The Battle

By late February 1896, the Italian army was entrenched around Mount Enticho in Tigray, two months after mobilization proclamation and one month after the march from Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian army consist of the combined troops of different regional lords encircled the Italian fortress at Mekele. The attacks on the enemy began when Emperor Menelik II reached the fortress, but this brought no success since the Italians had built a strong fortress. Meanwhile, Empress Taytu advised to control a small stream near fortress which was a source of water for the Italian troops. This tactic designed by Empress Taytu and executed by 900 soldiers from her own contingent. Between, 7-21, January 1896 the Italian army suffered a great deal from shortage of water. The Italians were forced to surrender the fortress. Emperor Menelik II allowed the Italian a safe evacuation not only seeking a peaceful resolution of the conflict but rather to advance further under the cover of a peace gesture. The Italian did not, however, agree to any peace. About 20,000 troops formed into four brigades under the commander-in-chief, General Oreste Baratieri, were ready for war. Half of the Italian troops consisted of askaris from Eretria. The numeral strength of the Italian army was only one fifth of the Ethiopians but the Italian had the advantage of better firearms than many of the Ethiopian soldiers.