UK Regimental Museum Transfers Ethiopian Emperor Tewodros II Relics to Ethiopian Government

Personal relics belonging to Ethiopian Emperor Tewodros II were handed back to Ethiopian authorities by the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum in Lancaster. The relics, consisting of a lock of Emperor Tewodros II's hair and a piece of his clothing bearing bloodstains, were transferred during a formal ceremony at the museum's headquarters.

The items were seized by British soldiers more than 150 years ago.

They were taken as battlefield trophies following the 1868 siege at the mountain stronghold of Magdala, where Tewodros II died during a confrontation with British imperial forces. Tewodros II shot himself with a pistol reportedly gifted to him by Queen Victoria after he had detained European hostages amid a diplomatic dispute.

The emperor had sought an alliance with Britain against Islamic forces in the region.

General Sir Robert Napier led British troops in the siege of Magdala in 1868. In the aftermath of the 1868 battle, soldiers stripped the hilltop stronghold of its royal and religious treasures. A British Museum official accompanied the military force to secure the most valuable pieces for national collections while troops from the King's Own Royal Regiment claimed the emperor's hair and bloodied garment as personal souvenirs.

The current Lord Napier presided over the handover ceremony. "My great-great-grandfather would be glad they are going back," Lord Napier said, referring to Gen Sir Robert Napier who led the original expedition. Lord Napier presented Ethiopian representatives with a gold bracelet from the campaign that had remained in his family as an heirloom.

He noted that the 170 years the items spent in British custody had served to preserve them. Lord Napier called the Abyssinian campaign "a most extraordinary bit of British history, of Victorian history". Abebaw Ayalew Gella, who leads the Ethiopian Heritage Authority, expressed hope that "this generous example will inspire other museums to follow suit in the near future".

Alula Pankhurst, grandson of suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst and an Ethiopian heritage specialist, formally received the items on behalf of the Ethiopian government. The return represents the first successful outcome of Ethiopia's targeted campaign against British military museums.

British military museums enjoy greater freedom to relinquish holdings than national institutions bound by legislation preventing deaccessioning.

Retired Colonel Robin Jackson, who heads the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum, initiated cooperation with Ethiopian counterparts after academic Eyob Derillo's research highlighted the significance of the collection's contents. GB News reported that Ethiopia's broader repatriation effort aims to recover 10 sacred tabots currently held by the British Museum.

Ethiopia seeks to recover treasures in the Victoria and Albert Museum and items within the royal collection.

The Royal Engineers Museum holds looted weaponry and chains used to restrain one of the emperor's hostages. The Royal Artillery Museum possesses a sword from Magdala.