In the late 19th century, European empires were tearing through Africa, forcing ancient kingdoms into submission. From West Africa to the Great Lakes, monarchs were stripped of power as colonial flags replaced indigenous rule. Ethiopia stood out as a rare exception. At the center of its resistance was Taytu Betul, an Ethiopian Empress whose political resolve and military involvement helped block Italy’s attempt to turn the empire into a colony.
Taytu Betul was born in 1851 into an upper class Ethiopian family that claimed descent from the Solomonic Dynasty. Unlike many royal women of her time, she received an extensive education. She was fluent in Ge’ez and Amharic, trained in classical poetry, and learned to play the begena, a traditional Ethiopian instrument. This grounding in language, religion, and culture later shaped her authority at court and her confidence in state affairs.
In 1883, she married Sahle Maryam, a powerful nobleman who would later ascend the throne as Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia.
The Scramble for Africa and Italy’s Advance
By the time Taytu became Empress, the Scramble for Africa was accelerating. Ethiopia faced growing pressure from the recently unified Kingdom of Italy, which had already established a foothold along the Red Sea coast. Taytu was deeply committed to Ethiopian traditions and openly hostile to Western political influence. Unlike many African elites who sought compromise, she viewed European “protections” as a pathway to domination.
Her influence over Menelik was substantial. She was not a background adviser but an active force in shaping Ethiopia’s response to foreign threats.
The Treaty of Wuchale Deception
Tensions peaked during negotiations over Eritrea, which resulted in the Treaty of Wuchale in 1889. Italy claimed the treaty made Ethiopia a protectorate. Taytu immediately rejected this interpretation and urged Menelik to resist.
The dispute centered on language; the Italian version stated that Ethiopia must conduct foreign affairs through Italy, while the Amharic version stated that Ethiopia may consult Italy if it chose to do so.
Menelik had signed the Amharic version. When Italy realized the contradiction, it demanded renegotiation. Ethiopia refused. Diplomacy collapsed, and war followed.
In 1895, the First Italo Ethiopian War began. As Menelik mobilized regional nobles to raise a massive army, Taytu insisted on joining the campaign. She was present at the decisive Battle of Adwa in 1896, one of the largest battles ever fought on African soil.
More than 100,000 soldiers took part. Taytu was not merely symbolic. She helped shape battle strategy and commanded artillery units, a rare role for a woman in warfare at the time. Ethiopia’s victory crushed Italian forces and shocked Europe. It marked one of the few instances where an African empire decisively defeated a modern European army.
Taytu’s influence extended beyond the battlefield. In the 1880s, she encouraged Menelik to establish a permanent seat of power in the central highlands. Drawn by the climate and hot springs, she pressed for settlement and construction in the area that would become Addis Ababa.
What began as a seasonal encampment evolved into a political center. After Menelik’s coronation in 1889, Addis Ababa was formally designated the capital of the Ethiopian Empire, a decision that reshaped the country’s administrative future.
Taytu remained a dominant figure in Ethiopian politics into the 20th century. Her authority grew after Menelik suffered a stroke in 1909, effectively leaving her in control of state affairs. This concentration of power, however, made her enemies among court factions.
After Menelik’s death in 1913, those rivals moved quickly to isolate her. She was removed from political life and forced out of the palace. Taytu Betul died in 1917.
Taytu Betul is remembered as one of Ethiopia’s most formidable rulers. She helped expose European deceit, pushed Ethiopia toward armed resistance, and played a direct role in a victory that preserved the empire’s independence.
Sources:
https://blogs.loc.gov/international-collections/2022/03/taytu-betul-the-cunning-empress-of-ethiopia/
