If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this nation you can find it here: All Statistics
The cluster includes all the forms of the country since the Middle Ages.
The cluster includes the following incarnations of the same nation:
Ethiopian Empire
Occupied Enemy Territory Administration in Ethiopia
Provisional Military Government of Ethiopia
People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Transitional Government of Ethiopia
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Establishment
January 1271: The last Zagwe King Za-Ilmaknun was killed in battle by the forces of the Abyssinian King Yekuno Amlak.
Chronology
Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation
Was a military conflict between the Christian Ethiopian Empire and the Muslim Adal Sultanate from 1529 to 1543.
October 1531: Battle of Amba Sel.
February 1543: The Bahr negus also joined Emperor Gelawdewos and the Portuguese in the decisive Battle of Wayna Daga, where Imam Ahmad was killed. The death of Imam Ahmed and the victory in the Battle of Wayna Daga caused a semi-collapse of Ahmed forces and forced a Somali retreat from Ethiopia.
Expansion during the rule of Selim II in the Ottoman Empire.
January 1568: Özdemir Pasha, a deputy of the Ottoman Empire admiral, conquered the west bank of the Red Sea in 1567 during the reign of Selim II. This territory roughly corresponds to a narrow coastal strip of Sudan and Eritrea.
January 1571: The Ottoman Turks made multiple advances further inland conquering Eritrea. The sanjak of Ibrim was established in the 1560s.
2.1.Ottoman conquest of Habesh
Was an Ottoman military campaign in modern-day Eritrea.
January 1580: Ethiopian emperor Sarsa Dengel retook Debarwa.
Was a punitive expedition by the armed forces of the British Empire against the Ethiopian Empire whose emperor had imprisoned several missionaries and two representatives of the British government.
October 1867: The British troops occupied the area from the dry bed of the Kumayli River to the Suru Pass. At the pass the engineers were busy at work building a road to Senafe 101 km long, rising to 2,300 m for the elephants, gun-carriages, and carts.
October 1867: In 1867, the advance guard of engineers, led by British military officer General Robert Napier, landed at Zula on the Red Sea. This marked the beginning of Great Britain's military occupation of the territory, as part of their efforts to expand their influence in the region.
February 1868: Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia accepts the submission of the inhabitants of Delanta. The area was quickly overran by the British.
March 1868: In 1868, British forces, led by General Robert Napier, undertook a grueling three-month trek over 640 km of mountainous terrain to reach Emperor Tewodros II's fortress at Magdala in Antalo, Ethiopia. This military campaign resulted in the British occupation of the territory.
March 1868: On 17 March, the British army reached Lake Ashangi.
April 1868: British force reached the Bashilo.
April 1868: Battle of Magdala.
April 1868: Having first blown up the fortress and burned Amba Mariam (then known as Magdala), Brtish officer Robert Napier commenced the return march.
June 1868: By June 2, the British base camp in Abyssinia had been dismantled. The British forces evacuated Ethiopia and set sail for England on June 10.
Was a war by Mahdist Sudan against Egyptian rule. The Mahdista were finally defeated by Egyptian and British forces, and Sudan became an Anglo-Egyptian condominium.
4.1.Mahdist Attacks to Ethiopia
Was the invasion of Ethiopia by Mahdist Sudan during the Mahdist War.
January 1869: Bogos occupied by Egypt.
October 1884: According to the Hewett Treaty of 3 June 1884, Ethiopia agreed to facilitate the evacuation of Egyptian garrisons in southern Sudan. In September 1884, Ethiopia reoccupied the province of Bogos, which had been occupied by Egypt.
February 1887: King Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam led a successful counteroffensive as far as Gallabat in the Sudan in January 1887.
February 1888: In January 1888, the Mahdists defeated Ethiopian Emperor Tekle Haymanot at Sar Weha and sacked the city of Gondar.
March 1888: Mahdist forces leave Sar Weha and Gondar.
Was a war between the Ethiopian Empire and the Khedivate of Egypt caused by the expansionistic aims of the latter after having occupied Sudan.
