A decisive defeat of the Italians by the Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II. Italy had established a protectorate in Ethiopia in 1889. In 1895 there was a rebellion and at Adowa an Italian force of 10,000 was routed, losing 4500 dead and 300 prisoners. In the resulting Treaty of Addis Ababa the Italians recognized the independence of Ethiopia and restricted themselves to the colony of Eritrea. The battle ensured Ethiopian survival as an independent kingdom in Africa.