Thread by @BereketGetnet_, Menelik II1. Menelik II(ዳግማዊ ምኒልክ), took his name from Menelik I (ቀዳማዊ [...]

Menelik II

1. Menelik II(ዳግማዊ ምኒልክ), took his name from Menelik I (ቀዳማዊ ምኒልክ). Menelik I was the first emperor of Ethiopia(10th century BC). It's believed that he was the son of the king Solomon of Israel and of Makeda, the Ethiopian Quees of Sheba

Menelik II1. Menelik II(ዳግማዊ ምኒልክ), took his name from Menelik I (ቀዳማዊ ምኒልክ). Menelik I was the first emperor of Ethiopia(10th century BC). It's believed that he was the son of the king Solomon of Israel and of Makeda, the Ethiopian Quees of Sheba

2. His Father was Haile Melekot (King of Shewa), after his Father died, Menelik was taken as prisoner by Emperor Tewodros II, and had him transferred to his mountain stronghold of Magdala (መቅደላ). Tewodros treated the him well,even offering him his daughter as a wife.

3. Menelik II spoke Amharic, Oromo, Afar, and Tigrigna, in addition to this he spoke French, English and Italian fluently. Like Tewodros II, Menelik II was fascinated by modernity and he was the founding father of Modern Ethiopia.

4. The First Cabinet of Ministers

Menelik established the first Cabinet of Ministers in 1907 to help in the administration of the Empire, appointing trusted and widely respected nobles and retainers to the first Ministries.

7. The First Car

In December 1907 the first car in Ethiopia arrived overland from Djibouti. Menelik II was the first native African to drive a car.

Emperor Menelik II.'s Ford Model T - the first car in Ethiopia

8. The First Telephone

The first telephone was installed in Menelik's palace in 1890. Eight representatives of the clergy approached the throne of Menelik and appealed to the Emperor that the telephone in the palace was in fact the work of the Devil. It was brought from Italy.

9. The First Hotel

The Itegue Taitu Hotel(እቴ ጌጣይቱ) is a first hotel in AddisAbaba, Ethiopia. The Taitu Hotel was built in 1905/1906 (1898 in the Eth).

10. The first Bank

Bank of Abyssinia was the first bank and founded in Feb 15, 1906. It was a private bank whose shares were sold in Addis, New York, Paris, London, and Vienna. It was established based on the agreement signed between the Menelik and the National Bank of Egypt.

11. Pipped water (Tap water)

Emperor Menelik II introduced the first piped water to his palace and to Addis Ababa in 1887. The project was done by a Swiss engineer Alfred ilg who was a confidant to Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II.

12. The First Modern School

The first modern school in Ethiopia, was opened in Oct 1908 by Menelik II (The current Dagmawi Menelik II School). The school was for wealthy children and it began with 20 elite schoolchildren.

13. The First Hospital

Dagmawi Menelik Hospital was the first hospital built in Addis Ababa in 1909 by Menelik II. It was built to accommodate 200 patients. The service was free of charge.

14. Modern Postal System

Modern postal service was introduced in 1894 E.C during the reign of Emperor Menelik with the help of Alfred Ilg.The first modern post office opened in July 1908. Ethiopia became the memeber of Universal Postal Union(UPU) for the on the time of Menelik

15. The First Railway

The railway was built in 1894–1917 to connect the A.A to Djibouti. In 1894, Alfred Ilg and his French associate founded the Imperial Railway Company of Ethiopia for the first time with its headquarters in Paris. The railway was 784 Km.

16. The first Electric light

Electricity was first introduced to Ethiopia around 1898 during Emperor Menilik's era as the then German government provided a generator as a gift to the Emperor mainly to supply electricity for lighting service to his palace.

17. The First Printing press

The first commercial printing press was introduced in 1890 by Menelik II. but printing of Ethiopian works, started as early as printing itself (in 1863).but printing of Ethiopian works, started as early as printing itself (in 1863).

18. The First Newspaper

አእምሮ was the first Newspaper was during Menelik’s time. It was written in the Amharic language.The newspaper was weekly and the first ever issue had 24copies. It was the fisrt modern newspaper in Africa by African language.

19. The First Gramophone(የሸክላ ማጫወቻ)
The first gramophone(device for recording and replaying sound) was introduced in 1887. He sent some messages to Queen victory using the disk and the messages are found in “British Institute of Record Sound".

20. The Order of Menelik II is an Ethiopian order established in 1924 by then-Regent Tafari Makonnen, during the reign of Empress Zewditu I, to honor the memory of Emperor Menelik II. It was often referred to as the Order of the Lion,

21. After the conquest of Adwa, king Menelik's name was becoming known around the world and the Cacao and Chocolate company known as Suchard in Switzerland used the picture of King Menelik on its trade card.