Victory at Adwa Day is an Ethiopian public holiday that commemorates the victory of the Ethiopian Empire over the Kingdom of Italy in 1896.
On May 2, 1889 King Menelik II of Shewa, who later became the Emperor of Ethiopia, and Count Pietro Antonelli of Italy signed the Treat of Wuchale.
Ethiopia ceded portion of its territory to Italy, while Italy promised military supplies and financial assistance.
The Italians notified the European powers that the treaty granted them a protectorate over Ethiopia.
The Ethiopians protested, but their protests were ignored.
As a result, the First Italo-Ethiopian war broke out in 1895.
The Battle of Adwa was the decisive battle of the war that secured sovereignty of Ethiopia.
On March 1, 1896, Italian troops advanced towards the town of Adwa in the Tigray region.
Ethiopian troops defeated the Italian armed forces on March 2.
Italy recognized Ethiopia as an independent state by signing the Treaty of Addis Ababa.
