British Expedition to Abyssinia British Expedition to Abyssinia The British Expedition to Abyssinia was a rescue mission and punitive expedition carried out in 1868 by the armed forces of the British Empire against the Ethiopian Empire. Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia, then often referred to by the anglicized name Theodore, imprisoned several missionaries and two representatives of the British government in an attempt to get the attention of the British government, which had decided against his requests for military assistance. The punitive expedition launched by the British in response required the transportation of a sizable military force hundreds of miles across mountainous terrain lacking
Migration to Abyssinia sources) under Ashama ibn-Abjar, the ruler of the Kingdom of Aksum. This group included Uthman ibn Affan, who later became the third caliph. Mohammed chose Uthman bin Maz'oon, one of his most important companions, as the leader of this group. After a year the exiles heard rumors that the Quraysh had accepted Islam, which prompted them to return to Mecca. Confronted with the reality, they set out to Abyssinia again in ( according to other sources), this time accompanied by others, 83 men and 18 women in all. S. M. Darsh argues that the decision to return was motivated by