For many years, Professor Richard Pankhurst, the late President of Together We Learn (formerly Link Ethiopia), wrote regular and popular articles on Ethiopian history in the now defunct Addis Tribune. His lucid style of writing combined with his thorough scholarship covering the widest range of political and social history made his writings justly treasured. We have assembled a good number of these very interesting articles here and hope that they will inform and be enjoyed by all.
Author: Dr. Richard Pankhurst
A History of Early Twentieth Century Ethiopia
- 01. The Beginnings of Ethiopia’s Modernisation
- 02. The Eucalyptus Tree, and Ethiopia’s First Modern Schools and Hospitals
- 03. Menilek’s Failing Health, European Attempts to Partition Ethiopia, and the Rise of Lej Iyasu
- 04. The Fall of Lej Iyasu
- 05. Empress Zawditu, and the Tafari Makonnen Regency
- 06. The Emperor’s Coronation, and Pre-War Reforms
- 07. The Italo-Ethiopian Scenario, 1935
- 08. Mussolini and Ethiopia
- 09. League of Nations Sanctions
- 10. Anglo-French Diplomacy, and the Initial Italo-Ethiopian Campaign of 1935-6
- 11. May Chaw and Badoglio’s Occupation of Addis Ababa
- 12. The Occupation Years
- 13. The Patriot Resistance, 1939-1941
- 14. The Liberation Campaign, 1941 Mussolini’s Entry into the European War
- 15. 1941: The Italian Departure, and the Arrival of the British
- 16. Post World War II Relations with the British
- 17. Ethio-American Post-War Relations
- 18. Emperor Haile Sellassie’s Post-War Foreign Policy
- 19. Developments of the 1950s and 1960s
- 20. Prelude to Revolution
Book Review
- A Japanese photographic masterpiece on Ethiopia
- Another New History of Ethiopia Published
- Now at long last they are heard
Concerning the Aksum Obelisk
- 01. The Unfinished History of the Aksum Obelisk Return Struggle
- 02. The Unfinished History of the Aksum Obelisk Return Struggle
- 03. The Unfinished History of the Aksum Obelisk Return Struggle
- 04. The Unfinished History of the Aksum Obelisk Return Struggle
- 05. The Unfinished History of the Aksum Obelisk Return Struggle
- An Historic Photograph
- Axum Diary
- Dr. Vincenzo Francaviglia, and the Re-Erection of the Great Aksum Obelisk
- The Question of the Looted (and Still Not Returned) Aksum Obelisk
- The Re-Erection of the Great Aksum Obelisk Considered
Dr Pankhurst
- A Tale of Four Churches
- Debre Tabor Part One
- Dr. Richard Pankhurst – Historian.
- Maitre Artist Afewerk Tekle
- The Tragic Fire at Dabra Damo Monastic Library
- Visit to the Cannon of Tewodros
Dynastic Marriages
- Ethiopia’s Half-Falasha Emperor Ya’qob
- Imperial Dynastic Marriages and the Beta Esra’el, or Falashas
- The Half-Falasha Emperor Ya’qob Overthrown, and His Brothers Rebel
Early Ethiopian Banking History
Early Photography
- 01. Advent of the Camera in Ethiopia
- 02. Advent of the Camera in Ethiopia
- 03. Advent of the Camera in Ethiopia
- 04. Advent of the Camera in Ethiopia
Education
- 001. Missionary Education and Literacy in the Nineteenth Century
- 002. Missionary and Other Educational Developments of the 1930s
- 003. Missionary Printing and Early Study Abroad
- 004. Missionary and Poetical and Other Studies
- 005. Missionary and Some Early Foreign Educated Students
- 01. Education Abroad and at Home in Menilek’s Day
- 02. Educational Advances in Menilek’s Day
- 1. The Tafari Makonnen School
- 2. The Educational Philosophy of Tafari Makonnen
- 3. Printing Developments and Increased Study Abroad during Tafari Makonnen’s regent
- 4. Ethiopian Students Abroad during Tafari Makonnen’s regent
- 5. Italian Fascist Ideas on Education for “Natives”
- Bibles and Literacy in the 1930s
- Education and Literacy in Old-Time Ethiopia: Christian, Muslim, and Falasha
- Educational Developments of the 1930s
- Foreign Scholarship – The Case of Italy
- Ge’ez Literature and Church Libraries
Egypt and the Nile
- King Lalibala and the River Nile in Early Medieval Times
