In the early 1800s, regional rulers in Ethiopia sought to acquire firearms and strengthen their power by engaging in independent foreign contacts and treaties. European travelers, explorers, and missionaries visited Ethiopia for various reasons, including adventure, religious missions, scientific research, and expanding trade. However, many were also laying the groundwork for European colonial ambitions. Notable figures included Henry Salt, who aimed to establish British influence; Samuel Gobat, Christian Kugler, and others from the 1830s; and Cardinal Massaja and Eduard Ruppell in 1846. Treaties were signed between European and Ethiopian leaders, such as those between Captain W.C. Harris and Nigus Sahle Selassie in 1841, and between Rochet d’Héricourt and Sahle Selassie in 1843, along with an 1849 treaty between Walter Plowden and Ras Ali II.