Historically, their relations traced over centuries covered a range of areas including, but not limited to, trade, culture, education and development cooperation.

Tewodros requested the British council in Ethiopia, Capitan Charles Dunan Cameron to supply firearms and bear technically skilled armies.

[3] The British had several reasons in stoppage of the letter in relations with its policy of Northeast Africa and cooperation with Ottoman Empire Egypt and Sudan solely dependent on Egypt–Sudanese cotton industry.

Among the imprisoned people, Henry A. Stern, who previously wrote a book in Europe ascribing Tewodros as "barbaric, cruel unstable usurper".

[citation needed] He was buried by British troops at Magdala Medhane Alem (Savior of the World) Orthodox Church under the name of Theodore II.

[citation needed] Since Emperor Yohannes IV assumption and took control of Tigray Province as well as Christian highlands of Eritrea, the British Napier were there.

As he conquered most place the Tekeze including Tselemt, Wolqayt and Tsegede and parts of Semien, Yohannes permitted the British to cross his realm and privilege of local market on the condition that they left the country immediately after the mission.

[6] After him, Lord Edward Gleichen wrote: Menelik's manners are pleasant and dignified; he is courteous and kindly, and at the same time simple in manner, giving one the impression of a man who wishes to get at the root of a matter at once, without wasting time in compliments and beating about the bush, so often the characteristics of Oriental potentates...He also aims at being a popular sovereign, accessible to his people at all hours, and ready to listen to their complaints.

By 1908, European-styled British legation was designed by architect Thrift Reavell in the Office of Works, hillside area was selected for residential building.

In 1891, they sent a circular note to the other world powers concerning the large portion of Nile Valley belonged to Ethiopia, "the activities and the pretension of the Negus were practically enough in themselves to bring the British to he support of Italian policy in East Africa."

To counter the French, who were serious rival in the Nile Valley and the Ethiopian expansion, the British government supported the Italian colonial ambition in Ethiopia.

[9] On 14 December 1925, Italy signed secret pact with British to grant Italian authority and dominance to the Horn region, in particular to build railway connecting Somalia with Eritrea.

The plan was soon leaked and caused provocation of French and Ethiopian government, the latter denounced Britain action as betrayal of a country for intent purpose of League of Nations membership.

Similarly, the British commissioner Lieutenant-Colonel Esmond Clifford also asked Italians to encamp nearby the region, by which blatantly declined the request.

During the interwar period, Britain and France pledged Italy to ally against Germany, which failed to discourage military buildup on the borders of Italian Eritrea and Somaliland.

On 5 May 1941, Haile Selassie entered Addis Ababa to reclaim his throne after 5 years he left, and the Italian totally capitulated at Battle of Gondar in November 1941.

It stipulated Ethiopia's sovereignty status but only Ogaden and certain areas of French Somaliland, Addis Ababa–Djibouti railroad, Haud became under temporarily British administration.

[11] In post-occupation, the British played a role of modernizing Ethiopia with infrastructure, social services and healthcare provision as well as monumental and palatial compound was constructed.