WI - The Conquering Black Lion, Emperor Menelik II?

I created this discussion for an upcoming Ethiopia TL that I plan on writing.

Emperor Menelik II was the first Ethiopian Emperor to truly implement reforms and modernization in the Ethiopian Empire as he recognized the importance of westernization and needing to protect against the rapid European expansion in the Scramble for Africa. He also lead the Ethiopian Army to victory in the 1st Italo-Ethiopian War, delivering a decisive defeat to the Italians in the Battle of Adwa and securing not only international recognition but an empire as well. Unfortunately, his death in 1913 would lead to Ethiopia falling to different factions and succession struggles as a short civil war occurred in 1916 which led to his daughter Zawditu becoming Empress and Ras Tafari Makonnen as Prince Regent.

What if Emperor Menelik II had taken power earlier and was given a chance to begin implementing reform and modernization programs? What if he had lived longer to establish better structures for the long-term modernization of the Ethiopian Empire?
 
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How early? Like does Yohannes die fighting the Egyptians? or is Yohannes skipped over entirely for the King of Shewa in which case Menelik has to deal with an invading Egyptian-Sudanese army, vulture Italians trying carve out what little coastline Abyssinia has left, Mahdists and after all that one of the greatest famines in which a 1/3rd of the population dies and 90% of all of Abyssinia's cattle are dead. And don't forget the Italians trying to take Abyssinia's independence at Wuchale.
 
How early? Like does Yohannes die fighting the Egyptians? or is Yohannes skipped over entirely for the King of Shewa in which case Menelik has to deal with an invading Egyptian-Sudanese army, vulture Italians trying carve out what little coastline Abyssinia has left, Mahdists and after all that one of the greatest famines in which a 1/3rd of the population dies and 90% of all of Abyssinia's cattle are dead. And don't forget the Italians trying to take Abyssinia's independence at Wuchale.
How about when Tewodros captures him and offers his daughter's hand in marriage to Menelik who accepts? I was planning for a Tewodros-Yohannes-Menelik alliance to be established as these men were the most powerful in Ethiopia and recognized the importance of modernizing Ethiopia.
 
that works out, then does the correspondence incident happens, does Napier's expedition go through, does Tewodros commit suicide? Do Kasa and Sahle support the emperor at Magdala.
 
that works out, then does the correspondence incident happens, does Napier's expedition go through, does Tewodros commit suicide? Do Kasa and Sahle support the emperor at Magdala.
Tewodros may not come into conflict with the British in the first place if he establishes an alliance with Kassa and Sahle which means that Tewodros may not commit suicide, although he will probably be unstable from his wife's death. If the British decide to support the Ethiopian Empire to increase their influence in the region, then Ethiopia may see an earlier and potentially faster modernization - especially if Ethiopian forces fight alongside the British fighting the Mahdist Sudanese later on.
 
Nothing as intensive, really I mean, does the alliance with Britain last and does the British aegis keep France and Italy out of Somaliland? If so does that aegis last until WWI in which case might we see The Emperor's Finest going and helping in Arabia or the Western Front? On a tangent does earlier British backed industrialisation means the end of the slave trade?
 
Nothing as intensive, really I mean, does the alliance with Britain last and does the British aegis keep France and Italy out of Somaliland? If so does that aegis last until WWI in which case might we see The Emperor's Finest going and helping in Arabia or the Western Front? On a tangent does earlier British backed industrialisation means the end of the slave trade?
Depends, I can see the Ethiopians playing off different European colonial powers to gain as much as possible and considering they had good relations with the Franco-Russian alliance, they might gravitate toward it but with friendlier Anglo-Ethiopian relations. If Ethiopia joins World War 1 as a member of the Entente, it will probably donate troops to the East African Campaign and/or to the Western Front - the Middle East isn't recommendable as the Ethiopian Muslim populace is pro-Ottoman and may attempt to revolt. With Emperor Menelik II in power earlier, the slave trade will end earlier.
 
