Ethiopian forces in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War besides the Central Army were mobilized from various provinces under their local leader. According to 1935 Italian intelligence estimates of the Ethiopian provinces and their forces on the eve of hostilities, the Ethiopians had an army of 350,000 men. Strengths where known are noted followed by their leader. Modernized forces in Bold.
Addis Ababa
Army of the Left - Ras Imru Haile Selassie ( Grazmach = "General/Commander of the Left")
Mahel Sefari (Army of the Center) (70,000 regulars) - Ras Mulugeta Yeggazu of Illubabor
Army of the Right- Ras Kassa Haile Darge ( Qegnazmach = "General/Commander of the right")
Danakil region - Dejazmach Kassa Sebhat
Later Reinforcements
Ifrata Sefari - Ras Kebbede
Welega-Ardjo Sefari - Bitwoded Makonnen Demissie
Kaffa Sefari - Ras Getachew Abate
To subdue Gojjam revolt
Wollo Sefari - Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen Tafari
Ogaden Sefari - Grazmach Afawarq Walda Samayat
Reinforcements
Hararghe Sefari - Dejazmach Nasibu Emmanual - C-in-C in Ogaden after Afewerq's death
Webi Shebelle front
Juba Front
This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations .(December 2014) |
The Battle of Maychew was the last major battle fought on the northern front during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. The battle consisted of a failed counterattack by the Ethiopian forces under Emperor Haile Selassie making frontal assaults against prepared Italian defensive positions under the command of Marshal Pietro Badoglio. The battle was fought near Maychew, Ethiopia, in the modern region of Tigray.
Princess Seble Desta was a member of the Solomonic dynasty, which ruled Ethiopia until 1974. She was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was the daughter of Princess Tenagnework Haile Selassie and Ras Desta Damtew, and granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Empress Menen Asfaw. Princess Seble's paternal grandfather, Fitawrari Damtew Ketema, was martyred during the Ethiopian victory against the Italians at Adwa.
Darge Sahle Selassie, also known by his horse name Abba Gersa, was a 19th-century Ethiopian nobleman, provincial governor, general, and a trusted councillor to his nephew, Emperor Menelik II.
RasDesta Damtew KBE was an Ethiopian noble, army commander and a son-in-law of Emperor Haile Selassie I. He is known for his leadership in the Ethiopian Army during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. He was executed on 24 February 1937, by the Italian Armed Forces shortly after Ethiopia's loss in the war.
Leul Ras Imru Haile Selassie, CBE was an Ethiopian noble, soldier, and diplomat. He served as acting Prime Minister for three days in 1960 during a coup d'état and assassination of Prime Minister Abebe Aregai.
RasMulugeta Yeggazu was an Ethiopian government official, who served in the first cabinet formed by Emperor Menelik II. He served as Imperial Fitawrari, Commander of the Mahel Sefari of the Ethiopian Army during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.
RasKassa Hailu KS, GCVO, GBE, was a Shewan Amhara nobleman, the son of Dejazmach Haile Wolde Kiros of Lasta, the ruling heir of Lasta's throne and younger brother of Emperor Tekle Giyorgis II, and Tisseme Darge, the daughter of Ras Darge Sahle Selassie, brother of Menelik II's father.
The Battle of Shire was fought on the northern front of what was known as the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. This battle consisted of attacks and counterattacks by Italian forces under Marshal of Italy Pietro Badoglio and Ethiopian forces under Ras Imru Haile Selassie. This battle was primarily fought in the Shire area of Ethiopia.
De Bono's invasion of Ethiopia took place during the opening stages of the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. Italian General Emilio De Bono invaded northern Ethiopia from staging areas in the Italian colony of Eritrea on what was known as the "northern front".
The Christmas Offensive took place during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. The Ethiopian offensive was more of a counteroffensive to an ever-slowing Italian offensive which started the war.
Seyoum Mengesha KBE was an army commander and a member of the royal family of the Ethiopian Empire.
The Battle of Anchem was fought between two factions of the Royal family in the Ethiopian Empire. The battle was fought to determine who would rule the empire, Empress Zewditu or King (Negus) Tafari Makonnen.
Wondosson Kassa, also known as Wond Wossen Kassa, was a member of the royalty of the Ethiopian Empire, an army commander, and a patriot.
Aberra Kassa was an army commander and a member of the Royal family of the Ethiopian Empire.
Gugsa Wale's rebellion of 1930 was a rebellion raised by Ras Gugsa Wale and by supporters of Empress Zewditu to rid her of the Crown Prince and heir apparent, Negus Tafari Makonnen. With Tafari gone, Zewditu would be the sole claimant to succession as the ruler of the Ethiopian Empire. As the husband of Empress Zewditu, Gugsa Wale expected to become Emperor.
Mehal Sefari was the Ethiopian title for the specialized units of the imperial guard during the reign of Emperor Menelik II. The unit grew from Menelik's personal Guard, though oral histories link it to the elite fighting unit of Atse Tewodros II under Fitawrari Gebrye. As Gebrye's military unit was among the last that remained loyal to Tewodros when most of his army left, the assumption is not unreasonable if not conclusive. The title "Mehal Sefari" however was not used by any of Tewodros' units, nor by any other previous military unit. The title translates to "center campers" and alludes to the location the unit encamped in Menelik's expeditionary encampments. Some have also suggested that the unit was used to come between (mehal) battling armies of the nobility. There is however little in way of evidence to demonstrate this as the nobility rarely fought without permission from the Emperor.
Ayalew Birru, or Ayyalaw Birru, was an Ethiopian army commander, a patriot, and a cousin of Emperor Haile Selassie I.
Belay Zeleke was an Ethiopian military commander who led the Arbegnoch resistance movement in Gojjam against the Fascist Italians during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941. He emerged as a brigand leader after his five-year struggle against Italian rule in Ethiopia.
LijSeifu Mikael was an Ethiopian royal, member of the Solomonic dynasty from the House of Solomon that descended from the ancient Kingdom of Aksum, belonging to the branch of the aristocratic Amhara family from Ankober Shewa. He was the great-grandson of King Sahle Selassie of Shewa and his wife Queen Bezabish Dejene of Gojjam through his grandfather, Dejazmatch Mekuria Tesfaye of Gerim Gabriel, a first cousin of Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia.
Goshu Zewde of Gojjam, also known by his horse name Abba Kanno, was a prominent governor of Damot, Metcha, and Ybaba during the first half of the 19th century. While his son Birru Goshu governed most of Gojjam, Goshu’s influence extended widely, solidifying his reputation as a formidable leader. As a member of the ruling dynasty of Gojjam, he was one of the significant lords in the last decades of the Zemene Mesafint. Respected by princes, church leaders, and farmers alike, Goshu was admired for his noble lineage and his admirable character. His influence and dedication were further recognized when he was granted the title of Dejazmach in 1825 and elevated to Ras by Emperor Sahle Dengel in 1848.