African History Encyclopaedia

Edmund Bannerman (1832-April 19, 1903) – known as the ‘Boss of Tarkwa’ – was a civil servant, journalist, and politician who made his mark on...

Tona Gaga (1868-August 1908) was the last king of Walamo, a state in southwest Ethiopia, north of Lake Abaya. He ruled from 1890-94, subsequently being...

Alfred Ilg (March 30. 1854-January 7, 1916), a Swiss craftsman, was the principal diplomatic adviser to Emperor Menilek II [reigned 1889-1913]. He was born in...

Nur Hussein ibn Ibrahim al Malkai of Balé (now the province of Mendebo in southeast Ethiopia), a sheikh, a Muslim mystic and teacher of the...

Alaga Heruy Berru (1865-1949) was the leading Ethiopian painter during the later period of the reign of Emperor Menilek  [ruled 1889-1913]. The son of a...

William Wellington Gqoba (1840-April 26, 1888), a Xhosa intellectual of the late 19th century, edited the leading Xhosa journal of the day. Isigidimi samaXhosa (“The...

Maria Margaretha Koopmans-De Wet, (March 8, 1834-August 2, 1906) was a cultured woman, renowned as a hostess, patroness of the arts, and ardent patriot. She...

James Bruce (December 14, 1730-April 27, 1794) was a Scottish explorer who visited Ethiopia from 1769-72, and is best known for his Travels to Discover...

Isbrand Goske (circa 1626-1689) was the Dutch governor of the Cape of Good Hope from October 1, 1672 to March 14, 1676. Born in The...

Thomas Birch Freeman (December 6, 1809-August 12, 1890) was a missionary of Anglo-African descent who established the Methodist Church on a firm footing in the...