![]() Upon their return from the Maqdala expedition, the British expressed their gratitude by giving him weapons for a present: "a battery of mountain guns and mortars and sufficient smooth-bore muskets for one regiment".įollowing the death of Tewodros, his brother-in-law Gobeze Gebre Medhin had himself crowned as nəgusä nägäst Tekle Giyorgis II. Kaśa allowed them free passage as well as the privilege to purchase provisions from the local markets on condition that they left the country immediately after the mission. Thus, the British needed his permission to cross his territory and reach Maqdala. He had even begun to conquer the regions west of the Tekezé including Tselemt, Wolqayt, Tsegede and parts of Semien. In Hamasien, däjazmač Haylu Tewolde Medhen, who contemplated resistance, was confined and replaced with däjazmač (later ras) Woldemichael Solomon who had actively participated in Kaśa's military campaign against the imperial officials in Tigray.īy the time the British Napier expedition against Tewodros arrived in the region, Kaśa had attained full control of most of the then province of Tigray as well as of the Christian highlands of Eritrea. He defeated the governors of Selewa and Kilte Awulaelo. Kaśa then formed an alliance with wag šum Gobez Gebre Medhin of Lasta against Tewodros and began to harass the imperial representatives on both side of the Mareb. Tekle Giyorgis (who had killed Kaśa's mother, Silass) fell in battle, and Kaśa subsequently assumed his title of däjazmač. Barya'u transferred his allegiance to Kaśa whom he served faithfully until he was killed in a battle some ten years later. Reurning to the highlands, he raised more men and began his military campaign: in the years 1864-67, he consecutively defeated šum serye Gebre Mikael, däjazmač Barya'u Gebre Sadeq of Adwa and däjazmač Tekle Giyorgis Qalos of Shire. In any case, for some time his (together with his followers) retired to the eastern lowlands and found refuge among the Afar, from which ethnic group he married a Muslim after she had been baptized with the name Tebaba Sellasie. ![]() Often two explanations, which are not essentially contradictory, are forwarded by the sources: the first is related to his dissatisfaction with the rank and function given to him by the sovereign, while the second interprets his rebellion as a response to the appeal of abunä Salama who in 1867 wrote from prison to many notables condemning the injustices of Tewodros. What prompted his rebellion is not well established. Shortly after their return to Tigray, Kaśa rebelled against the rule of Tewodros. The lowest title, of balambaras, was bestowed upon Kaśa, who was subsequently assigned to administer a sub-district within the governorship of his elder brother, Gugsa. Gugsa was given the title of däjazmač, and Maru that of fit’awrari. The first mention of his appearance in the political arena comes up in connection with his visit to the imperial court of Tewodros in 1864-65 in the company of his brothers, Gugsa and Maru. The available sources merely indicate that he was the youngest of his siblings, that he had a seriously ailing childhood, that he received some church education, and that he was initiated to manhood after killing some wild animals (lions and/or elephants) for trophies. Even the date of his birth is uncertain various sources place it between 18. The story of the first half of his life is poorly documented. ![]() All these relationships contributed toward Yohannes's rise to power in the 1860s and 70s. ![]() His chroniclers further remotely connect him genealogically to the branches of the Solomonic dynasty in Gondar and Shewa. His sister, Dinqnesh, was married first to Gobez (later atse Tekle Giyorgis) who supported his rebellion against atse Tewodros II in the late 1860s and later to ras bitwädäd Gebre Kidan, one of the leading supporters of Yohannes. He also had connubial connections with some notables who came to his aid in the early stages: his cousin, Amlasu Araya Selassie, married ras Alula Engida who remained loyal to Yohannes throughout his life, another cousin Altash Wahad married ras Woldemichael Solomon who fought on his side in the second half of the 1860s, though later he became his opponent. He thus descended from the ruling families of Tembien, Agame, and Enderta. On the side of his father, Mercha Wolde Kidan, Yohannes descended from the ruling dynasty of Tembien where both his father and grandfather bore the traditional title of šum Tembien, while his mother, Silass Dimtsu, was a daughter of balgäda Demsu of Enderta and Tabotu Woldu of Agame, hence a niece of Sabagadis Woldu. He is remembered as one of the leading architects of the modern state of Ethiopia. Yohannes IV (Tigrinya: ዮሓንስ ፬ይ, Rabaiy Yōḥānnis horse name "Abba Bezba" born Lij Kaśa Mercha 11 July 1837 – 10 March 1889) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1871 to his death in 1889 at the Battle of Gallabat and ruler of Tigray from 1867 to 1871.
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