A History of Addis Ababa from Its Foundation in 1886 to 1910

A History of Addis Ababa from Its Foundation in 1886 to 1910
Author: Peter P. Garretson
Publisher: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag
Total Pages: 256
Release: 1974
Genre: Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
ISBN: 9783447040600

This thesis traces aspects of the political, economic and religious history of Addis Ababa from 1886 to 1910. It is based largely on documentary material, both Ethiopian and European, but also depends on oral information. As a city it was unique in Africa because of the absence of an imposed European direction of its development and as a result it grew ad hoc, influenced by both Ethiopian and foreign concepts of an urban community. From the beginnings Emperor Menilek completely dominated the political and administrative machinery of the capital, but during his illnesses many of his responsibilities were, perforce, delegated to his closest associates who exercised their powers largely through the organisation of the Imperial Palace. The bureaucracy became increasingly civilian in its personnel, rather than military, especially after the Battle of Adwa. Furthermore, since Addis Ababa was also the capital of the empire, the city and its administrators played not only a local but also an imperial role. The economic influence of the capital was even more pronounced, where again the Emperor was more important than any other individual in the land and under his watchful eye foreigners dominated the import and export trade, while Christians wrested the overall control of trade in the Empire from the Muslims. Yet evangelically, the church was rarely very energetic in the capital although its influence was pervasive. While many historians have seen Menilek's reign as a period of significant innovation and modernisation, this thesis regards that as an exaggerated claim. For, when closely examined, the modernisation of even the capital was never very impressive, although it was the acknowledged centre of foreign influence. Nonetheless, the capital did show itself to be the main point for the diffusion of the few modernisations that were introduced into the country from the 1880s to 1910.

A History of Addis Abäba from Its Foundation in 1886 to 1910

A History of Addis Abäba from Its Foundation in 1886 to 1910
Author: Peter P. Garretson
Publisher: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2000
Genre: History
ISBN:

Peter P. Garretson's history of the foundation and early years of the city of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia from 1886 to 1910, focuses on the economic and political history of an indigenous city unusual for this period of African history, since it was not under the control of a colonial power. The political history concentrates on the dominant role of minorities in the early years of the capital's growth. The most important local official was the Naggadras or head of the merchants, who was the equivalent of a mayor. The economic history emphasizes the importance again of Emperor Menilek, the early importance of trade routes in the growth of the city, and the role of modernization and innovation in the history of the capital and the nation.

The Brass Band of the King

The Brass Band of the King
Author: Boris Adjemian
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 305
Release: 2024-07-25
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0755648420

In 1924, the crown prince and future emperor of Ethiopia, Ras Täfäri, on a visit to Jerusalem, called on forty Armenian orphans who had survived the genocide of 1915-1916 to form his empire's royal brass band. The conductor, who was also Armenian, composed the first official anthem of the Ethiopian state. Drawing on this highly symbolic event, and following the history of the small Armenian community in Ethiopia, in this book Boris Adjemian shows how it operated on the margins of political society, hiding in its interstices, preferring intimacy and discreet loyalty to the glitter of open politics. The astonishing role of the Armenians in their host country was embodied in the friendship that the kings and queens of Ethiopia extended to them, a theme that is echoed in the life stories collected from their descendants. Bringing to light the political and cultural importance of a community that has long been ignored and has almost vanished, this study draws on the collective memory of Armenian immigration and the centuries-long history of proximity between the Armenian and Ethiopian Churches. The author argues for a sedentary approach to the diaspora, for a socio-history of this collective rootedness, which dates back to the 19th century and builds on historical representations of otherness from the early modern period up to the colonial era. Highlighting stateless immigrants halfway between the national and the foreign, this history reveals the agency of stateless immigrants and their descendants, their ability to play with identities and undermine assigned belongings. The Brass Band of the King is an original exploration of the social making of nationhood and foreignness in Africa and elsewhere.

Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia

Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia
Author: Thomas P. Ofcansky
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
Total Pages: 699
Release: 2004-03-29
Genre: History
ISBN: 0810865661

Ethiopia is one of the world's oldest countries; its Rift Valley may be the location where the ancestors of humankind originated more than four million years ago. With a population of 67 million people today, it is the third most populous country on the African continent after Nigeria and Egypt. It is the source of 86 percent of the water reaching the Aswan Dam in Egypt, most of it carried by the amazing Blue Nile. Ethiopia offers major historical sites such as the pre-Christian palace at Yeha, the stele and tombs of the old Kingdom of Axum, and the rock-carved churches of Lalibela. For anyone interested in Ethiopia, this historical dictionary, through its individual and carefully cross-referenced entries, captures the importance and intrigue of this truly significant African nation. Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia appeals to all levels of readers, providing entries for each of Ethiopia's 85 ethnic groups and covering a broad range of cultural, political, and economic topics. Readers interested in the cultural aspects or who are planning to visit Ethiopia will find a wealth of entries on art, literature, handicrafts, music, dance, bird life, geography, and historic tourist sites. Practitioners in government and non-governmental organizations will find entries on pressing economic, social, and political issues such as HIV/AIDS, female circumcision , debt, human rights, and the environment. The important historical role of missionaries and the combination of conflict and cooperation between Christians and Muslims in the region are also issues reviewed. And, finally, many of the entries highlight relations between Ethiopia and her neighbors-Eritrea, Somalia, Somaliland, Djibouti, Kenya, and Sudan. In the bibliography, considerable emphasis has been placed on including both new and old materials covering all facets of Ethiopia, organized for easy identification by areas of major interest.

