2015 Event Pope Francis appoints 20 new cardinals from a diverse array of nations, including Vietnam, New Zealand, Ethiopia, Tonga, Mexico, Myanmar, Uruguay, France and Thailand; three-fourths of the cardinals will have authority to vote on a papal successor 2012 Event After not being seen for weeks, Ethiopia's long-term Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi dies of a mystery illness 2011 Event In western Ethiopia, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees opens new refugee camp for refugees from Sudan and South Sudan 2011 Event The U.N. reports 10 million people are effected by the worst drought in 60 years, forcing Somalians to flee to Kenya and Ethiopia to avoid starvation 2010 Event Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Rwanda sign an agreement seeking more water from the Nile; Kenya issues support while Egypt and Sudan remain opposed 1997 Death Asfa Wossen, Amha Selassie, crown emperor of Ethiopia in exile, dies 1993 Event Eritrea achieved independence from Ethiopia after 30-year civil war 1993 Event Eritrea votes to secede from Ethiopia 1992 Event Emperor Haile Selassie, Ras Tafari Makonnen, of Ethiopia's, funeral 1991 Event Ethiopia's Marxist president (Mengistu Haile Mariam) resigns 1989 Death Mickey Leland, Representative-D-Texas 1979 - 1989, and 15 others die in plane crash in Ethiopia 1989 Event 93rd Boston Marathon won by Abebe Mekonen of Ethiopia in 2:09:06 1988 Event Somalia and Ethiopia sign accord about Ogaden desert 1987 Event Ethiopia adopts constitution 1985 Event Express train derails in Ethiopia, kills at least 428 1984 Event Ethiopia forms socialist republic 1977 Event Ethiopia drops diplomatic relations with Somalia 1975 Event Ethiopia nationalizes all ground/earth 1975 Event Ethiopia ends monarchy after 3000 years 1975 Event Army offensive against rebels in Eritrea Ethiopia 1974 Event Ethiopia becomes socialist one-party state 1974 Event Most complete early man skeleton found (Johanson and Gray in Ethiopia) 1974 Event 60 Ethiopia government officials executed 1974 Event Coup overthrows Emperor Haile Selassie in Ethiopia (National Day) 1974 Event 1st general striking in Ethiopia 1973 Birthday Haile Gebresleassie, born in Ethiopia, 10k runner, 1996 Olympics gold 1966 Event Emperor Haile Selassie (Ethiopia) visits Kingston Jamaica 1963 Event King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, becomes Emperor of Ethiopia 1961 Event Aklilou Habtewold becomes 1st premier of Ethiopia 1953 Birthday Mohammed Kedir, Ethiopia, 10k runner 1980 Olympics bronze 1952 Event U.N. turns over Eritrea to Ethiopia 1951 Birthday Zeudi Araya, Asmara Ethiopia, Miss Ethiopia, 1969 1950 Event U.N. gives Eritrea to Ethiopia 1947 Death Victor Emmanuel III, king of Italy (1900-46)/Ethiopia, dies at 78 1946 Birthday Patti Smith, born in Chicago, Illinois, rock vocalist, Radio Ethiopia 1944 Birthday Miruts Yifter, Ethiopia, 5K/10K runner, 1980 Olympics gold 1944 Event British troops capture Addis Ababa Ethiopia 1942 Death Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, viceroy (Ethiopia), dies at 43 1941 Event Mussolini's forces leave Abyssinia/Ethiopia 1941 Event Italian army under general Aosta surrenders to Britain in Ethiopia 1941 Event Italian army under Aosta surrenders to Britain at Amba Alagi Ethiopia 1941 Event British troops invade Abyssinia (Ethiopia) 1940 Event Pietro Badoglio resigns as viceroy of Ethiopia 1936 Event Italy takes Addis Abba, annexing Absynnia (Ethiopia) 1936 Event Emperor Haile Selassie leaves Ethiopia as Italian invades 1935 Event Italian bombers destroy Swedish Red Cross unit in Ethiopia 1935 Death Lidj Jasu, emperor of Ethiopia, dies at 39 1935 Event Italy invades Ethiopia 1935 Event Mussolini's Italian armys attacks Abyssinia (Ethiopia) 1932 Birthday Mamo Wolde, born in Ethiopia, marathoner, Gold Medal 1968 Olympics 1932 Event Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia ends slavery 1931 Birthday Dervla Murphy, travel author, Full Tilt, In Ethiopia with a Mule 1930 Event Ras Tafari becomes Emperor Haile Selassie of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) 1930 Death Zawditu, 1st reigning female monarch of Ethiopia, dies 1928 Event Mussolini signs peace treaty with Abyssinia, Ethiopia 1923 Event Abyssinia (Ethiopia) leaves League of Nations 1916 Event Emperor Lidj Jasu of Ethiopia flees 1916 Birthday Asfa Wossen, Crown prince of Ethiopia/son of emperor Haile Selassi 1914 Event U.S. signs treaty of commerce with Ethiopia 1913 Death Menelik II, King of Ethiopia (1896-1913), dies at 69 1906 Event Great Britain, France and Italy grant Independence to Ethiopia 1898 Birthday Amedeo duke of Aosta, viceroy of Ethiopia/Governor-General of Italian East-Africa 1897 Event Marquis C de Bonchamps' expedition reaches Gore Ethiopia 1897 Death Antoine T d'Abbadie, French explorer (Ethiopia), dies at 87 1896 Death Gerhard Rohlfs, German explorer (Abbsynia/Ethiopia), dies 1896 Event Battle of Aduwa, Abyssinia (Ethiopia) defeats invading Italians 1895 Birthday Lidj Jasu, emperor of Ethiopia 1895 Event Italian troops invade Abyssinia (Ethiopia) 1893 Death Antoine T d'abbadie, French explorer: Ethiopia, dies at 78 1892 Birthday Haile Selassie, Ras Tafari Makonnen, emperor of Ethiopia, 1930-74 1889 Death Yohannes IV, Kasa, Emperor of Ethiopia (1872-89), dies in battle 1882 Birthday Rodolfo Graziani, Italian marschal/viceroy of Ethiopia 1869 Birthday Victor Emmanuel III, king of Italy, 1900-46, Ethiopia 1844 Birthday Menelik II, King of Ethiopia, 1896-1913
