# Emperor Tewodros II and the British Expedition of 1868

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/emperor-tewodros-ii-and-the-british-expedition-of-1868
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/emperor-tewodros-ii-and-the-british-expedition-of-1868.md
Podcast: [Ethiopia's Ancient Empire: Africa's Hidden Superpower — Fexingo History](https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654)
Published: 2026-07-13T13:11:28+00:00
Episode link: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/episode-0157.mp3
Audio file: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/episode-0157.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/episodes/emperor-tewodros-ii-and-the-british-expedition-of-1868
Duration seconds: 441

## Resource

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the reign of Emperor Tewodros II (1855–1868), the visionary ruler who sought to reunify Ethiopia and modernize its military, only to clash with the British Empire in a dramatic siege at Magdala. They discuss Tewodros's humble origins as Kassa Hailu, his rise to power, his diplomatic correspondence with Queen Victoria, and the ill-fated imprisonment of British consul Charles Duncan Cameron and other Europeans. The conversation covers the British Expedition under General Robert Napier, the battle at Arogi, and the final tragic stand at Magdala. Along the way, they touch on Tewodros's relationship with the Church, his brutal methods, and his legacy as a tragic figure who tried to drag Ethiopia into the modern world. The episode also briefly examines the looting of Ethiopian treasures and the controversy around their return. #TewodrosII #Magdala #BritishExpedition #EthiopianEmpire #NapierExpedition #BattleOfArogi #CharlesDuncanCameron #QueenVictoria #Looting #Repatriation #19thCentury #EastAfrica #Ethiopia #FexingoHistory #ColonialClash #Siege #Emperor #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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