Between the Jaws of Hyenas - A Diplomatic History of Ethiopia (1876-1896)

Book excerpt: With the publication of this book, the definitive work on the diplomatic history of Ethiopia in the last quarter of the nineteenth century could be said to have seen the light of day. The book deals with a crucial period when the destiny of Ethiopia hang in the balance. The question - as indeed it was the case for the rest of Africa - was whether the country was to remain independent or become colonized. Menilek, combining diplomatic and military initiatives, not only ensured that Ethiopia remained independent but also expanded its territory to unprecedented limits. The book is based on a critical reading of the secondary literature as well as an exhaustive and analytical use of all the pertinent archival sources, the memoirs and biographies of the principal European characters, and Ethiopian chronicles, biographies and other primary sources. It can serve as the standard text for teaching courses on Ethiopia and the Horn at the university level. At the same time, it provides a useful background to those interested in the formation of the modern Ethiopian state as well as its troubled relations with what eventually became Eritrea.