Two of The Last Provincial Kings of Ethiopia

Two of 'he Lasf Provincial Kings of Ethiopia
by BAIRU TAFLA
Negus Täklä-Haymanot Abba-Tänna of Gojjam,

1850-1901, and his sons
Negus Täklä-Haymanot was one of the important personalities
who dominated the political arena in Gojjam in the last quarter of
the nineteenth century. He was also the only crowned king of Gojjam.
Circumstances prevented him from gaining the imperial crown, but he
served as a vassaJ king to Emperor Yohannes IV, 1872-1889, and
Emperor Menilek, 1889-1913. His family also dominated the office of
Governor of Gojjam throughout the first half of the present century.
Täklä-Haymanot, originally known as Adal, was the son of
Däjjazmai Täsämma Gošu and Way zar o Me'elad1 Wäldä-Se'ul born at
a place called Jabi-Tähnan in Damot around the year 1850. Little
is known about his early life and education, but it is known that he
descended from a traditionally prominent well-to-do family.
Since the middle of the eighteenth century, Gojjam had been
governed by a family or dynasty related to the Imperial Court at
Gondär. Emperor Iyasu H, 1730-1755, gave Wâlâtâ-Esraél, his half
sister by Etégé Mentwab, in marriage to Däjjazmac Yosédéq, a strong
man of Gojjam. Little is known about him apart from the legend that
he descended from a certain Ibedo from the Mècca clan of the Amuru
Galla who went to Gojjam from Säwa with his cattle in the second
half of the Seventeenth Century.2 Yosédéq must have been in any
case a strong personality to draw the attention of the Emperor of
Gondär.
Yosédéq' s and Wälätä Esraél's son was Haylu the Great, whom
Emperor Täklä-Giyorgis I, reigning in the last quarter of the eighteenth
century gave the title of Ras.3 Ras Haylu the Great had five children,
two of whom were important; a son, Ras Mär'ed, and a daughter
Wäyzäro DenqenäS. This son and daughter formed collateral ruling
families which ruled Gojjam, Damot, and Agäw-Meder alternately for
most of the nineteenth century.
The female line was dominant, although the descendants of Ras
Mär'ed held power intermittently. Ras Mär'ed himself ruled from 1796
to 1800, and died at the battle of Fogära while aiding Ras Asratä
1. Some sources refer to her as Wäyzäro Meskab, but it has not been possible
to verify which of these two names is correct.
2. Asmé, Yä-Galla Tarik, part II (Ms., I.E.S. 173, N.D.), folios 45 and 48
3. Ibid., folio 48.
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of Lasta against the latter's brother, Ras Wâldâ-Gâbre'él. He was
succeeded in Gojjam by his son, Däjjazmaö Gwalu, who shared the
government with his aunt's husband, Däjjazmac Zâwdé of Damot.
After Däjjazmac Gwalu's rule, power shifted to the descendents of
Denqenäs, although Tädla Gwalu and his son Dästa Tädla governed
Gojjam for brief periods during the reigns of Emperor Téwodros II
and Emperor Täklä-Giyorgis II. The latter, Dästa, was the political
rival of Ras Adal, who descended from Ras Haylu through the female
line.
Wäyzäro Denqenäs married Däjjazmac Zâwdé Salim4 of Esté,