March 1876: The Egyptians, established forts in Eritrea: "Gura" fort and "Khaya Khor" fort.
March 1876: Battle of Gura.
Expansion during the rule of Menelik II in the Ethiopian Empire.
March 1889: Expansion of Ethiopia by the end of the reign of Yohannes IV.
March 1889: The Kingdom of Shewa is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1890: Konta is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1890: Dauro is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1890: Vassal to Ethiopian Empire.
January 1890: Jimma became vassal of the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1891: In 1893, the integration of Kambata, occupied since 1890, was completed.
January 1891: Amarro is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1892: Ethiopian conquest of Sidamo.
January 1892: Ethiopian conquest of Balé.
January 1892: In 1891, Ras Wolde Giyorgis Abboye, a prominent Ethiopian military leader, conquered the territories of Konta and Kulo.
January 1895: The Wolde Giyorgis Abboye is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1895: Ethiopian conquest of Harer.
January 1895: The Ras Gobena Dachi is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1895: The Kingdom of Janjero is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1897: Walo is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1898: Ethiopia's expansion under Menlik II until 1897.
January 1898: Ethiopian expedition in Borana.
January 1898: The Kingdom of Kaffa is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1899: Ethiopia's expansion under Menlik II until 1898.
January 1899: Sheka is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
June 1899: Territorial change based on available maps.
January 1900: Sidamo conquered by Ethiopian Empire.
January 1903: The Kingdom of Gumma is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1905: Expansion of the Ethiopian Empire in 1904.
Were two invasion of Ethiopia by the Kingdom of Italy whose goal was to make Ethiopia a colony. The first invasion was not succesful, but after the second invasion Ethiopia became part of of Italian East Africa.
7.1.First Italo-Ethiopian War
Was an ultimately unsuccesful Italian invasion of Ethiopia.
January 1895: In 1893, judging that his power over Ethiopia was secure, Menelik repudiated the treaty with Ital. In response the Italians ramped up the pressure on his domain in a variety of ways, including the annexation of small territories bordering their original claim under the Treaty of Wuchale, and finally culminating with a military campaign and across the Mareb River into Tigray (on the border with Eritrea) in December 1894.
January 1895: Battle of Coatit.
January 1895: In 1895, the Italians achieved a significant victory in Quatit, Italian Eritrea, by successfully repelling an invasion force led by Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II. This victory solidified Italian control over the territory and marked a turning point in the First Italo-Ethiopian War.
October 1895: Amba Alagi is temporarily occupied, as part of the Italian invasion of Tigray, on 13 October 1895 by a contingent of troops under the command of General Giuseppe Arimondi.
December 1895: Battle of Amba Alagi.
December 1895: In 1895, during the First Italo-Ethiopian War, Italian General Giuseppe Arimondi led his troops to the unfinished Italian fort in Mekele, Ethiopia. This marked Italy's military occupation of the territory.
January 1896: Battle of Mekelle.
March 1896: Battle of Adwa.
7.2.Second Italo-Ethiopian War
Was the second Italian military invasion of Ethiopia. At the end of the war the country became part of Italian East Africa.
7.2.1.Northern Front (Second Italo-Ethiopian War)
Was the northern front of the Second Italo-Ethiopian war.
7.2.1.1.De Bono Offensive
Was a military offensive by Italian general Emilio De Bono during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.
October 1935: The Italian I Corps took the city of Adigrat.
October 1935: Adua was captured by the Italian II Corps.
October 1935: Dejazmach Haile Selassie Gugsa and 1,200 of his men surrendered to the Italian command near Adagmos.
October 1935: From October 15, the forces under the command of De Bono moved from Adua towards Axum to occupy the city.
November 1935: The Italian avant-gardes entered Macallè.
7.2.1.2.Ethiopian Christmas Offensive
Was an Italian military offensive during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.
December 1935: Italian military occupation of Abbi Addi.
January 1936: The Ethiopians reoccupied all of southern Tembien.
7.2.1.3.Badoglio Offensive
Was a military offensive by Italian general Pietro Badoglio during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.
