He wanted to colonize Italy through fraud

Ethiopia, one of Africa's poorest countries today, was unique during the colonial era for not being colonized, except for Liberia. Its geographical position and military successes played a role in this. In the 1880s, Italy attempted to establish a foothold in East Africa, facing Ethiopia's organized forces. After initial defeats, Italy shifted to a divide-and-rule strategy, supporting Menelik II in succession disputes. Menelik signed the Wuchale Treaty in 1889, but Italy's deceitful terms led to tensions. In 1893, Menelik annulled the treaty, and Italy's subsequent invasion in 1896 ended in disaster at the Battle of Adwa, where Ethiopian forces defeated the Italians. Italy eventually recognized Ethiopia's sovereignty, leading to a peace treaty that maintained Ethiopia's independence until the Italian invasion in 1936, followed by British liberation five years later.