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The reborn Prince Hechingen of the Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern family perceives the unfolding situation in Europe, where war is imminent. Europe cannot afford to delay. The strategy involves establishing a presence in East Africa, fostering immigration and development, and laying the foundations for agriculture. This gradual approach leverages the crisis to expedite the process of industrialization

African Entrepreneurship History

While discussions about the war against the Boers continued in East Africa, Italian forces led by Samuel made significant progress in their invasion of the Abyssinian Empire. They successfully captured Desai, a crucial city in the eastern part of the Abyssinian Empire.

The sight of the Italian flag flying over Desai caused turmoil within the Abyssinian Empire, with princes and ministers in the capital blaming each other for the humiliating invasion.

The Kingdom of Shoa accused the central government of incompetence, holding them responsible for the invasion by European forces. In response, the Tigray monarch and ministers accused Shoa of undermining the central government's decisions, which they believed had led to Desai's fall.

Abyssinia, formerly fragmented into various independent regions, had been unified by Emperor Theodore II, only to later face internal strife and external threats. Johannes IV, who had ascended the throne in Tigray, was considered a false ruler by many, as he had betrayed Theodore II and formed alliances with the British.

Johannes IV's reign was marked by conflicts both within and outside Abyssinia. He had disputes with various factions, including the Kingdom of Shoa and Egypt. The British had initially supported Johannes IV, but the arms they provided were offset by those supplied by the East African Kingdom to various Abyssinian factions.

Notably, the southern tribal areas had become resistant to central control. Although they officially supported the central government, they followed their own agendas, posing a challenge to unity.

Despite widespread demands within the Abyssinian Empire for a counterattack against Italy following the capture of Desai, no faction was willing to send troops. Only the warlords in the northeast and the Kingdom of Shoa were positioned to support Desai, but they feared retaliation against their bases by Johannes IV's forces.

Italy's victory in this campaign was aided by several factors, including the influx of affordable rice from East Africa, which bolstered their military expenditure. Samuel, having planned the campaign meticulously, targeted the southeast of Ethiopia as it was the weakest point of the Abyssinian Empire.

Desai's strategic location allowed Italy to block the main forces of Ethiopia to the north with minimal troops. Samuel believed that the Abyssinian Empire's internal divisions and the distraction caused by its conflict with Egypt would prevent it from concentrating its forces against Italy.

Furthermore, Samuel considered the ethnic distribution within the Abyssinian Empire. He focused on the Arab region, which had historical rivalries with the Orthodox Christian areas in the north. Samuel's strategy aimed to exploit these divisions and take advantage of the Abyssinian Empire's weakened state.

Samuel's conservative plan involved seizing the southeastern region of Abyssinia first, an area that had not been a primary focus of the empire. Instead, Abyssinia had historically expanded to the north and northeast, targeting Egypt and the Red Sea coast.

The capture of Desai was seen as a significant achievement, as the area offered ample arable land and was suitable for settling immigrants, aligning with the kingdom's goals.

Chapter 377