Amba Mariam: Difference between revisions
I made my correction due to faulty information. According to Alan Moorehead, Theodore first imprisoned several European missionaries due to the insult upon him by Queen Victoria in 1862. The British diplomats were at that time not present in Ethiopia. First when they returned to Ethiopia in 1864, from a mission in Sudan, Theodor imprisoned them. Literature: Moorehead, Alan. (1962) The Blue Nile |
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By the early 19th century, Magdala was a mountain stronghold, or ''[[amba (geology)|amba]]'' in the Wollo province of the true Amhara people. When [[Johann Ludwig Krapf]] camped at its foot on 26 March 1842, it was one of the strongholds of Imam Liban of the Were Himano, a "House" or a sub-group of the Wollo.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/journalsofrevmes00isen/journalsofrevmes00isen_djvu.txt ''Journals of the Rev. Messrs. Isenberg and Krapf, Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, Detailing their proceedings in the kingdom of Shoa, and journeys in other parts of Abyssinia, in the years 1839, 1840, 1841 and 1842''], (London, 1843), p. 357</ref> |
By the early 19th century, Magdala was a mountain stronghold, or ''[[amba (geology)|amba]]'' in the Wollo province of the true Amhara people. When [[Johann Ludwig Krapf]] camped at its foot on 26 March 1842, it was one of the strongholds of Imam Liban of the Were Himano, a "House" or a sub-group of the Wollo.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/journalsofrevmes00isen/journalsofrevmes00isen_djvu.txt ''Journals of the Rev. Messrs. Isenberg and Krapf, Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, Detailing their proceedings in the kingdom of Shoa, and journeys in other parts of Abyssinia, in the years 1839, 1840, 1841 and 1842''], (London, 1843), p. 357</ref> |
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Emperor Tewodros II conquered Magdala on 22 September 1855.<ref>Sven Rubenson, ''King of Kings: Tewodros of Ethiopia'' (Addis Ababa: Haile Selassie I University, 1966), p. 52</ref> He constructed a number of buildings on the top of the mountain, including a church and a palace. In 1862, he imprisoned several European missionaries. Again in January 1864, he imprisoned the |
Emperor Tewodros II conquered Magdala on 22 September 1855.<ref>Sven Rubenson, ''King of Kings: Tewodros of Ethiopia'' (Addis Ababa: Haile Selassie I University, 1966), p. 52</ref> He constructed a number of buildings on the top of the mountain, including a church and a palace. In 1862, he imprisoned several European missionaries. Again in January 1864, he imprisoned the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[diplomat]], Charles Duncan Cameron inside the fortress over a perceived insult from [[Queen Victoria]]. A [[1868 Expedition to Abyssinia|British military expedition]] led by Sir [[Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala|Robert Napier]], landed at the [[Gulf of Zula]] on 4 December and set up a base camp at [[Zula]] before advancing on Magdala, which they reached in April 1868. Abandoned by the nobility and his followers, and after his remaining troops engaged the British forces at the [[Battle of Magdala]], Tewodros withdrew into the fortress on Amba Mariam and killed himself with a pistol a few days later as the final assault began. This incident is fictionalized in the novel ''[[Flashman on the March]]''. |
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The British entered the capital, where they rescued the diplomats. Before departing from Abyssinia, Sir Robert allowed his troops to loot and burn Magdala, including its churches. The expedition looted a large number of treasures and religious items such as [[tabot]]s. These are still held in various museums and libraries in Europe, as well as in private collections.<ref>http://www.elginism.com/similar-cases/the-magdala-treasures-in-the-british-museum/20100222/2753/#sthash.pfmfTVwY.dpuf |
The British entered the capital, where they rescued the diplomats. Before departing from Abyssinia, Sir Robert allowed his troops to loot and burn Magdala, including its churches. The expedition looted a large number of treasures and religious items such as [[tabot]]s. These are still held in various museums and libraries in Europe, as well as in private collections.<ref>http://www.elginism.com/similar-cases/the-magdala-treasures-in-the-british-museum/20100222/2753/#sthash.pfmfTVwY.dpuf |
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Revision as of 20:08, 17 October 2020
Amba Mariam
አምባ ማሪያም | |
|---|---|
  Amba Mariam Location in Ethiopia | |
| Coordinates: 11°12′N 39°17′E / 11.200°N 39.283°E | |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Region | Amhara |
| Zone | Debub Wollo |
| Population (2005) | |
• Total | 1,899 (est) |
Amba Mariam (Amharic: አምባ ማሪያም) is a village in central Ethiopia. It was known as Magdala or Makdala[1] (Template:Lang-gez, Meḳdelā) during the reign of Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia (1855-1868). Located in the Debub Wollo Zone of the Amhara Region, Amba Mariam has a longitude and latitude of 11°12′N 39°17′E / 11.200°N 39.283°E.
