A History of the Abyssinian Expedition.

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La décision finale d’envoyer l’armée de Sa Majesté en Abyssinie est prise en juillet 1867. Le général Sir Robert Napier est choisi pour la commander et Clements Markham est nommé géographe de l’expédition[1]. La reconnaissance de la côte et l’intérieur des terres pour choisir le lieu de débarquement et les cols à franchir est assignée au colonel Merewether. Son détachement quitte Bombay le 16 septembre 1867 et assure le débarquement de tout l’effectif des forces armées britanniques au mois de janvier 1868.

Le témoignage de Clements Markham est précieux. Il fait l’objet du titre A History of the Abyssinian Expedition que le géographe compose incontinent après son retour en Angleterre. Voici ce qu’en dit son biographe :

“ On his return to England, his greetings with his family and relations over, he at once resumed his duties at the India Office, devoting the evenings and much of his spare time to the compilation of his  » History of the Abyssinian War. » This was published in 1869, a few months only after his arrival in England. It is a very complete account of the campaign; not only relating every important incident that occurred, but giving a fascinating description of the country, with its history from remote times to the present day. Though denouncing the tyranny and cruel despotism of King Theodore, he could not help but admire many of the sterling qualities possessed by that monarch, especially his heroism and the broad views he maintained regarding the development of his country and the increased prosperity of his subjects. But, in spite of the good in his nature, he certainly possessed many vicious qualities which the more noble side of his character failed to redeem”.[2]

Clements Markham n’a pas d’entrée dans l’EAe[3], uniquement un renvoi vers l’article consacré à l’expédition Napier qui d’ailleurs ne mentionne que dans les sources. Biblethiophile, 29.08.2024

[1] MARKHAM (Albert H., Admial Sir), The Life of Sir Clments R. Makham, John Murray, London, 1917, p. 210.

[2] Ibidem, p. 223.

[3] UHLIG (Siegbert), BAUSI (Alessandro) et al., Encyclopaedia Aethiopica, tome 1, p.