On November 2, 1889 Menelik II was crowned Negusa-Nagast (King of Kings) of Abysinnia, Ethiopia. By 1899 Abysinnia had extended as far as Kenya in the south, Somaliland in the East, and the Sudan in the West. During his reign, Menelik devoted much of his time to the building of railroads, schools, hospitals and industries. Menilik II is probably most known for leading his country to victory over the Italian forces who sought to colonize his country in 1896.