February 1936: Battle of Amba Aradam.
February 1936: Second Battle of Tembien.
March 1936: Battle of the Scirè.
April 1936: Italian march on Gondar resulting in the occupation of Gondar and the Lake Tana area.
April 1936: Battle of Lake Ascianghi.
April 1936: The Italian army corps entered Dessié on April 15, 1936.
May 1936: Occupation of Addis Ababa by Italian forces.
7.2.2.Southern Front (Second Italo-Ethiopian War)
Was the southern front of the Second Italo-Ethiopian war.
7.2.2.1.Graziani Offensive
Was an Italian military offensive commanded by General Rodolfo Graziani during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.
October 1935: Italian general Graziani authorized the execution of the "Milan Plan": a series of small offensive attacks along the entire front to eliminate the annoying enemy garrisons and to test their resistance. In about twenty days Graziani occupied the villages of Dolo, Oddo, Ualaddaie, Bur Dodi, Dagnerei, Callafo, Scivallè and Gherlogubi, after they had been cleared following the preventive aerial bombardments ordered by the general.
November 1935: First attack with chemical agents of the Second Italo-Ethiopian War against the village of Gorrahei, which was subsequently the main objective of the "Plan Gorizia" which began on October 28. However, it fell into Italian hands only on 6 November.
January 1936: Battle of Ganale Doria.
April 1936: El Fud conquered by italy.
April 1936: Segàg conquered by italy.
April 1936: Battle of the Ogaden.
May 1936: The Italian columns, led by General Rodolfo Graziani, began their advance towards Harar in 1936 during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. The city was occupied by Italian forces in the early afternoon of 6 May.
May 1936: Italian general Graziani entered Dire Daua, a few hours before the arrival by train from Addis Ababa of the men of Badoglio. With this last formal act, the war on the southern front also ended.
Was a global conflict between two coalitions, the Allies (primarily France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, Japan, and the United States) and the Central Powers (led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire). It was mainly caused by the competition of the western countries over domain in Europe and in the rest of the world with their colonial empires. The war ended with the defeat of the Central Powers. The war also caused the Russian Revolution and the ensuing Russian Civil War.
8.1.World War I African Theatre
Was the African Theatre of World War I.
8.1.1.Somaliland campaign
Was a long guerrilla conflict which took place between 1900 and 1920 in the territories corresponding to present-day Somalia and in the border areas between Somalia and present-day Ethiopia. The Somali Islamist leader Mohammed Abdullah Hassan succeeded in uniting various clans and tribes in his country in a unitary movement of opposition to Italian and British colonial rule.
October 1908: The Dervishes resumed the conflict. A column invaded the Sultanate of Obbia and attacked the Mudugh region.
February 1913: After various raids, in June 1912 the Dervish Mullah moved further south and created an independent Somali national state. The core of his territory was protected by a chain of forts to the west, and went from Mount Shimbiris on the coast to the village of Gid Ali in the interior.
December 1920: On December 21, 1920 (the precise date is not clear) Abdullah Hassan, who was the leader of the Dervish movement, died after six days of illness (also unspecified, malaria or pneumonia). The Mullah's death effectively ended the Dervish Revolt.
Following the death of Abba Jifar II, King of Jimma, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie seized the opportunity to finally annex Abba's Kingdom.
May 1932: Following the death of Jimma ruler Abba Jifar II, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie seized the opportunity to finally annex Jimma. On 12 May, 400 soldiers and a team of administrators descended upon Jimma and brought the kingdom to an end.
Was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945 (it started sooner in certain regions) between the Axis Powers (mainly Germany, Japan and Italy) and the Allies (mainly the Soviet Union, the U.S.A., the U.K., China and France). It was the war with more fatalities in history. The war in Asia began when Japan invaded China on July 7, 1937. The war in Europe began when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. The war ended with the complete defeat of the Axis powers, which were occupied by the Allies.
10.1.World War II (East African Theatre)
Was the East African theatre of World War II.
10.1.1.British invasion of Italian East Africa
Was the British invasion and occupation of Italian East Africa during World War II.
