Relics of Ethiopian Emperor Stolen by Britons Return Home

 Relics of Abyssinian Emperor Tewodros II, stolen by Great Britain from Ethiopia in 1868 during the Battle of Magdala, have returned home, the Ethiopian Embassy in London reports.

A ceremony was held at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa to mark the arrival of the artifacts, which included locks of the emperor's hair and a fragment of his blood-stained garment, associated with his final moments in Magdala.

The handover ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ethiopian Heritage Authority, Ethiopian clergy, British academics, diplomats from the Ethiopian Embassy in London, museum representatives, and descendants of veterans.

Head of the Heritage Authority Abebaw Ayalew noted that the return reflects growing trust and cooperation between institutions in Britain and Ethiopia, and that the repatriation symbolizes a shared commitment to cultural reconciliation.

In November 2024, the emperor's shield, also stolen by the British, was returned to Ethiopia.

The Battle of Magdala was the final engagement of the British Expedition to Abyssinia. It took place in April 1868 between British troops under the command of Robert Napier and Abyssinian forces led by Emperor Tewodros II.

After the defeat, Emperor Tewodros II took his own life, and his son — Prince Alemayehu — was taken to Britain, where he died in 1879 at the age of 18. During the battle, British forces seized numerous Ethiopian artifacts, including ceremonial objects and religious symbols.