Ethiopia and Italy signed the Treaty of Wuchale, but Article 17 differed between its Amharic and Italian versions. The Amharic text permitted Emperor Menelik II to use Italian diplomatic services, whereas the Italian text effectively required him to do so, implying a protectorate. The dispute contributed to war and Italy's defeat at Adwa.

Adwa entered Ethiopian praise poetry and oral tradition as a victory of independence over European empire. The treaty's divergent wording also became a powerful example for African writers examining translation as an instrument of colonial domination.