November 1941: The Occupied Enemy Territory Administration in Ethiopia was a British military occupation administration in Ethiopia during East African Campaign of World War II. It expanded from early 1941 until the final Italian defeat in November.
December 1941: The Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement was a joint effort between Ethiopia and the United Kingdom at reestablishing Ethiopian independent statehood following the ousting of Italian troops by combined British and Ethiopian forces in 1941 during the Second World War.
Was a military conflict fought between Somalia and Ethiopia from July 1977 to March 1978 over the Ethiopian region of Ogaden.
11.1.Somali Invasion of Ogaden
Somalian invasion of Ethiopian Ogaden during the Ethio-Somali War.
July 1977: By the end of the month 60% of the Ogaden had been taken by the SNA-WSLF force, including Gode, on the Shabelle River.
August 1977: By 17 August elements of the Somali Army had reached the outskirts of the strategic city of Dire Dawa.
October 1977: Battle of Jijiga.
October 1977: By September Ethiopia was forced to admit that it controlled only about 10% of the Ogaden and that the Ethiopian defenders had been pushed back into the non-Somali areas of Harerge, Bale, and Sidamo.
November 1977: Battle of Harar.
11.2.Ethiopian-Cuban counter-attack
Was an Ethiopian military counterattack, with Cuban support, against the Somali forces occupying territories in Ogaden.
March 1978: The Ethiopian army re-captures of Jijiga after only two days of Somali occupation.
March 1978: The last significant Somali unit leaves Ethiopia, marking the end of the Ogaden War.
Was a war between Ethiopia and Somalia over the disputed Ogaden region.
September 1982: In the middle of July the SSDF and Ethiopia, armed with soviet military weapons and machines, crossed over the disputed Ogaden region into the Mudug region of Somalia.
Were a series of related conflicts, part of the struggle for independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia.
May 1991: Eritrea gains de facto independence from Ethiopia in 1991 under EPLF rule.
Was a war between Ethiopia and Eritrea that took place from May 1998 to June 2000. The cause of the war were territorial disputes.
14.1.Eritrean Invasion of Ethiopia
Was the Eritrean military invasion of Ethiopia at the beginning of the Eritrean-Ethiopian War.
May 1998: A large Eritrean mechanized force entered the Badme region.
14.2.First Ethiopian Offensive (Eritrean-Ethiopian War)
Was an Ethiopian military offensive to reconquer territories occupied by Eritrea at the beginning of the Eritrean-Ethiopian War. .
February 1999: Eritrea accepted the OAU peace plan on 27 February 1999.
February 1999: Ethiopian forces ha broken through Eritrea's fortified front and was 10 kilometers deep into Eritrean territory.
14.3.Second Ethiopian Offensive (Eritrean-Ethiopian War)
Was an Ethiopian military offensive in Eritrea during the Eritrean-Ethiopian War. .
May 1999: On 16 May 1999, Ethiopian forces launched an attack at Velessa on the Tsorona front-line, escalating tensions in the border conflict with Eritrea.
May 1999: After two days of heavy fighting the Eritreans had beaten back the Ethiopian attack on Tsorona.
14.4.Third Ethiopian Offensive (Eritrean-Ethiopian War)
Was an Ethiopian military offensive in Eritrea during the Eritrean-Ethiopian War. .
May 2000: The Ethiopians launched an offensive that broke through the Eritrean lines between Shambuko and Mendefera, and also crossed the Mareb River.
May 2000: Eritrean forces evacuated Barentu and fighting continued in Maidema.
May 2000: By 23 May Ethiopia claimed that its "troops had seized vital command posts in the heavily defended Zalambessa area.
14.5.Algiers agreement
Was a peace agreement between the governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia that was signed on 12 December 2000, at Algiers, Algeria, to formally end the Eritrean-Ethiopian War.
December 2000: On April 13, 2002, the EEBC border commission, acting as arbitrator, regulated the course of the border line “finally and bindingly” on the basis of the colonial treaties already mentioned.
