Promoter of the progressive image of Ethiopia Mersha Nahusenay

reception of british mission led rennell rodd @ gildessa in 1897, after count edward gleichen 1898

most visitors came country through gulf of aden , red sea , many camped @ jaldessa @ least day before traveling further addis abeba, harar or other parts of new empire. thus, mersha tasked providing logistical , other forms of assistance guests. uniquely positioned meet , interact large number of europeans , other foreign nationals. in article published in le figaro (april 1901), french journalist , author hughes le roux noted following after long discussion mersha.

“je ne sais si ce sage lu candide, mais depuis les années déjà longues que le roi des rois lui confié la clef de la première poterne de l empire, il vu défiler beaucoup d hommes de toutes couleurs, de tous pays, de toutes langues.”

english translation: “i not know if wise man read candide, since many years king of kings has given him key first gate of empire, had seen people of colors, countries, , languages.”

the following partial list of notables have either interacted or hosted mersha @ gildessa or dire dawa:

prince henri of orleans (1867-1901): french prince;
harald george carlos swayne (1860–1940): british army officer , author;
vicomte edmond de poncins (1866– 1937): explorer, naturalist , author;
lord albert edward wilfred gleichen (1863–1937): british diplomat , author;
pyotr mikhailovich vlasov (1850-1904): head of russian imperial mission ethiopia
jean-baptiste marchand (1863–1934): french army officer , explorer;
robert peet skinner (1866–1960): american diplomat;
lucien heudebert (1860–1949): french writer;
jean-françois-albert du pouget, marquis de nadaillac (1818–1904): french anthropologist;
hughues le roux (aka robert charles henri le roux) (1860–1925): french journalist, author , senator;
pierre marie robert, vicomte du bourg de bozas (1871–1902): french explorer;
peter nikolaevich krasnov (1869–1947): russian diplomat , military officer;
victor félix edmond marie goedorp (1874–1963): french publicist , author;
benito sylvain (1868–1915): haitian lawyer, anti-slavery activist , pan africanist;
friedrich or felix rosen (1856–1935): german diplomat, orientalist, author , politician;
kyrillos makarios or cyrille macaire (1867–1921): egyptian coptic leader, patriarch of alexandria;
cesare nerazzini (1849-1912): italian diplomat, doctor , military officer
william fitzhugh whitehouse (1842–1909): american explorer , adventurer;
françois marie casimir mondon-vidailhet (1847–1910): french journalist, philologist , author;
rennell rodd (1858–1941): british diplomat, politician , poet;
alexander bulatovich(1870-1919): russian military officer, diplomat , author.

despite robust diplomatic efforts menilek , domestic foreign advisors, there great deal of skepticism among many europeans ethiopia ready embrace modernization. in article titled menelik myth, published in 1899, example, vicomte edmond de poncins, wealthy french naturalist , explorer, concluded:

“the history of ethiopia, then, may summed thus: country in communications difficult, peopled multiplicity of races; internal life presents ever same cycle of wars, victories, defeats, external life same blank. real civilization impossible in black chaos, , products of civilization, such agriculture, invention, commerce, not exist.”

in contrast, there offered unwavering support expansion of trade , investment in ethiopia. menilek’s closest european advisors such swiss engineer alfred ilg , french trader leon chefneux (“chief commerce advisor”) incontestably @ top of list. mersha worked closely both of them. there others well. casimir mondon-vidailhet, french journalist , contributor le temps, important figure played major role in advancing ethio-french relations. due passion horticulture, mondon-vidailhet may have played role in popularizing eucalyptus tree (የባሕር ዛፍ). studied local languages (e.g. amharic, guraghe, harari, etc.) , wrote books them. more relevantly, mondon-vidailhet helped advance progressive image of menilek , ethiopia in europe , united states. did through speeches , writings. in interview gave new york times, in 1898, mondon defended ethiopia s records , potential:

“the country lends civilization, , organization, still encumbered feudal relations, tends more , more become modelled on lines of european constitutional monarchies. menelek, powerful , respected, enlightened reformer , administrator, abolished slavery in dominions, , dislikes fanatics whatever sect belong, has revealed himself great sovereign, worthy of admiration conduct, dignity of character.”

mersha strong proponent of opening of ethiopia world. encouraged modern education such 1 offered missionary schools. supported trade ties europe, particularly france, ethiopia s major strategic ally @ time. french government awarded mersha el-anouar nishan in april 1905.

the legion d honneur order given mersha in april 1905