1889 battle between the Ethiopian Empire and Mahdist Sudan
This article is about the 1889 Battle of Gallabat. For the 1940 Battle of Gallabat-Metemma, see East African campaign (World War II) § Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.
Battle of Gallabat
Part of the Mahdist War
Gallabat in the Early 20th Century
Date
9–10 March 1889
Location
Gallabat, Sudan
Result
Mahdist victory[1]
Belligerents
Mahdist State
Ethiopian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Zeki Tummal
Yohannes IV of Ethiopia † Ras Mengesha Yohannes Ras Mikael of Wollo Ras Alula
Strength
85,000 men
130,000 foot soldiers, 20,000 cavalry
Casualties and losses
~15,000 killed[2]
~15,000 killed[3]
v
t
e
Mahdist War
Mahdist uprising (1881–1885)
Aba
Shaykan
El Teb
Tamai
Khartoum
Abu Klea
Abu Kru
Kirbekan
Tofrek
Ginnis
British-Egyptian expeditions (1885–1889)
Emin Pasha Expedition
Dufile
Suakin
Toski
Ethiopian campaigns (1885–1889)
Kufit
Guté Dili
Gallabat
Italian campaigns (1890–1894)
1st Agordat
Serobeti
2nd Agordat
Kassala
British-Egyptian reconquest (1896–1899)
Ferkeh
Rejaf
Abu Hamed
Atbara
Omdurman
Umm Diwaykarat
The Battle of Gallabat (also called the Battle of Metemma) was an armed conflict fought on 9–10 March 1889 between the Mahdist Sudanese and Ethiopian forces. It is a critical event in Ethiopian history because Nəgusä Nägäst (or Emperor) Yohannes IV was killed in this battle, and because it was the last major battle on the Ethiopian front of the Mahdist War. The fighting occurred at the site of the twin settlements of Gallabat (in modern Sudan) and Metemma (in modern Ethiopia).
^Churchill, Winston, The River War (London, Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1952) p. 83 "For the Mahdists the consequences were severe, as many of their best soldiers had perished in the battle, seriously weakening their military strength. The Khalifa prudently decided to stop offensive actions against Ethiopia and the conflict dwindled to small-scale cross-border raiding."
^Winston Churchill (The River War, p. 137) "No reliable sources are available, but it may be reasonable to assume that both sides sustained a loss of less than 15,000 fighting men each."
^Winston Churchill (The River War, p. 137) "No reliable sources are available, but it may be reasonable to assume that both sides sustained a loss of less than 15,000 fighting men each."
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Global Information
Mahdist State
Ethiopian Empire