Ah see I had forgotten the Franco-Russian Alliance entirely. Though I question the conquest of Ogaden does it add any resources to the empire? Or is it going to a problem with people who want no Jesus or Emperor.
 
Ah see I had forgotten the Franco-Russian Alliance entirely. Though I question the conquest of Ogaden does it add any resources to the empire? Or is it going to a problem with people who want no Jesus or Emperor.
I don't think Menelik is going to relinquish the Ogaden but there is some natural gas and oil in the region.
 
I feel like another big thing that would probably happen is a deeper reform of the Ethiopian church. IOTL, the Ethiopian Church both was always extremely distinct, adopting the largest bible in the (mainstream) Christian world, several Jewish practices, and several unique practices that separated it from most other Churches, but also was kept under the rulership of the Coptic Pope in Alexandria all the way until 1977.

I feel like once you get a powerful enough rulership in Ethiopia, there's gonna have to be a choice. Either you're gonna have to 1.) beg the Coptic Pope for autocephaly, which he's probably gonna say no to unless you make him a realllyyyy good offer, 2.) make a "deal with the devil" and offer to have the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church join the Roman Catholic church as an autocephalous patriarchate in exchange for international recognition, which, while making you more popular in Europe, would cause a lot of internal turmoil and mean that you have to worry about what the Pope said, or 3.) leave the Oriental Orthodox communion and form your own church, which would upset the peasants and clergy massively but also grant you a significant amount of influence in the affairs of the clergy.
 
I feel like another big thing that would probably happen is a deeper reform of the Ethiopian church. IOTL, the Ethiopian Church both was always extremely distinct, adopting the largest bible in the (mainstream) Christian world, several Jewish practices, and several unique practices that separated it from most other Churches, but also was kept under the rulership of the Coptic Pope in Alexandria all the way until 1977.

I feel like once you get a powerful enough rulership in Ethiopia, there's gonna have to be a choice. Either you're gonna have to 1.) beg the Coptic Pope for autocephaly, which he's probably gonna say no to unless you make him a realllyyyy good offer, 2.) make a "deal with the devil" and offer to have the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church join the Roman Catholic church as an autocephalous patriarchate in exchange for international recognition, which, while making you more popular in Europe, would cause a lot of internal turmoil and mean that you have to worry about what the Pope said, or 3.) leave the Oriental Orthodox communion and form your own church, which would upset the peasants and clergy massively but also grant you a significant amount of influence in the affairs of the clergy.
You're most likely right about the Ethiopian Orthodox Church but I can't see the Orthodox Church join the Roman Catholic Church so the first or third seems more plausible, especially if the Emperor gains more influence in the affairs of the Church which could be used to his advantage during modernization.
 
I feel like another big thing that would probably happen is a deeper reform of the Ethiopian church. IOTL, the Ethiopian Church both was always extremely distinct, adopting the largest bible in the (mainstream) Christian world, several Jewish practices, and several unique practices that separated it from most other Churches, but also was kept under the rulership of the Coptic Pope in Alexandria all the way until 1977.

I feel like once you get a powerful enough rulership in Ethiopia, there's gonna have to be a choice. Either you're gonna have to 1.) beg the Coptic Pope for autocephaly, which he's probably gonna say no to unless you make him a realllyyyy good offer, 2.) make a "deal with the devil" and offer to have the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church join the Roman Catholic church as an autocephalous patriarchate in exchange for international recognition, which, while making you more popular in Europe, would cause a lot of internal turmoil and mean that you have to worry about what the Pope said, or 3.) leave the Oriental Orthodox communion and form your own church, which would upset the peasants and clergy massively but also grant you a significant amount of influence in the affairs of the clergy.
You're most likely right about the Ethiopian Orthodox Church but I can't see the Orthodox Church join the Roman Catholic Church so the first or third seems more plausible, especially if the Emperor gains more influence in the affairs of the Church which could be used to his advantage during modernization.
Adding to this, you might even see the Ethiopian Orthodox Church break away from the Coptic Church in Alexandria to the Eastern Orthodox Church but this might result in Ethiopia simply becoming a de-facto Russian protectorate.
 
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