Addis Ababa – A new illustrated history project, The Book of Ethiopia, is bringing Empress Taitu Betul to a younger, digitally savvy audience, reintroducing the influential royal as a central figure in Ethiopia’s modern story. A recent YouTube Short released by the publisher presents Itegue Taitu as the twenty-second character in the series, underscoring a broader push to reclaim Ethiopian historical icons through social media and contemporary book design.
Itegue Taitu, consort of Emperor Menelik II, is widely remembered for her strategic role before and during the Battle of Adwa in 1896, where Ethiopian forces defeated an invading Italian army. Historians credit her with advocating firm resistance to Italian encroachment and helping mobilize troops and logistics in what is regarded as one of Africa’s defining anti‑colonial victories.
Beyond her wartime leadership, Taitu is closely associated with the founding and early development of Addis Ababa, where she championed the construction of churches, infrastructure and diplomatic facilities that helped shape the capital’s emerging identity. Her assertive presence at court and unwavering defense of Ethiopian sovereignty have cemented her reputation as a symbol of resistance, leadership and patriotism for successive generations.
The Book of Ethiopia is described by its creators as a character‑driven volume profiling notable Ethiopian figures, each introduced through a blend of visual artwork and concise biographical text. Marketed as “available in all good Ethiopian bookshops,” the title is positioned as an accessible reference for families, schools and general readers seeking engaging local history material.
By assigning numbered “characters” and unveiling them one by one, the project builds a narrative universe around Ethiopia’s past, encouraging readers to see historical episodes as part of a coherent storyline rather than isolated dates and events. The inclusion of women such as Itegue Taitu among its main protagonists is also presented as an effort to rebalance public memory, which has long foregrounded male emperors, generals and clerics.
The promotional Short introducing Taitu relies on a brief caption and striking imagery, mirroring how platforms like YouTube now favor 60‑second storytelling to trigger curiosity and discovery. For publishers, Shorts and other mobile‑first formats have become key tools to drive audiences from social feeds to bookshops, classrooms and longer‑form content.
In this instance, the Short serves as a digital teaser for the printed work, illustrating how Ethiopian creators can pair traditional publishing with social media campaigns to reach younger urban readers and diaspora communities simultaneously. Project backers argue that such cross‑media strategies can also counter the dominance of foreign narratives online by inserting Ethiopian histories, languages and icons into global content streams.
Educators and cultural commentators say initiatives like The Book of Ethiopia respond to a persistent shortage of locally produced, visually engaging history resources for children and youth. By curating a cast of Ethiopian heroes and heroines, the book offers role models whose lives are rooted in familiar landscapes, social realities and historical struggles.
Featuring Itegue Taitu as a core character reinforces the message that women occupy a central place in Ethiopia’s political and military evolution rather than the margins of its story. As more creators adopt short‑form video to highlight such projects, advocates contend that Ethiopia’s past stands a better chance of being narrated by Ethiopians themselves—on screens, in bookshops and in the wider public imagination.