Is an ongoing civil war in Somalia. It started in 1991 and includes several related phases. .
15.1.Islamic Insurgency Phase
Was a phase of the Somali Civil War that saw the Somali Government fighting against the Islamic Courts Union and Al-Shabab, both Islamist groups.
December 2006: Somali Political Situation as of December 25th 2006.
February 2007: Ethiopian forces occupied Giohar, Mogadishu, Gelib, Kisimaio and Ras Chiambone, leading to the dissolution of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU).
January 2009: In December 2008, Ethiopian soldiers withdrew from Somalia.
15.1.1.Advance of Al-Shabaab
Were a series of operations by Al-Shabaab, a Salafi-jihadist military and political organisation, that expanded its territories, during the Somali Civil War.
December 2008: After the Ethiopian withdrawal from Somalia, the southern half of the country quickly fell into the hands of radical Islamist rebels. Sharia law is therefore enforced in areas under the control of Al-Shabaab militiamen.
An civil war in Ethiopia that started in 1974. It consists of several related phases that saw rebel and secessionist groups fight against the Ethiopian government.
16.1.Tigray War
A war between Ethiopia and the secessionist Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) of the Tigray region that started in 2020. Although the cessation of hostilities was agreed in November 2022, the TPLF still controls territories in Tigray acting as a factually independent state.
December 2022: By 29 December, Ethiopian federal police was reported to have returned to Tigray. The region is reoccupied by Ethiopia, but not the parts under Eritrean occupation.
16.1.1.Tigray Secession
Was the first phase of the Tigray War, consisting in the secession of territories controlled by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) in the Tigray region (Ethiopia).
November 2020: The FLPT becomes separatist from the postponement of the legislative elections, which were to be held in August 2020, then launches on November 4, 2020 an attack against bases of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces in Mekele, the capital of Tigray, and in Dansha, a city in the west of the region.
16.1.2.Government Counterattack (Tigray War)
Was the military counterattack by the Ethiopian government against the secessionist Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) in the Tigray region.
November 2020: The ENDF gained control of Humera on 12 November.
November 2020: From 17-19 November, Ethiopian forces captured the cities of Shire, Alamata, Raya, Adwa and Axum.
November 2020: Prime Minister Abiy declared Ethiopian forces had taken full control of the city of Mekelle.
16.1.3.Eritrean occupation of the North-East
Eritrean troops occupied Ethiopian territories in the north of the country during the Tigray War.
March 2021: In February 2021, UN chief coordinator of humanitarian efforts Mark Lowcock said that up 40% of Tigray was not controlled by Ethiopian troops. He said that much of that area was under the control of Eritrean soldiers pursuing their own objectives independent of Ethiopian command.
16.1.4.Tigrayan counter-offensive
An offensive by the Tigray Defense Forces during the Tigray War.
June 2021: On 28 June 2021, the Tigray Defense Forces retook the city of Mekelle.
July 2021: The TDF crossed the Tekezé River and advanced westward, capturing the town of Mai Tsebri in the Tselemti district.
July 2021: Conquests by the Tigray People's Liberation Front based on available maps.
August 2021: Conquests by the Tigray People's Liberation Front based on available maps.
August 2021: ENDF retook Gashena.
16.1.5.TDF-OLA joint offensive
A joint offensive by the Tigray Defense Forces and the Oromo Liberation Army during the Tigray War.
October 2021: The TDF and OLA took control of several towns south of Tigray Region in the direction of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
October 2021: Conquests by the Tigray People's Liberation Front based on available maps.
October 2021: Conquests by the Oromo Liberation Army based on available maps.
November 2021: In the few days leading to 2 November, the TDF took control of Dessie and Kombolcha.
November 2021: OLA claimed to have taken control of Kamisee on 31 October.
November 2021: Conquests by the Oromo Liberation Army based on available maps.
November 2021: Conquests by the Tigray People's Liberation Front based on available maps.
November 2021: On 16 November, the TDF claimed to have taken control of Ataye and Senbete in Oromia Zone in Amhara Region.
November 2021: On 25 November, the TDF was approaching Debre Sina.
