, “Guns in Ethiopia,” Transition, No Robert G. Patman, The Soviet Union in the Horn of Africa: The Diplomacy of Intervention and Disengagement (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1990), 28-30. Gerald Reece, “The Horn of Africa,” International Affairs, Vol Sven Rubenson, The Survival of Ethiopian Independence (London: Heinemann Ltd, 1976), 397. W. B. Stern, “The Treaty Background of the Italo-Ethiopian Dispute,” The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 30, No. 2 (1936), 189-203. Teshale Tibebu, “The ‘Anomaly’ and ‘Paradox’ of Africa,” Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 26, No. 4 (1996), 414, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2784716. Gordon Waterfield, “The Horn of Africa,” African Affairs, Vol. 57, No. 226 (1958), 11-19. http://www.jstor.org/stable/719062 [ 4 ]. Richard Pankhurst, “Guns in Ethiopia,” Transition, No. 20 (1965): 26, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2934388. [ 5 ]. Sven Rubenson, The Survival of Ethiopian Independence (London: Heinemann Ltd, 1976), 397. [ 9 ]. Robert G. Patman, The Soviet Union in the Horn of Africa: The Diplomacy of Intervention and Disengagement (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1990), 28. [ 14 ]. Teshale Tibebu, “The ‘Anomaly’ and ‘Paradox’ of Africa,” Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 26, No. 4 (1996), 414.