Ethiopian Empire
መንግሥተ ኢትዮጵያ (Ge'ez)
Mängəstä Ityop'p'ya
1270–1974
1936–1941: Government-in-exile
Flag of Ethiopian Empire
Flag
(~1870's–1974)
Coat of arms of Ethiopian Empire
Coat of arms
Motto: ኢትዮጵያ ታበፅዕ እደዊሃ ሃበ እግዚአብሐር
Ityopia tabetsih edewiha habe Igziabiher(English:"Ethiopia Stretches Her Hands unto God")
("Ethiopia Stretches Her Hands unto God") (Psalm 68:31)
Anthem: 
"ኢትዮጵያ ሆይ ደስ ይበልሽ"
(English:"Ethiopia, be happy")
The Ethiopian Empire boundaries in 1952
The Ethiopian Empire boundaries in 1952
The location of the Ethiopian Empire during the reign of Yohannes IV (dark orange) compared with modern day Ethiopia (orange)
The location of the Ethiopian Empire during the reign of Yohannes IV (dark orange) compared with modern day Ethiopia (orange)
CapitalUnspecified(1270–1635)
Gondar(1635–1855)
Magdala(1855–1871)
Mekelle(1871–1889)
Addis Ababa(1889–1974)
Common languagesGe’ez
Amharic
Oromo
Tigrinya
Afar
Gurage
Hadiyya
Kafa
Sidamo
Somali
Wolaytta
Other minorities
Religion
  • Christianity (state religions):
    • Orthodox Tewahedo Church(1270–1622 and 1632–1974)
    • Catholic Church(1622–1632)under Susenyos I

Minority:

  • P'ent'ay Evangelicalism
  • Sunni Islam
  • Judaism
Demonym(s)Endonym: Ethiopian Exonym: Abyssinian (in non-native sources, derived from the Arabic name for the general region "Al-Habash" and the most widely prominent pan-ethnic group the Habesha)
GovernmentAbsolute monarchy(1270–1931)
Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy(1931–1974)
Emperor 
• 1270–1285(first)
Yekuno Amlak
• 1930–1974(last)
Haile Selassie
Prime Minister 
• 1909–1927(first)
Habte Giyorgis
• 1974(last)
Mikael Imru
LegislatureNone (rule by decree)
(until 1931)
Parliament
(1931–1974)
• Upper house
Senate
(1931–1974)
• Lower house
Chamber of Deputies
(1931–1974)
Predecessor states
  • Dʿmt
    Sultanate of Aussa
    Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea
    Kingdom of Aksum
    Zagwe dynasty
    Medri Bahri
    Land of Punt
    Kingdom of Shewa
    Sultanate of Showa
    Kingdom of Tankish
    Sharkha
    Kingdom of Qita'a
    Kingdom of Nagash
    Kingdom of Jarin
    Sultanate of Dawaro
    Kingdom of Bazin
    Sultanate of Dahlak
    Kingdom of Belgin
    Sultanate of Bale
    Sultanate of Arababni
    Sultanate of Ifat
    Sultanate of Harar
    Ajuran Sultanate
    Adal Sultanate
    Kingdom of Garo
    Kingdom of Wolaita
    Kingdom of Kaffa
    Kingdom of Janjero
    Adulis
Historical eraMiddle Ages to Cold War
• Empire established
1270
• Ethiopian-Adal war
1529–1543
• Italian Eritrea
1890
• Constitution adopted
16 July 1931
• Conquered by Italy (annexed to Italian East Africa)
3 October 1935
• Sovereignty restored
5 May 1941
• Admitted to the UN
13 November 1945
• Coup d'étatby Derg
12 September 1974
• Monarchy abolished
21 March 1975
Currency
  • Salt blocks (Amoleh)
  • Maria Theresa thaler(c.18th–19th century)
  • Ethiopian birr, thaler, or dollar(from 1894)
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Zagwe dynasty
Kingdom of Semien
Emirate of Harar
Kingdom of Kaffa
Kingdom of Jimma
Derg
ImperialGovernment-in-Exile
Today part ofEthiopia
Eritrea