The Great Famine of 1889: Ethiopia's Survival

In the late nineteenth century, while European powers carved up Africa in the Scramble for the Continent, Ethiopia faced a different kind of existential threat: a catastrophic drought that triggered the Great Famine of 1889. This episode explores how Emperor Menelik II navigated the crisis in Shoa and Harar, balancing imperial politics with humanitarian survival. We examine the role of Empress Taitu Betul in organizing relief efforts across mountain monasteries like Debre Damo, and how the famine intersected with the military campaigns against Egypt and Mahdist Sudan. By looking at the intersection of climate, agriculture, and statecraft, we uncover how this period solidified Ethiopia’s independence before the decisive Battle of Adwa. Listeners will discover the specific policies enacted to protect the peasantry and the complex diplomatic maneuvers that kept the empire intact during one of its darkest years.

#EthiopianHistory #MenelikII #TaituBetul #GreatFamine1889 #Shoa #Harar #AddisAbaba #DebreDamo #Abyssinia #EastAfrica #SolomonicDynasty #OromoHistory #Adwa #Tewahedo #GeEz #KebraNagast #Zagwe #History #FexingoHistory

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