African History Encyclopaedia

I.W.W. Citashe (circa 1845-circa 1930) was a Xhosa poet who wrote from around 1875 until the early 1900s. He exhorted Africans to use education, rather...

Louis Faidherbe (b.1818) was the son of a Lille (France) merchant.  He attended the Polytechnic School and later the Metz Military School from which he...

Dingiswayo (circa the 1770s- 1818) was a northern Nguni leader who is credited with the development of the age-regiment system of tribal army organisation. This...

Ras Alula Qubi (1827-1897) was a distinguished general of Yohannes IV [reigned 1872-89], and a staunch supporter of his heir to the throne, Mangasha Yohannes....

Rudolfo Graziani (August 11, 1882-January 11, 1955) was an Italian general and colonial administrator. He was popularly known as the “hyena of Libya’ and the...

Abba Gorgoryos, also called Gregorius, or Gregory (1600-165?), was a 17th-century historian and philologist, and a friend of Hiob Ludolf, a German specialist in Ethiopian...

Gobana Dachi (1821-July 1889) was a conquering general who expanded the Ethiopia of Menilek II (reigned as emperor 1889-19131) to the south and west. Gobana...

Abba Giyorgis (13?-1425), usually known as Giyorgis of Segla (or Gasech) was a famous author of religious books. His father was Hezba Tseyon, a chaplain...

Francisco Alvares (14?-circa 1542) was a Portuguese Roman Catholic priest who wrote the first detailed travel book about Ethiopia, the Verdadera Informaçam das terras do...

Gedewon (15?-1624) was ruler of the Falasha (Ethiopians of Jewish faith) for almost 40 years, from 1586-1624. He was the kinsman of Gushan or Gwashan,...