Across the Red Sea: Ethiopia and the Ottoman Empire in Diplomatic Transition (1500s–1800s)

This article studies how relations between Ethiopia and the Ottoman Empire developed, from fighting during the 16th century to working together in the 19th century. It shows how the events taking place in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, disputes related to religion, and ambitions to expand by nearby empires led to clashes between the Christian Ethiopian Empire and the Muslim Ottoman-backed Adal Sultanate. Following this, the discussion considers how those interactions came to be practical diplomacy, with Sultan Abdulhamid II’s time seeing the Ottomans interact more with Ethiopia as a result of European actions in the region. Beginning with an analysis of the strategic importance of Ethiopia and the Ottoman Empire in the context of global trade and power dynamics, the study adopts a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on a rich array of primary sources. Diplomatic relations take center stage as the research examines the agreements, alliances, conflicts and key personalities that shaped the course of Ethiopian-Ottoman relations.
Based on chronicles from Ethiopia, documents from the Ottoman Empire, and accounts from the Western, the article explains that rivalry and common interest both shaped Ottoman and Ethiopian relations. It further explains Northeast African politics and places the historically imperfect Ethiopian-Ottoman relationship in a larger context of Christian–Muslim diplomacy and global rivalry during that time period.