MENELIK DEAD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16431, 24 December 1913, Page 10

MENELIK DEAD.

AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, December 22. It is officially announced at Adis Abeba that Menelik 11., Emperor of Abyssinia, is dead. Several times during recent years reports have gained currency announcing the death ; of the Emperor of Abyssinia, only to be contradicted a few days afterwards, but to-day's message is official, and consequently it may be taken for granted that Menelik s troublous reign has come to an end. He was born seventy years ago, and succeeded to tho throne in 1889 on the death, of Johannes 11., with whom he had been constantly at war. Ho called himself Negus ISegusti, or King of Kings, and was the most picturesque and interesting of the world's coloured rulers. Ever since he startled Europe in 1896 by inflicting a defeat on the Italian army he had the respect of the greater nations. Queen Victoria made him a G.C.M.G. in 1897, and, King Edward a G.C.B. in 1902. Menelik was King of Shoa previous to his succeeding to the Abyssianian throne, and claimed to be the hereditary monarch of the Ethiopians and a direct descendant of King' Solomon and the. Queen of Sheba. His people have been Christians, members of the Alexandrian Church, since tho fourth century. They are a brown, well-formed race, possessed of a desperate, almost fanatical courage, and as Menolik kept some 200,000 of them constantly armed with modern weapons, his power was by no means to be despised. Menelik designated his grandson, Lidj Eyassu as his successor, but he does not meet with the approval of all the chiefs. In fact, there are three factions; one headed by Ras Milhael, Minister of War, and Monelik's son-in-law, favours Lidj Eyassu ; another is anxious to place Ras Wallie, a brother of the Empress, on the throne; while the people of Shoa insist that a Bedjas Tafari, a descendant of • the Shoa dynasty, Bhall be the •next Emperor.