Tewodros

Born in 1818, Kassa Hailu spent his youth avoiding death and misfortune in the war-torn land of Ethiopia, a place plagued by internecine conflicts between various princes and warlords vying for the imperial title. After a brief stint in a local army, Kassa turned to banditry, becoming a shifta (brigand). Building an increasingly large following of people who saw him as a liberator and restorer of wealth to the common people whom the squabbling warlords had bled dry, Kassa eventually was elevated to the noble class in 1845. Refusing to submit to imperial authority, he continued on his prior path as an autonomous magnate, but now with the power of a title and land behind him. Realizing the threat that he posed, the other warlords joined forces to oppose Kassa, but his success on the battlefield continued. Kassa went on to crush various warlords and imperial armies, even invading Ottoman Egypt on one occasion. His campaigns culminated in triumph in 1855, when he was invested with the imperial title and took the name Tewodros II. Desperate to modernize his fledgling nation, and perhaps hubristic after a long string of military triumphs, Tewodros resorted to the shocking decision to kidnap European officials and missionaries and barter them for help from European powers in industrializing Ethiopia. This scheme backfired violently, as the British responded with a full-scale invasion, annihilated Tewodros’ armies with ease, and rescued the hostages, leading Tewodros to commit suicide in 1868. In Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, Tewodros is the daring and impetuous leader that he was in reality. Having known what it means to nearly lose everything and then work his way to the pinnacle of power, he is not afraid to act decisively and take risks to secure victory. Whether it be through swift aggression or savvy battlefield maneuvers, Tewodros will triumph at any cost.

From the game's History encyclopedia, AoE3: DE 100.19.18309.