The situation changed in the 1890s in the reign of the Abyssinian King Menelik II. Abyssinia might have been the only area of Africa which successfully withstood European military invasion - Menelik roundly defeated the Italians at Adwa in 1896 – but at the same time that this anti-European war was taking place, Menelik was launching his own ruthless imperialist attack on the southern kingdoms.

Various Europeans witnessed the slaughter. One of the most interesting was a Russian, Alexander Bulatovich, who travelled with the Abyssinian army. He was appalled by what he saw. A devout Christian (he ended his life as a monk) Bulatovitch sometimes tried to retrain the Abyssinians, but to little effect. His book, Ethiopia Through Russian Eyes (1896-1898) has been translated by Richard Seltzer and can be read on line (see links). Here is his description of entering the Kingdom of Kaffa:

From the Gojeb Valley, which was overgrown with high grass and sparse small trees, we climbed the mountains that surrounded it and entered a very dense forest, the trees of which are striking for their enormous size. At the summit of the mountain range, we saw bamboo groves; and in the foothills in the valley of rivers and streams, there were groups of beautiful date palms. The forest abounds in flowers which fill the air with fragrance. The sky was cloudless. The sun was almost at its zenith, but in the forest there was a cool breeze. The eye rested in the green of the surrounding thick foliage. In nature some kind of joy of living was felt -- a surplus of strength hidden within it. The charming beauty of the place carried one off to some place far away, to a magical world. It seemed as if you heard and saw a marvelous tale while awake... It was as if in front of you stood the enchanted forest from Sleeping Beauty. All that was missing were the princess, her palace, and her subjects. But instead of the poetic circumstances of a fine story, before us appeared the dreadful signs of death and destruction. Amid the green grass, the white of human bones shone here and there. Settlements were nowhere to be seen -- only thick weeds, growing on plots of recently cultivated earth, bear testimony of the people who once lived here. An evil fairy of war destroyed them, and scattered their bones across the fields. The closer we came to the capital of Kaffa, the more noticeable became the signs of recent battles. Near the town itself, clearings were completely strewn with human bones...

After the campaign in Kaffa was completed the king of Kaffa, Gaki Sherocho, was sent to Addis to live in silver chains and his palace was burned to the ground – it took days for the huge timbers to be reduced to ash. Then the Abyssinian army turned their attention to their next campaign.

This pattern of invasion and harsh conquest was repeated all across the south-west.