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this town has an estimated total population of 1,899, of whom 988 were males and 911 were females.[2] The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 1,091, of whom 520 were males and 571 were females. It is one of three towns in Tenta woreda.
History
By the early 19th century, Magdala was a mountain stronghold, or amba in the Wollo province of the true Amhara people. When Johann Ludwig Krapf camped at its foot on 26 March 1842, it was one of the strongholds of Imam Liban of the Were Himano, a "House" or a sub-group of the Wollo.[3]
Emperor Tewodros II conquered Magdala on 22 September 1855.[4] He constructed a number of buildings on the top of the mountain, including a church and a palace. In 1862, he imprisoned several European missionaries. Again in January 1864, he imprisoned the British diplomat, Charles Duncan Cameron inside the fortress over a perceived insult from Queen Victoria. A British military expedition led by Sir Robert Napier, landed at the Gulf of Zula on 4 December and set up a base camp at Zula before advancing on Magdala, which they reached in April 1868. Abandoned by the nobility and his followers, and after his remaining troops engaged the British forces at the Battle of Magdala, Tewodros withdrew into the fortress on Amba Mariam and killed himself with a pistol a few days later as the final assault began. This incident is fictionalized in the novel Flashman on the March.
The British entered the capital, where they rescued the diplomats. Before departing from Abyssinia, Sir Robert allowed his troops to loot and burn Magdala, including its churches. The expedition looted a large number of treasures and religious items such as tabots. These are still held in various museums and libraries in Europe, as well as in private collections.[5] A few items have been returned to Ethiopia, the most important being the crown of Tewodros II, which George V personally presented to the future Emperor Haile Selassie on his visit to England in 1925. Two tabots were returned in 2002 and 2003, from Scotland and England, respectively, prompting occasions of great rejoicing in the country.[6][7][8]
As of 2009[update] little remains of Tewodros's capital; the most visible item being Tewodros's cannon "Sebastopol".
The abandoned fortress was occupied briefly by Lij Iyasu after the defeat of his supporters in the Battle of Segale; troops of the victors subjected him and his followers to an unenthusiastic siege. On 18 July 1917, Iyasu slipped through the siege lines and rallied the peasantry of Wollo to revolt; the rebellion was crushed and many of Iyasu's generals were captured, forcing Lij Iyasu to flee to the Afar Depression.[9]
See also
Notes
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 301.
- ^ CSA 2005 National Statistics, Table B.3 Archived November 23, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Journals of the Rev. Messrs. Isenberg and Krapf, Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, Detailing their proceedings in the kingdom of Shoa, and journeys in other parts of Abyssinia, in the years 1839, 1840, 1841 and 1842, (London, 1843), p. 357
- ^ Sven Rubenson, King of Kings: Tewodros of Ethiopia (Addis Ababa: Haile Selassie I University, 1966), p. 52
- ^ http://www.elginism.com/similar-cases/the-magdala-treasures-in-the-british-museum/20100222/2753/#sthash.pfmfTVwY.dpuf
- ^ Jenifer Johnston (January 27, 2002). "Ethiopian joy as church returns Ark of Covenant; Handover may". The Sunday Herald. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2013.(hosted by Find Articles)
- ^ Odhiambo Okite, "Ethiopia: Returning a Tabot", Christianity Today, 22 April 2002. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
- ^ Damian Zane, "Raided Lost Ark returns home", BBC News, 1 July 2003. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
- ^ Harold Marcus, Haile Sellassie I: The Formative Years (Lawrenceville, New Jersey: Red Sea Press, 1996), pp. 24-30