Italy in Africa: A General History from 1861 to World War I

The Kingdom of Italy, unified in 1861, moved quickly to establish international colonies like other European nations, such as Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands. Italian involvement in Africa dated back centuries, because of the proximity to the African continent via the Mediterranean Sea. Tunisia, long considered to be part of the Italian sphere of influence, was the first target of imperialism in Africa. However, in 1881, the French invaded Tunisia, claiming it as a vassal for France and temporarily thwarting Italian incursion.

In 1886, Italian forces seized territory in Eritrea and Somalia, establishing the colony of Italian Somaliland. From here, an invasion of Ethiopia was launched, which was beaten back. However, as part of a treaty with the Ethiopian emperor, Eritrea was claimed as an Italian colony. By 1895, the terms of the treaty had been broken, sparking the First Italo-Ethiopian War. This resulted in a humiliating loss for Italy. Notably, two of Italy's rivals, France and Russia, had supplied the Ethiopians with military aid.

Partially in response to its loss to Ethiopia, and in response to the nationalism of rival European nations, a wave of Italian nationalism erupted in the early 20th century. Popular support for revenge against Ethiopia and the desire for lebensraum, as well as a continued appetite for an empire, led Italy to declare war on the Ottomans and initiate the Italo-Turkish war in 1911. Within a year, Italy emerged a victor, and took several territories from the Ottoman Empire, including Libya. Thus, by the start of World War I, Italy had major international holdings in Libya, Somalia, and Eritrea.

The video below is relatively short and contains information about the Battle of Adwa, which was the climax of the First Italo-Ethiopian War. The battle marked the first time that an African nation had successfully resisted European imperialism using military force.

- Nick