Treaty of Wuchale (or, Treaty of Ucciale; in Italian, Trattato di Uccialli) was a treaty signed by King Menelik II of Shewa, later the Emperor of Ethiopia with Count Pietro Antonelli of Italy in the town of Wuchale on May 2, 1889. The treaty ceded territories previously part of Ethiopia, namely the provinces of Bogos, Hamasien, Akkele Guzay, Serae, and parts of Tigray and is the origin of the Italian colony and modern state of Eritrea. In return, Italy promised financial assistance and military supplies.
Disputes over Article 17 led to the First Italo–Ethiopian War. The Italian version of the passage stated that Ethiopia was obliged to conduct all foreign affairs through the Italian authorities, in effect making Ethiopia an Italian protectorate, while the Amharic version merely gave Ethiopia the option of communicating with third powers through the Italians.[1]
Notes
^ See, for example, the discussion in Chris Prouty, Empress Taytu and Menilek II (Trenton: The Red Sea Press, 1986), pp. 70-99
Further reading
Sven Rubenson, "Chapter V: Trials of Strength with Egypt and Italy" in The Survival of Ethiopian Independence (Hollywood: Tsehai, 2003).
