<P> The unification of Italy brought with it a belief that Italy deserved its own overseas empire, alongside those of the other powers of Europe, and a rekindling of the notion of mare nostrum . However, Italy had arrived late to the colonial race, and its relative weakness in international affairs meant that it was dependent on the acquiescence of Britain, France and Germany towards its empire - building . </P> <P> Italy had long considered the Ottoman province of Tunisia, where a large community of Tunisian Italians lived, within its economic sphere of influence . It did not consider annexing it until 1879, when it became apparent that Britain and Germany were encouraging France to add it to its colonial holdings in North Africa . A last minute offer by Italy to share Tunisia between the two countries was refused, and France, confident in German support, ordered its troops in from French Algeria, imposing a protectorate over Tunisia in May 1881 under the Treaty of Bardo . The shock of the "Tunisian bombshell", as it was referred to in the Italian press, and the sense of Italy's isolation in Europe, led it into signing the Triple Alliance in 1882 with Germany and Austria - Hungary . </P> <P> Italy's search for colonies continued until February 1886, when, by secret agreement with Britain, it annexed the port of Massawa in Eritrea on the Red Sea from the crumbling Egyptian Empire . Italian annexation of Massawa denied the Ethiopian Empire of Yohannes IV an outlet to the sea and prevented any expansion of French Somaliland . At the same time, Italy occupied territory on the south side of the horn of Africa, forming what would become Italian Somaliland . However, Italy coveted Ethiopia itself and, in 1887, Italian Prime Minister Agostino Depretis ordered an invasion . This invasion was halted after the loss of five hundred Italian troops at the Battle of Dogali . Depretis's successor, Prime Minister Francesco Crispi signed the Treaty of Wuchale in 1889 with Menelik II, the new emperor . This treaty ceded Ethiopian territory around Massawa to Italy to form the colony of Eritrea, and--at least, according to the Italian version of the treaty--made Ethiopia an Italian protectorate . Relations between Italy and Menelik deteriorated over the next few years until the First Italo - Ethiopian War broke out in 1895, when Crispi ordered Italian troops into the country . Outnumbered and poorly equipped, the result was a humiliating defeat for Italy at the hands of Ethiopian forces at the Battle of Adwa in 1896 . </P> <P> On 7 September 1901, a concession in Tientsin was ceded to the Kingdom of Italy by Imperial China . It was administered by the Italian consul in Tientsin . Several ships of the Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina) were based at Tientsin . </P>

Where did italy invade in an effort to recreate the idea of the roman empire