The 48 Laws Of Power

26 LAW 3

1927,

Selassiewasabletosummonthe

warlords,

oneata

time,

tocometo

AmldisAbabatodeclaretheir

loyalty

and

recognize

himasleader.

Some

hurried,

some

hesitated,

but

only

one,

Dejazmach

Balchaof

Sidamo,

dared

defy

Selassie

totally.

A

blustery

man,

Balchawasa

great

warrior,

andheconsideredthenewleaderweakand

unworthy.

He

point-

edlystayed

away

fromthe

capital.

Finally

Selassie,

inhis

gentle

butstern

way,

commandedBalchatocome.Thewarlorddecidedto

obey,

butin

doing

so hewould turnthetables onthis

pretender

tothe

Ethiopian

throne:HewouldcometoAddisAbaba

at

hisown

speed,

andwithan

army

of

10,000men,

a.force

largeenough

todefend

himself,

perhaps

even

startacivilwar.

Stationing

thisformidableforceina

valley

threemiles

fromthe

capital,

he

waited,

asa

king

would.Selassiewouldhavetocome

tohim.

Selassiedidindeedsend

emissaries,

asking

Balchatoattendanafter»

noon

banquet

inhishonor.But

Balcha,

no

fool,

knew

history—he

knew

that

previouskings

andlordsof

Ethiopia

hadused

banquets

as a

trap.

Oncehewasthereandfullof

drink,

Selassiewouldhavehimarrestedor

murdered.To

signal

his

understanding

ofthe

situation,

he

agreed

tocome

tothe

banquet,

but

only

ifhecould

bring

his

personalb0dyguaId—-500

of

hisbest

soldiers,

allarmedand

ready

todefendhimandthemselves.To

Balcha’s

surprise,

Selassie answeredwiththeutmost

politeness

thathe

wouldbehonoredto

play

hosttosuchwarriors.

Onthe

way

tothe

banquet,

Balchawarnedhis soldiersnotto

get

drunkandtobe

ontheir

guard.

When

they

arrivedat

the

palace,

Selassie

washis

charming

best.Hedeferredto

Balcha,

treatedhimasifhe

desper-

ately

neededhis

approval

and

cooperation.

ButBalcharefusedtobe

charmed,

andhewarnedSelassiethatifhedidnotreturntohis

camp

by

nightfall,

his

army

hadorderstoattackthe

capital.

Selassiereactedasif

hurt

by

hismistrust.Overthe

meal,

whenitcame

time

forthe

traditional

singing

of

songs

inhonorof

Ethiopia’s

leaders,

hemadea.

point

of

allowing

onlysongshonoring

thewarlordofSidarno.ItseemedtoBalchathatSe»

lassiewas

scared,

intimidated

by

this

great

warriorwhocouldnotbeout-

wittecl.

Sensing

the

change,

Balchabelievedthathewouldbetheoneto

calltheshotsinthe

days

tocome.

Attheendofthe

afternoon,

Balchaandhissoldiers

began

theirmarch

backto

camp

amidstcheersand

gun

salutes.

Looking

backtothe

capital

overhis

shoulder,

he

planned

his

strategy—-how

hisownsoldierswould

march

through

the

capital

in

triumph

within

weeks,

andSelassiewouldbe

put

inhis

place,

his

placebeing

either

prison

ordeath.WhenBalchacame

in

sight

ofhis

camp,

however,

hesawthat

something

was

terriblywrong.

Wherebeforetherehadbeencolorfultents

stretching

as

farasthe

eye

could

see,

nowtherewas

nothing,only

smokefromdousedfires.What

devil’s

magic

wasthis?

AwitnesstoldBalchawhathad

happened.During

the

banquet,

a

large

army,

commanded

by

an

ally

of

Selassie’s,

had

stolen

up

onBalcha’sen-

campmentby

asideroutehehadnotseen.This

army

hadnotcometo

light,

however:

Knowing

thatBalchawould

/have

hearda

noisy

battleand