The death of Menelek, the Emperor of Abyssinia, has been
announced officially. Since he had a paralytic stroke in 1908 there have been frequent reports of his death. He was born about 1842, and won the throne by conquest after the death of King Johannes, the son of the mad Theodore. Menelek thus became "King of Kings," as the Negus is called, and the "Lion of the House of Judah." King of Kings the Emperor of Abyssinia actually is, as be rules over a number of tributary kingdoms. The position of this Christian Emperor in a remote mountainous country resembling Switzerland, and holding sway over Christian Kings, suggests the legendary figure of Prester John, though we must admit that there is no humility in the sounding title of the "King of Kings" or the "Lion of Judah," or in Menelek's reputed descent from Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Menelek was aware that his country was rich in minerals, but be desired to be allowed to live without foreign commercial invasions, and he expressly exhorted his people to remain agriculturists. At the same time, he could not resist some European forms and inventions, and he created a Cabinet (the Ministers of which had no responsibilities), and granted railway and banking conces- sions. The chief episode of his reign was when he over- whelmed the Italian force under General Baratieri. The dispute which led to the Italian expedition concerned the right of Italy to control the foreign relations of Abyssinia.
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