The Fall of Emperor Tewodros II

Published: March 23, 2016, 8:50 a.m.

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Emperor Tewodros II is one of the towering figures of modern Ethiopian history. He tried to unify and modernise Ethiopia. But his reign was also marked by brutality. \\nHe faced a rising tide of rebellion inside the country and then in 1868 a British military expedition marched into the Ethiopian highlands. Their aim was to free British diplomatic envoys the Emperor had imprisoned. \\nTewodros II made a last stand at Magdala, his mountain top fortress.

Drawing of Tewodros II. Credit: Getty Images.

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