Téwodros II was the Emperor of Ethiopia from February 11th, 1855 until his death on April 13th, 1868. (Drawing of Tewodros II. Credit: Getty Images.)
Emperor Tewodros II is one of the towering figures of modern Ethiopian history. He tried to unify and modernise Ethiopia. But his reign was also marked by brutality.
He faced a rising tide of rebellion inside the country and then in 1868 a British military expedition marched into the Ethiopian highlands. Their aim was to free British diplomatic envoys the Emperor had imprisoned.
Tewodros II made a last stand at Magdala, his mountain top fortress.
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