16.1.6.Federal government allied offensive (Tigray War)
An offensive by Ethiopian Government Forces during the Tigray War.
October 2021: On 11 October, Ethiopian-allied forces launched coordinated ground attacks "on all fronts" against the TDF with combined arms including tanks, helicopters, heavy artillery, warplanes, and drones.
16.1.7.Federal Government counter-offensive (Tigray War)
An offensive by Ethiopian Government Forces during the Tigray War.
December 2021: From 26 November to 6 December 2021, Ethiopian allied forces recaptured several towns in the Amhara and Afar regions including Lalibela and Shewa Robit.
December 2021: On 6 December 2021, government forces claimed to have recaptured the strategic cities of Dessie and Kombolcha.
December 2021: On 12 December 2021, Reuters reported that forces loyal to the TPLF had recaptured the town of Lalibela.
December 2021: The ENDF took control of the town of Lalibela again following the exit of Tigrayan Forces back to Tigray.
December 2021: On 20 December 2021, the TDF requested a ceasefire. Following the ceasefire request, the ENDF stated that it would not advance any deeper into the Tigray region.
16.1.8.Joint Eritrean-Ethiopian offensive
A joint offensive by Ethiopian and Eritrean Government Forces during the Tigray War.
August 2022: On 27 August, the TDF captured the town of Kobo.
October 2022: On 2 October, the TPLF announced it had withdrawn troops from Amhara's North Wollo Zone, including Kobo.
October 2022: Shire was taken by Eritrea and Ethiopia.
October 2022: Ethiopian forces took Alamata and Korem in the south.
October 2022: By 22 October, ENDF and EDF-allied forces had also captured Adwa and Axum.
16.2.2022 al-Shabaab invasion of Ethiopia
In July 2022, the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab launched an invasion from Somalia into Ethiopia's Somali Region.
July 2022: One al-Shabaab unit launched a surprise attack on four settlements on the Somali side of the border, including the towns Aato and Yeed as well as the village of Washaaqo.
July 2022: The rebels advanced 150 kilometres into Ethiopian territory. They captured the town of Hulhul.
July 2022: In the three-days-long battle for Hulhul, the rebel force was destroyed or at least forced to retreat.
July 2022: Rebels were still active between Gode and Kelafo by 27 July.
August 2022: One small al-Shabaab contingent (suspected to number 50 to 100 fighters) reached its target, the Bale Mountains, probably in the wider El Kari area.
August 2022: Clashes between the Somali rebels and security forces inside Ethiopia extended into early August.
January 1318: In 1317, the Kingdom of Damot was conquered by Emperor Ámeda-Sion I of the Ethiopian Empire. Damot had previously been an independent entity until this conquest, after which it fell under the influence of the Solomonic dynasty's power.
January 1330: The Sultanate of Dawaro was subjugated by Emperor Amda Seyon I in the early 14th century.
January 1345: During the reign of Emperor Amda Seyon I, Arbabni was conquered and annexed by Abyssinia.
January 1401: Ennarea became independent from the kingdom of Damot in the 14th century.
January 1416: Isaak (Yeshaq) of Ethiopia conquered and annexed the Sultanate of Ifat in 1415.
January 1501: The Hadiya Sultanate was annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1501: The Kingdom of Janjero was a tiny kingdom located in what is now Ethiopia established c.15th century.
January 1501: Oral traditions assert its establishment to refugees from the Nubian kingdom of Alodia, after its capital Soba had fallen to Arabs or the Funj in c. 1500, centered around the mountainous region of Fazughli on the Blue Nile.
January 1501: By the 15th century, the economy of the sultanate was not only in decline, but it was also forced to pay tribute to the emperors of Ethiopia.
January 1514: By 1513 Dahlak had become a vassal of the Tahirids.
January 1590: Emperor Sarsa Dengel of Ethiopia successfully checked the Ottoman expansion into Ethiopian territories by securing a significant victory and subsequently sacking Arqiqo in 1589. This decisive action restricted the Ottomans to a narrow coastal strip, limiting their influence and control in the region.