- The Portuguese, Ludolf, and Le Grand: The Nile Myth is Shattered
Ethiopian Patriots
- 01. The Beginnings of the Patriotic Resistance
- 02. Fighting around Addis Ababa, during the Rains of 1936
- 03. Resistance and Repression
- 04. Fierce Fighting
- 05. The Graziani Massacre and Consequences
- 06. Graziani’s Reign of Terror, and Patriot Resistance
- 07. The Duce and the Patriots, in 1937
- 08. Mussolini’s Concern at Increasing Patriot Power
- 09. The Dismissal of Graziani
- 10. The Spirit of the Patriots in 1938, and the Advent of the Duke of Aosta
- 11. Approaching the European War
Ethiopia’s Historic Quest for Medicine
- 01. Ethiopia’s Historic Quest for Medicine
- 02. Ethiopia’s Historic Quest for Medicine
- 03. Ethiopia’s Historic Quest for Medicine
- 04. Ethiopia’s Historic Quest for Medicine
- 05. Ethiopia’s Historic Quest for Medicine
- 06. Ethiopia’s Historic Quest for Medicine
Innovation and Change
- 01. Ancient and Medieval Life
- 02. Ideas of Innovation in Medieval Times
- 03. Innovation, or Lack of It, in Medieval and Gondarine Times
- 04. Developments in the Early Nineteenth Century
- 05. Some Conservative Attitudes of the Past
- 06. Emperor Tewodros as Innovator: Cannon and Roads
- 07. Tewodros, as Innovator: Cannon, Roads, Boats – and Foreign Craftsmen
- 08. From Tewodros to Yohannes
- 09. Emperor Yohannes, Conservative, but also Innovative
- 10. From Yohannes to Menilek
- 11. Menilek, and the Founding of Addis Ababa
- 12. Menilek, the Building of Bridges, Roads, and the Railway
- 13. "Why Can’t We Have an Amharic Typewriter?"- Menelik
- 14. Monetary, Banking, and Educational Developments of Menilek’s Day
- 15. Medical, Political, and Dietary Innovations of Menilek’s Day
- 16. Drinking, Drunkenness, Smoking, and Dress in Menilek’s Day
- 17. Afawarq Gabra Iyasus, Gabra Heywat Baykadaygn – and the Accession of Lej Iyasu
- 18. Modernisation in the 1920s
- 19.The Coming of the Radio, and Developments in the Field of Currency, Education, and Public Health
- 20.The Year 1930
- 21. Expanding Trade, Changing Ways of Life – and Conclusions
Late Nineteenth Century
Looted Crowns
- 01. The Crown of Emperor Tewodros II
- 02. The Dilemma of the Two Looted Crowns
- 03. Mussolini, and the Ethiopian Crowns of Tewodros, Yohannes, Menilek, and Haile Sellassie
Maqdala Looting
- Dr and Mrs Pankhurst Write to London "Independent" Newspaper on Maqdala Treasures
- Maqdala and its Loot: a Brief History
- Who Lost the Battle of Maqdala?
Medieval History
Nineteenth Century
- 01. An Essay in Nineteenth Century Ethiopian History
- 02. An Essay in Nineteenth Century Ethiopian History
- 03. An Essay in Nineteenth Century Ethiopian History
- 04. An Essay in Nineteenth Century Ethiopian History
On Art and Artists
- Ato Sebhatu Gebre Yesus – Gardening to Create the “Country Of Flowers”
- Ernestine Mills and her Enamel Portrait of the Emperor
- Saint Matthew, and Two Eighteenth Century Italian Artists, and Their Ethiopian Vision
Preserving History
- Ethiopia’s Crumbling Historical Heritage
- Ethiopian National Archives: "Folly" and "Disaster" Justified
- How to Destroy Your History
- How To Lose Your History
- How to Lose Your History – Lives of Ethiopian Saints
- How to Preserve Your Culture
- How to Remember Your History
- The Microfilming of Ethiopian Manuscripts: A Nostalgic View
- The Preservation of Ethiopian Culture
Red Sea and Indian Ocean
Religious Art and Manuscripts
- 01. Christian Art: Icons, Wall Paintings and Manuscripts
- 02. Ethiopian Manuscripts: Bindings and Illustration
- 03. Artistic Developments of the Gondar Period
Sylvia Pankhurst
The Ethiopian Aeroplane ‘Tsehai’
The History of Epidemics
- 01. The History of Epidemics in Ethiopia
- 02. The History of Epidemics in Ethiopia
- 03. The History of Epidemics in Ethiopia
- 04. The History of Epidemics in Ethiopia
- 05. The History of Epidemics in Ethiopia
- 06. The History of Epidemics in Ethiopia
- 07. The History of Epidemics in Ethiopia