Werner Munzinger

Werner Munzinger (Olten, Switzerland, 1832 - Awsa, current Djibouti, 7 November 1875) was a Swiss administrator and explorer of Africa. He was born in Olten, and studied science and history at the University of Bern, then later took courses in Oriental studies at Munich University and the Sorbonne.

In 1852 Munzinger arrived at Cairo, then from 1865 managed the British consulate along the border of Ethiopia, but remained in Massawa after the 1868 British invasion of Ethiopia, where he became the French consul. However, a few years later, he entered the service of the Egyptian government of Khedive Ismail and served as governor of the Keren region (modern-day Eritrea) and Massawa.

In 1875, Munzinger led one of the three prongs of the Egyptian attack against Ethiopia, marching inland from Tadjoura, but his troops were overwhelmed by the army of Mahammad ibn Hanfadhe, Sultan of Aussa, and he was killed in battle. [Edward Ullendorff, "The Ethiopians: An Introduction to Country and People", second edition (London: Oxford University Press, 1965), p. 90. ISBN 0-19-285061-X.]

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