It was originally founded as the Addis Abeba Governorate (Governorato di Addis Abeba), but on 11 November 1938 it was enlarged with parts of the Scioa region from the bordering Harar, Galla-Sidamo and Amhara Governorates, and the name was changed to the Scioa Governorate.
Map of the governorates of Italian East Africa in 1936, showing the smaller Addis Abeba Governorate before it became the Scioa Governorate
The Scioa Governorate was the only area of former Ethiopia fully pacified and rid of Ethiopian guerrilla in 1939, that allowed a huge development of infrastructures (roads like the Stada Imperiale between Asmara and Addis Abeba, buildings, dams, etc.) with the creation of a state-of-the-art "Addis Abeba Urbanistic and Architectural Plan" [1] and a beginning of colonization in agricultural areas assigned to Italian colonists. Even some industrial facilities were developed in Addis Abeba and surroundings: for example at Addis Alem a huge factory for the production of slaked lime was established in 1938, and in its first year of production it turned out 30,000 hundredweights of the material.
The total area of the Scioa Governorate was initially in 1936 more than 7000km2 (with 300000 inhabitants), but in 1939 was increased to nearly 65000 km2 and the population was more than one million and half inhabitants. Up to 85% of the 40000 Italians of Ethiopia lived in this governorate when the Allies conquered in it spring 1941, along with the rest of Italian Ethiopia.[2] In October 1939 the Italian population of Addis Abeba was 35,441 of which 30.232 were male (85,3%) and 5,209 female (14,7%): in 1939 nearly 800 Italo-Ethiopian children were born from them.[3]
The last governor of Scioa was Agenore Frangipani, who found himself having to counter the Allied advance without any hope in early 1941, was forced to give the Ethiopian capital to the British on 6 April 1941 without a fight. Indeed, the Italian ViceroyPrince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta ordered him to surrender the city peacefully in order to forestall a massacre of Italian civilians such as what happened a few days before in Dire Dawa.[4] Frangipani-who was prepared for a defensive battle-reluctantly accepted the order to surrender. But having on him the responsibility and dishonor of surrender, Frangipani committed suicide during the retreat from the city. His family honored his old-aristocracy feelings about not accepting surrender without combat.
Beltrami, Vanni. "Italia d'oltremare. Storie dei territori italiani dalla conquista alla caduta." Edizioni Nuova Cultura. Roma, 2013 ISBN978-88-6134-702-1
Del Boca, Angelo. La nostra Africa. Neri Pozza Editore. Vicenza, 2003 ISBN8854509892
The Italian empire before WWII is shown in red. Pink areas were annexed/occupied for various periods between 1940 and 1943. Italian concessions and forts in China are not shown.
Italian East Africa was an Italian colony in the Horn of Africa. It was formed in 1936 after the Second Italo-Ethiopian War through the merger of Italian Somalia, Italian Eritrea, and the newly conquered Ethiopian Empire.
Luigi Frusci was an officer in the Italian Royal Army during the Italian conquest of Ethiopia and World War II. He was the last Italian Governor of Eritrea and Amhara.
The Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia was a conflict fought from the summer of 1941 to the autumn of 1943 by remnants of Italian troops in Ethiopia and Somalia, in a short-lived attempt to re-establish Italian East Africa. The guerrilla campaign was fought following the Italian defeat in the East African Campaign of World War II, while the war was still raging in Northern Africa and Europe.
Football is the most popular sport in Ethiopia. Although not one of the leading footballing nations in Africa, Ethiopia has produced some outstanding teams at both club and international level as well as some talented individual players.
Harar Governorate was one of the six governorates of Italian East Africa. It was formed in 1936 from parts of the conquered Ethiopian Empire following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.
Amhara Governorate was one of the six governorates of Italian East Africa. Its capital was Gondar. It was formed in 1936 from parts of the conquered Ethiopian Empire following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. It had a population of more than 2 million inhabitants. In November 1938 some territory of Amhara in the Scioa region was given to the neighboring Addis Abeba Governorate, enlarging it to the Scioa Governorate.
Eritrea Governorate was one of the six governorates of Italian East Africa. Its capital was Asmara. It was formed from the previously separate colony of Italian Eritrea, which was enlarged with parts of the conquered Ethiopian Empire following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.
Galla-Sidamo Governorate was one of the six governorates of Italian East Africa. It was formed in 1936 from parts of the conquered Ethiopian Empire following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War with the capital was Jimma. In November 1938 some territory of Galla-Sidamo in the Scioa region was given to the neighboring Addis Abeba Governorate, enlarging it to the Scioa Governorate.
Somalia Governorate was one of the six governorates of Italian East Africa. It was formed from the previously separate colony of Italian Somalia, enlarged by the Ogaden region of the conquered Ethiopian Empire following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.
Ethiopia–Italy relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Ethiopia and Italy.
Italians of Ethiopia are Ethiopian-born citizens who are fully or partially of Italian descent, whose ancestors were Italians who emigrated to Ethiopia starting in the 19th century during the Italian diaspora, or Italian-born people in Ethiopia.
Italian Ethiopia, also known as the Italian Empire of Ethiopia, was the territory of the Ethiopian Empire which was occupied by Italy for approximately five years. Italian Ethiopia was not an administrative entity, but the formal name of the former territory of the Ethiopian Empire which now constituted the Governorates of Amhara, Harar, Galla-Sidamo, and Scioa after the establishment of Italian East Africa.
The Italian concession of Tianjin was a small territory (concession) in central Tianjin, China, controlled by the Kingdom of Italy between 1901 and 1943, officially ceded to China in 1947.
The Battle of Amba Alagi was fought in May 1941, during World War II, part of the East African Campaign. After the Italian defeat at Keren in April 1941, Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta withdrew his forces to the mountain stronghold at Amba Alagi. The mountain had galleries carved into the rock to protect the defending troops and hold ample ammunition and stores and the Italian troops thought themselves to be impregnable. According to other sources, however, the fortress was easily defendable thanks to its position and the mountainous terrain, but lacked food and water, so that Marshal Enrico Caviglia later criticised the Duke for having chosen it for his last stand, calling the Amba Alagi "uno scoglio senz'acqua e senza viveri". The initial attacks on the approaches to Amba Alagi by British troops under Major-General Mayne from the north, commenced on 4 May with a pincer from the eastern and western sides.
Italian Benghazi was the name used during the Italian colonization of Libya for the port-city of Benghazi in Italian Cyrenaica.
Giuseppe Daodice was an Italian general. He was the 6th Italian governor of Addis Ababa and 3rd Italian governor of Scioa (1940-1941). He was a knight of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.
Emilio Dulio was an Italian politician. He was twice colonial governor of Italian Somaliland.
Tommaso Carletti was born in Viterbo (Italy) and was one of the Governors of Italian Somalia.
Agenore Frangipani was an Italian general and colonial official, and the last Italian governor of Addis Ababa and Scioa.
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