Ethiopia adopts the tricolor flag (1897)

Ethiopia adopted its modern tricolor flag on 11 October 1897 under Emperor Menelik II. The design combined three pennants into a rectangular tricolor featuring red, yellow, and green stripes with Menelik's initial. The colors held symbolic importance since the 17th century, though specific meanings for each color are not detailed in the supplied passages.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The colors green, yellow, and red held symbolic importance in Ethiopia since at least the early 17th century. The modern tricolor was first adopted on 11 October 1897 by Menelik II. This adoption occurred one year after Ethiopia decisively defeated the Kingdom of Italy at the Battle of Adwa, securing independence and European recognition.

Adoption. On 11 October 1897, Emperor Menelik II ordered the three pennants to be combined into a rectangular tricolour. The arrangement was red, yellow, and green from top to bottom, with the Amharic letter 'ም' on the central stripe. This event is commemorated annually on Flag Day, celebrated on the first Monday of Tikimt.

Symbolism. The supplied passages state that the colors green, yellow, and red held symbolic importance since the early 17th century. However, the specific meanings attributed to each color in the legacy row (land, gold, strength/blood) are not supported by the provided text. The current flag consists of these three colors with a national emblem.

People involved

Sources

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.