a notable of Damot, and their son was Däjjazmac Gošu, who ruled
Gojjam for many years until he fell at the battle of Guramba (Nov-
ember 1852)5 fighting against Däjjazmac Kassa, later Emperor
Téwodros II, 1855-1868. One of Gosu's two sons, Däjjazmaö Berru,
rebelled against his own father and his father-in-law, Ras Ali.6 Ras
Ali, who was then the chief lord of the kingdom, appointed Täsämma
Gošu Däjjazmac and governor of Agäw-Meder and Buré. Däjjazmaö
Berru retained the stronghold of Mount Jebäla and the control of
some parts of Gojjam until he was captured by Däjjazmaö Kasa in
May 1854. Däjjazmac Kassa appointed Tädla Gwalu, whom Berru
had persecuted many times as a rival and who submitted voluntarily
to Kasa after Berru's defeat, to lead the force of Gojjam under the
supervision of Baša (later Ras) Engeda, one of the outstanding sol-
diers of Emperor Téwodros. Kasa also took Däjjazmaö Täsämma
Gošu with him to Däbrä-Tabor. But before long Tädla rebelled,
proclaimed himself Däjjazmac and appointed several officers at Män-
qorär. As a result, Emperor Téwodros imprisoned both Dâjjazmaò
Berru and Däjjazmaö Täsämma at Sar- Amba in Čelga.7
Emperor Téwodros returned from his Säwan expedition through
Gojjam. Tädla Gwalu escaped his attack by retreating to Mount
Jebäla. Again Ras Engeda, the Emperor's representative governor of
Gojjam, fought and defeated him. But Tädla escaped and entered
Jebäla. It seems evident that as long as he kept Mount Jebäla under
his control, Tädla was the actual ruler of Gojjam, for he was able
to rally the people behind him and harass the Emperor's forces in
that region intermittently.8 Däjjazmaö Täsämma therefore sent a
secret message from prison to Däjjazmac Tädla entrusting his young
4. Little is known about the background and importance of this family. One
legend tells that this family, like that of Yosédéq, was of Galla extraction.
See T. Beke, An Enquiry into M. Antoine D'Abbadie's Journey to
Kaffa, in the Years 1843 and 1844, to Discover the Source of the Nile
(London, 1851), p. 37.
5. Aläqa Zännäb, Yã-Téwodros Tarik Bä-Bärlin Endámigaññ Abennät , (Pri-
nceton, 1902), p. 14.
6. Berru married Wäyzäro Yäwubdar, daughter of Ras Ali; he was thus brother-
in-law to Däjjazmac Kassa Haylu who married Wäyzäro Täwabäc Ali and who
ultimately captured him.
7. Berru remained in this prison until near the end of Emperor Téwodros*
reign; but Täsämma died of illness earlier.
8. Tädla was eventually recognized by Emperor Téwodros as governor of Gojjam,
which he ruled until the beginning of 1868. Aläqa Wäldä-Maryam, Yä-Dag-
mawi Téwodros Negusä-Nägäst Zä Ityopya Band Abennät Yä-Migaftn Tarik f
(Paris, 1987), p. 31.
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son, Adal, to him. Tädla took care of Adal and allowed him to
learn the recital of the psalms together with his own son, Lej Negusé,
under the tutorship of a certain Liqä-Kahnat Wârqé.9
Lej Adal Täsämma began to acquire popularity as early as the
age of eighteen. Tädla regarded him as a potentially dangerous rival,
and his jealousy was inflamed when Adal made Wäyzäro Guddayé,
one of Tädla's concubines, pregnant.10 Däjjazmac Tädla intended to
arrest him, and according to one story he actually did so. But Adal
had loyal friends; among them were Lej Wârqé, Ley (later Ras) Däräso,
and a few others. They helped him escape to the highlands of Da-
mot. Adal appealed to the population of Damot and gathered many
horsemen and able warriors. Damot was, of course, his home region,
and it was not surprising that he was able to obtain considerable
military support in a short time.
Part of the force which Adal mobilized ventured under the leader-
ship of some of his friends to Mänqorär, Däjjazmac Tädla's capital.
Däjjazmac Tädla has marched northward towards Damot, leaving his
capital unprotected. Lej Adal's men burnt Mänqorär down and left.
Däjjazmac Tädla pursued Lej Adal for a while and then returned to
his capital. In January, 1868, he died and was succeeded by his eldest
son, Däjjazmac Negusé.
Däjjazmac Negusé was not the right type of person for his office.
At least he did not impress his own army, and they were opposed
to his leadership. It is possible that there were other forces, including
his own brother, working against him. In any case, he was deposed
by his army, and his younger brother, Dästa succeeded him.
Dästa, otherwise known as Abba-Weqawn Dâssé, was an out-
standing soldier but a poor politician. He was too taken up with his
own bravery and military strength, and so he underestimated the
other political and military forces of the time. Adal Täsämma was
still a rebel in Damot. Emperor Téwodros, whose great military cap-
abilities haunted the regional lords, was already removed from the
political arena in April 1868, and a new Emperor, Täklä-Giyorgis,
had risen in his place. It would therefore have been wise for Dästa
to ally himself with the new Emperor in order to be granted supreme
control of the region. Emperor Täklä-Giyorgis demanded the submis-
sion of all the regional lords, but Dästa refused and even marched to
Bâgémder and plundered Dämbya.
Dästa's actions might have brought serious reprisals from the
Emperor had it not been for the clergy of Gojjam who interceded
9. Aläqa Täklä-Iyäsus, "Chronicle of Negus Täklä-Haymanot of Gojjam"