A History of Modern Ethiopia, 1855–1991

A History of Modern Ethiopia, 1855–1991
Author: Bahru Zewde
Publisher: Ohio University Press
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2002-03-17
Genre: History
ISBN: 0821445723

Bounded by Sudan to the west and north, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the southeast, and Eritrea and Djibouti to the northeast, Ethiopia is a pivotal country in the geopolitics of the region. Yet it is important to understand this ancient and often splintered country in its own right. In A History of Modern Ethiopia, Bahru Zewde, one of Ethiopia’s leading historians, provides a compact and comprehensive history of his country, particularly the last two centuries. Of importance to historians, political scientists, journalists, and Africanists alike, Bahru’s A History of Modern Ethiopia, now with additional material taking it up to the last decade, will be the preeminent overview of present-day Ethiopia.

Bibliographia Aethiopica II

Bibliographia Aethiopica II
Author: Hans Wilhelm Lockot
Publisher: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag
Total Pages: 890
Release: 1998
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 9783447036115

Erstmals wird hier die Fulle der englischsprachigen Athiopienliteratur geordnet dargeboten. In 100 Sections fuhrt der Autor alle fur die wissenschaftliche Beschaftigung mit Athiopien wichtigen Buch- und Zeitschriftenbeitrage zum Beispiel zur "Historyof Research", "Archaeology", "Religion", aber auch Fragen der "Sociology", "Agriculture", "Zoology" und "Medical Sciences" auf. Wie im Falle der deutschsprachigen Literatur ("Bibliographia Aethiopica: Die athiopienkundliche Literatur des deutschsprachigenRaumes" = Aethiopistische Forschungen 9 [1982]) berucksichtigt der Autor auch alle ihm zuganglichen Besprechungen, womit bei einer Aufnahme von mehr als 24.000 Titeln eine Art "Bibliographic Enzyclopedia" entstanden ist.

Understanding Contemporary Ethiopia

Understanding Contemporary Ethiopia
Author: Gérard Prunier
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 548
Release: 2015
Genre: History
ISBN: 1849042616

"Seeks to dispel the myths and clichés surrounding contemporary perceptions of Ethiopia by providing a rare overview of the country's recent history, politics and culture. Explores the unique features of this often misrepresented country as it strives to make itself heard in the modern world"-- Publisher description.

The Trade in Papers Marked with Non-Latin Characters / Le commerce des papiers à marques à caractères non-latins

The Trade in Papers Marked with Non-Latin Characters / Le commerce des papiers à marques à caractères non-latins
Author:
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2018-07-23
Genre: History
ISBN: 9004360875

The nine contributions in The Trade in Papers Marked with non-Latin Characters initiated by Anne Regourd (ed.) approach global history through the paper trade. They cover, in addition to a paper used in 14th C Persia, papers used in Africa (Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tunisia) and Asia (the Ottoman Levant, Mecca, Persia, Russia, and Yemen) during the 19th-20th C. Primarily based on paper examination and quantitative data, the book invites us to treat papers as a source, and provides tools to determine the production of manuscripts in space and time for the area of interest. This methodology offers new insights on the competition between suppliers to the various markets particularly in respect of the emergence of import-export trading companies. Le commerce des papiers à marques à caractères non-latins, dont Anne Regourd (éd.) est à l'initiative, a pour projet de traiter d'histoire globale par le commerce du papier. Les neuf contributions réunies ici font apparaître un premier exemple de ce papier, persan, dès le xive s. sous les Moẓaffarides et, principalement, des papiers utilisés en Afrique (Éthiopie, Nigéria, Tunisie) et en Asie (Levant ottoman, La Mecque, Perse, Russie et Yémen), aux xixe et xxe s. S'appuyant sur l'observation des papiers et des données quantitatives, le livre invite à prendre le support de l'écrit comme source de l'histoire du commerce et donne des instruments pour déterminer la production de manuscrits dans l'espace et le temps pour une aire définie. Cette méthode renouvelle notre connaissance de l'approvisionnement des marchés, avec, en particulier, l'apparition de compagnies d'import-export. Contributors are: Michaelle Biddle, Evyn Kropf, Anne Regourd, Francis Richard, Alice Shafi-Leblanc, Jan Just Witkam, Olga Yastrebova. Foreword by Anna-Grethe Rischel.

Urban Growth in Ethiopia, 1887–1974

Urban Growth in Ethiopia, 1887–1974
Author: Getahun Benti
Publisher: Lexington Books
Total Pages: 233
Release: 2016-12-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1498521940

This book highlights the positive achievements that Imperial Ethiopia made in its journey towards urbanization into the modern era, and undertakes a critical assessment of the economic, political, and social impediments that prevented the country from transitioning into a truly fully fledged modern urbanization. It provides a comprehensive history of the growth of towns between 1887 and 1974. It is organized chronologically, regionally, and thematically, divided into three distinct time periods during which Ethiopian towns saw progresses and exposures to limited modern urban features. First, during 1887–1936, the country saw the creation and growth of a national capital (1887) that coordinated the country’s economic and political activities and facilitated the growth of other towns in the empire. It introduced new towns, the railway, modern schools, and health centers. Rudimentary factories were established in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa, along with motor cars and modern roads, which increased trade between cities. The next era was the Italian occupation from 1936–1941, which shook the pre-existing process of urban growth by introducing a modern European style urbanization system. Ethiopian cities saw a qualitatively different way of urban growth in both form and content. The Italians introduced modern economic and physical planning, administration, and internal organization. People were introduced to modern life in urban areas, exposed to modern wage labor system, and thus moved to towns to take advantage of the opportunity. The Italian occupation left behind many features of modern urbanization, and this influenced population exposed to modern consumptive tastes was determined to retain what the Italians introduced. Finally, the post-Italian period saw a new era of urban growth. Due to economic and organizational problems resulting from destructions caused by the war, the process of urban growth was slowed down in the early 1940s. Although the government did not introduce a clear urban policy in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, towns continued to grow progressively from the early 1950s to 1974.