Battle of Gallabat

The Battle of Gallabat (also called the Battle of Metemma) was an armed conflict fought on 9–10 March 1889 between the Mahdist Sudanese and Ethiopian forces. It is a critical event in Ethiopian history because Nəgusä Nägäst (or Emperor) Yohannes IV was killed in this battle, and because it was the last major battle on the Ethiopian front of the Mahdist War. The fighting occurred at the site of the twin settlements of Gallabat (in modern Sudan) and Metemma (in modern Ethiopia), so both names are commonly used and either can be argued to be correct.

This article is about the 1889 Battle of Gallabat. For the 1940 Battle of Gallabat-Metemma, see East African campaign (World War II) § Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.

Battle of Gallabat
Part of the Mahdist War

Gallabat in the Early 20th Century
Date9–10 March 1889
Location
Gallabat, Sudan
Result Mahdist Pyrrhic victory
Belligerents
Mahdist State  Ethiopian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Zeki Tummal Yohannes IV of Ethiopia †
Ras Mengesha Yohannes
Ras Mikael of Wollo
Ras Alula
Strength
85,000 men 130,000 foot soldiers, 20,000 cavalry
Casualties and losses
~30,000 killed ~30,000 killed
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.