The Impact of Dogali on the International Policy of the Central European Powers

Abstract

The victory of Dogali (1887) represents the first successful resistance to European colonialism in Northeast Africa, and as such its historical significance has been immense. For some obscure reason, however, it was neglected in Ethiopian historiography until the last quarter of the 20th century when it was popularized for academic and political purposes. Its impact in history was twofold: on the international level, it cracked the Triple Alliance which ʿAdwa, the historical culmination of Dogali, subsequently rendered ineffective for good. On the national or regional level, Dogali initiated a campaign for liberty and sovereignty which was to last for decades and in which ʿAdwa and Maycäw were to stand as landmarks. These landmarks were nonetheless fought deep in the heart of the country, and in this respect Dogali, which took place way out of the effective control of the Empire, is no doubt exemplary.