Ethiopia during Menelik
Ethiopia is a land of myth and legend said to be home to the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon's Mines for centuries tales of treasure on some islands which drew explorers and fortune hunters.
There are many old monasteries in Ethiopia that are more than 700 years old the building methods and the wall paintings tell the story of Ethiopia's spectacular heritage. Christianity was declared a state religion here in the 4th century, this isn't a religion that was imposed on Ethiopia by missionaries this is homegrown Christianity long before it was the religion of the Roman Empire it was the religion here in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia was the first Christian Kingdom in the world, but it wasn't the only major religion to find an early foothold here before Christianity and Judaism had arrived and according to legend this area has been the resting place for one of the Religion's holiest treasures for almost 3,000 years.
Telling you how religious and how the Ethiopians worship God in unique and attractive ways you could ever imagine now comes the part where colonizers were taking over Africa. There is only one country in Africa that was never colonized, and it was Ethiopia.
Ethiopia also known as the Abyssinia Kingdom, why do you think Ethiopia was never colonized now this is where it gets interesting. Italy attempted to conquer Ethiopia, but they were defeated by the army of the Emperor of Ethiopia called Menelik II with an army of 196 thousand of soldiers.
Emperor Menelik killed 289 Italian officers, 2018 European soldiers, and 200 African soldiers allied with the Europeans, many more were wounded, and others were taken as prisoners now the battle was termed the Battle of Artois which took place in 1896 the capital of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa Which was founded by Emperor Menelik II. The dominant language is spoken in Amharic and injera is mostly eaten with meat sauce and vegetables.
And basically, another mind-blowing fact about Ethiopia is that they don't use the same Calendar as the rest of the world. When today it is 2022 everywhere it is only 2015 in Ethiopia Calendar. They have their own Calendar, their own numerical system, and it is all Biblical.
You can go and visit Ethiopia and you can be amazed by all the Biblical and religious things that they do. The 'Meskel' festival, the 'Timket' festival, The Lalibela church, and more you can look for and be completely shocked at how God is served in Ethiopia.
And coming back to the war the Ethiopians were equipped with non-advanced weapons the armies were just farmers with no military experience and training. What makes the war somehow religious is the emperor Menelik was at the stages of many people and there were also his messengers delivering his words, and before the war, he said upon to his citizens. The emperor vowed that to any man who is not fighting for his country against the invaders the emperor promised/swear on the name of the virgin Mary that will not go unanswered for.
And then the farmers all went out they had just axes, arrows, shields, swords, and horses, but not the advanced ones like they didn't have many guns like the Italians they only had a few and it was not given to the farmers but for those who were already in the guards. When the war started, the Ethiopians were winning greatly, and the Italians couldn't believe what was happening they don't believe it was just the army that defeated them, and some among them said they have this warrior with the white horse fighting for Ethiopians that defeated us and Ethiopia believes it is Saint George. Ethiopia after winning the war had a painting of Saint George in their churches and the painting represents saint George and the Ethiopia farmers and armies side by side defeating Italy.
The Battle of Adwa is commemorated to this day in Ethiopia as a national holiday, with public celebrations in towns and cities across Ethiopia every year. Each year they celebrate the leadership of Menelik II, Taytu and of course Saint George.