January 1591: Emperor Sarsa Dengel of Ethiopia successfully checked the Ottoman expansion into Ethiopian territories by securing a significant victory and subsequently sacking Arqiqo in 1589. This decisive action restricted the Ottomans to a narrow coastal strip, limiting their influence and control in the region.
January 1601: According to oral sources, the Sultanate of Rehayto was founded around 1600, by detachment from the Sultanate of Tadjourah.
January 1701: The Sultanate of Tadjourah was founded in the 15th century by Umar ibn Dunya according to Afar accounts. It was a powerful state in the Horn of Africa, controlling trade routes and coastal regions. In 1700, the territory of Tadjoura and surrounding regions fell under the rule of the Sultanate of Tadjoura.
January 1801: Shewa, located in present-day Ethiopia, became part of the Ethiopian Empire in 1800.
January 1822: Between 1821 and 1841, Muhammad Ali, Pasha of Egypt, came to control Yemen and the sahil, with Zeila included.
January 1840: Kingdom of Shewa (Shoa) established ca. 1839.
January 1857: In 1856, the Kingdom of Shewa was annexed by the Ethiopian Empire under the rule of Emperor Tewodros II.
January 1860: Shewa was annexed by Ethiopia.
December 1860: Walayta is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1872: In 1871, the southern part of East Welega, centered around Nekemte, became part of the newly founded Leqa Naqamte state.
January 1880: Ethiopian occupation of Medri Bahri in 1879.
January 1886: With the help of the British, the city of Massawa came under Italian control and became part of Italy's colony of Eritrea in 1885.
January 1887: The Kingdom of Gomma is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
January 1887: The emirate of Harar would finally be destroyed in 1887, in the battle of Chelenqo, at the hands of the armies of Negus Sahle Maryam of Showa (the future emperor Menelik II), who would later annex the emirate.
July 1887: In 1887, after signing successive treaties with the then ruling Somali Sultans from the Isaaq, Issa, Gadabursi, and Warsangali clans, the British established a protectorate in the region referred to as British Somaliland.
January 1888: Establishment of French Somaliland.
January 1888: The Kingdom of Gera is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
May 1889: The Treaty of Wuchale was signed between Italy and Menelik II, the Emperor of Ethiopia. It established the borders between Italian Eritrea and the Ethiopian Empire in 1889.
January 1933: Jimma Abba Jifar is annexed by the Ethiopian Empire.
September 1948: The British ceded Ogaden to Ethiopia in 1948.
September 1952: The Eritrean-Ethiopian Federation was a coalition between the former Italian colony of Eritrea and the Ethiopian Empire. It was established as a result of the renunciation of Italy’s rights and titles to territorial possessions in Africa.
November 1962: Following pressure from Haile Selassie I on the Assembly of Eritrea, the Federation was officially dissolved and Eritrea annexed by Ethiopia.
March 1975: The Derg, officially the Provisional Military Government of Ethiopia, was the military junta that ruled Ethiopia from 1974 to 1987.
February 1987: The People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (PDRE) was a communist state that existed in Ethiopia from 1987.
January 1989: Ethiopia occupies the border towns of Galdogob and Balumbale until 1988.
May 1991: In May 1991, Mengistu fled into exile. The regime only lasted another week before the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front entered Addis Ababa, dissolving the PDRE and replacing it with the Transitional Government of Ethiopia.
August 1995: The TGE was in power until 1995, when it transitioned into the reconstituted Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia that remains today.
Selected Sources
Matteotti, F. (1938): La Formazione de l'impero coloniale italiano, Volume Terzo - L'impero (dall'occupazione di Dessiè all'assetto definitivo dell'impero), Milan (Italy), pp. 9-10
Somali land 2006 12 25. Wikipedia. Retrieved on 7 April 2024 on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Somali_land_2006_12_25.png
Tigray War as of April 2021. Retrieved on March, 1st 2024 on https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tigray_War_as_of_April_2021.jpg and based on Ethiopia Map's (https://twitter.com/MapEthiopia)
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