So, a short account about Ethiopia... I suggest visiting a wondering resource if you want to know more about history of Ethiopia. Eastern Africa is considered the origin of Homo sapiens, thus people were moving around the Eastern Africa a long time ago. They even spread from here across the world. The Ancient Egyptians also visited this place and called it Punt, or Golden land. The earliest Ancient Ethiopian state, known as Aksum kingdom, was formed in the 1st century. This state became one of the first ones that adopted Christianity. Ethiopian Orthodox Church was founded in 4th century, about 6 centuries earlier than Northern and Eastern Europe did it. In the end of 11th century cruel queen of Ethiopian Jews, who were expelled after new Christians asked them to leave their territory, occupied Ethiopia and held it with her successor about 40 years.
It became the turning point in the history of Ethiopia. One guy decided to overthrow one more time the Jews to establish their own dynasty, but for security reasons he married the heiress of the previous king. The name of this guy was Mara Takla Haymanot. This event is considered the foundation of Ethiopian Empire, which lasted until 1974. It's interesting, that the time of this event occurred is unclear, and two dates are suggested: 937 or 1137. Impressive difference. This gentleman did the city of Lalibela his capital, which left us a fewrock-cut churches and Christian cross made from a single piece of metal.
In 1270 next guy raised, and claimed that he was a descendant of King Solomon, the legendary ruler of the Ancient kingdom of Israel, therefore he he is in charge. This fellow was a native of the people called Habesha. For this people Ethiopia gained its name by which it was known for centuries - Abyssinia. Solomon dynasty ruled Ethiopia for major part of its history, from 1270 to 1974, during which it successfully resisted the Arab, Turkish and European invasion. So, from 1529 to 1543 it successfully fought against the neighboring sultanate of Adal, which occupied Abyssinia for a little while, and in one of the battle of the wars emperor David II was killed. In 1636, Emperor Fasilides founded a new capital of the state - Gondar, which left us several interesting structures.
Since year 1769 a period of disintegration of the state began, when small lords were fighting each other, and the power of the emperor became extremely weak. This troubles continued until the beginning of the reign of the Emperor Tewodro II, who managed to consolidate Ethiopia. Soon, however, during a storm Magdala castle by the British troops, the poor man was forced to shoot himself with a gun presented to him by Queen Victoria.
Further, The state of Italy entered the Scramble for Africa, starting a long epic war against Ethiopia. In 1889 the Italian signed a treaty with Emperor Menelik II, however, each party understood it in their own way since of the wrong translation of the word "may" in the agreement as "must". In 1895, Italy dared to attack Ethiopia, but the Battle of Adwa resulted in the former's crushing defeat, securing the first victory of an African state in a war against Europe. In the World War II, forces of the British Empire expelled the Italians out of Africa and returned Haile Selassie I, who would rule the country for other 30 years, to his homeland. By the way Rastafarians worship Haile Selassie I as god and see him as the second coming of Christ.
In 1974, the commie reached Africa... Marxist-Leninist junta supported by Soviet Union again overthrew Haile Selassie, and imprisoned him in jail, where he died shortly thereafter. Further, as communist were using to do, they abolished the monarchy and plunge Ethiopia into the civil war.
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