Ethiopia

Origins and formation

The Ethiopian Empire, historically called Abyssinia, encompassed the present-day territories of Ethiopia and Eritrea. It existed from the establishment of the Solomonic dynasty by Yekuno Amlak around 1270 until the 1974 coup that ended Haile Selassie’s reign. In the late 19th century, under Menelik II, the empire expanded significantly to the south. In 1952 Eritrea was federated under Selassie. The lead says the empire kept a kingdom centered on its ancient Christian heritage. Menelik’s accession in 1889 is not the founding of 1270.²

Defining periods

Menelik II was born on 17 August 1844 and died on 12 December 1913. He was baptised Sahle Maryam, was king of Shewa from 1866 to 1889, and was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1889 until his death. He was a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He expanded the empire to its greatest historical extent and defeated Italian colonial forces at Adwa in 1896. He was born in Ankober, Shewa, the son of Haile Melekot. The lead says his grandfather named him Menelik. No Civilization VII essay covers this empire, so none is linked.¹

Leaders

The Ethiopia Pack, one of six in the New Frontier Pass, introduces Menelik II as the leader of Ethiopia. The Chinese page uses the ordinary names for the civilization and for him. The update notes tag an Oromo cavalry line to the Ethiopia Pack. They do not add a second Ethiopian leader. The Great Builders page, writing about Theodora, says she bolstered the branch of Christianity that became dominant in Ethiopia, Syria, and Egypt. That sentence is about a 6th-century empress. It is not Menelik’s reign and not Adwa. This essay does not copy faith or science bonuses.^{3 4 5}

Legacy and interpretation

The empire’s legacy in the lead is a Solomonic kingdom from about 1270 to 1974, with an ancient Christian center. Menelik’s legacy is the southern expansion, the victory at Adwa in 1896, and a death in 1913. Selassie’s later federation of Eritrea in 1952 is after him. Theodora’s religious policy, on the builders page, is centuries earlier. The three dates should not be read as one reign.^{1 2 5}

A closer look

The pack page ties faith, hills, and a council to Menelik. Those are design sentences. This essay does not copy the amounts. A hill bonus is not Adwa.³

In Civilization VI

The civilization is New Frontier Pass. Menelik is the leader the pack names. Keep about 1270, Shewa from 1866, the imperial title of 1889, Adwa in 1896, his death on 12 December 1913, and the coup of 1974 apart. Shewa and the imperial title are two offices. The Eritrean federation of 1952 comes after his death. The builders page’s sentence about Christianity is earlier still. Yekuno Amlak’s founding and Selassie’s coup frame his life in the empire lead used here too.^{1 2 3}