 Alfred Ilg was sent to Ethiopia on behalf of a Swiss company in 1879 and served at the court of Emperor Menelik II (who became emperor in 1889), where he quickly learned the Amharic language.He contributed to the construction of the new capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa.The victory of Ethiopia over the invading Italians at the Battle of Adowa in 1896 can be tracked to his inventions, as his efforts allowed the local production of weapons and ammunition, freeing Ethiopia from the need of imports.