(Ms., I.E.S. 254, N.D.), Folio 66.
10. Ibid., Folio 67. Guddayé was said to have been flogged and tortured by Däj-
jazmac Tädla, but she was subsequently smuggled out by the friends of Adal
and gave birth to Ras Bäzzabeh, the first-born son of Negus Täklä-Haymanot.
11. This is the name of his horse and literally means "the thrasher". It was
a custom for the nobles of nineteenth century Ethiopia to name their
horses with high-sounding phrases, and they themselves were often referred to
by these titles. For further information, see Blattén Géta Mâhtâmâ-Sellasé
Wäldä-Mäsqäl, "A Study of the Ethiopian Culture of Horse-Names," Journal
of Ethiopian Studies (1969) VII, 2, 195-303.
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and reconciled the two rulers. Dästa was made Dájjazmač and was
given a daughter of the Emperor for his bride. However, he was so
proud that he did not even go to the Emperor to receive his bride,
but rather she was sent to him. Nevertheless, he was saved from open
conflict with Emperor Täklä-Giyorgis and could turn his attention to
his struggle with Adal.
The account of the struggle between Dájjazmač Dästa and Lej

Adal is somewhat confused. The sources12 contradict each other
concerning the number of times and places they fought as well as the
victories of each side. It seems that Dájjazmač Dästa was victorious
at first. Lej Adal was defeated, captured, and imprisoned. Dästa was
ambitious, and his victory over Adal increased his pride. He crossed
the Abbay southward and attempted to take over Därra, but as soon
as he left Gojjam the country was in turmoil. Adal er ped from
prison, the people of Agäw rebelled under the leadership vi a certain
Gäbru, and Dästa's two brothers, Negusé and Haylu, hurried to take
over Mänqorär.
Dájjazmač Dästa, though wounded in the fight, defeated Gäbru
and chased out his two brothers. But Lej Adal was a formidable
rival. Dästa marched to Damot, but he was purposely misdirected
to the lowlands, and he lost time there searching for his escaped
prisoner. On his return to the highlands he met a strong force of
horsemen. Both sides fought hard, and Dästa seamed to be winning,
but he failed to capture Lej Adal. Then the rgy interceded and
reconciled Dästa and Adal. Dájjazmač Dästa and Lej Adal returned
to Mänqorär, and Dästa gave Adal the title of Balambaras. But Adal
expected a higher rank than he received, and so he resumed his re-
bellion.
While Dájjazmač Dästa was still faced with Adal's rebellion,

Emperor Täklä-Giyorgis entered Gojjam from Bâgémder. Dästa refused
to receive the Emperor, so in anger the Emperor plundered the coun-
try. Däjjazmac Dästa prepared to resist, but Adal agreed with the
Emperor to remain neutral in the conflict, and without his aid
Dästa was defeated and fled. The Emperor tried to appoint a few
notables, including Haylu Tädla, to govern Gojjam, but he was not
successsful since each one rebelled in a short time. Finally, he appoin-
ted Adal to govern Damot. Adal defeated Dästa, wounded him,
and handed him over to the Emperor. Consequently the Emperor made
Adal Ras and Governer of all Gojjam. In September 1870, Emperor
Täklä-Giyorgis gave Wäyzäro Laqäc Gäbrä-Mädhen, his sister, in
marriage to Ras Adal. Ras Adal crushed a number of rebellions and
established full control of Gojjam and Damot. He retained Mänqorär
as his capital, and later he built a church dedicated to Marqos which
gave its name to the town Däbrä-Marqos.
Unlike Dájjazmač Dästa, Ras Adal realised that to retain control

of Gojjam he needed recognition from the Emperor as well as victory
in the field, so he remained loyal to Emperor Täklä-Giyorgis. In order
12. Aläqa Täklä-Iyäsus, the chronicler of Negus Täklä-Haymanot, and variou»

informants disagree on a number of points.
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to secure the Emperor's favour, he had married into the royal family,
and now he was closely allied with the Emperor in the eyes of all
other political figures whether he liked it or not. Therefore, he had to
take sides with the Emperor on all occasions. When Emperor Täklä-
Giyorgis marched to Tegré to fight his brother-in-law, Däjjazmac Kasa
Märäcca, Ras Adal sent five hundred riflemen to assist him under the
command of his brother, Däjjazmac Zälläqä.
His rival, Däjjazmac Dästa was still alive, and according to one
tradition13 he had a high position in the camp of the Emperor's
brother-in-law, who was soon to become Emperor Yohannes IV.
According to this tradition, in the battle between Däjjazmac Kasa and
Emperor Täklä-Giyorgis which took place in June 1871, at Asäm River
at Adwa, Däjjazmac Dästa fought hard at the front line. According
to another source14 Däjjazmac Dästa had been imprisoned by Täklä<-
Giyorgis and remained there until the new Emperor released him some
time after the battle. In any case, Emperor Täklä-Giyorgis was de-
feated and captured, and Däjjazmac Kasa proclaimed himself Emperor
Yohannes IV in January 1872.
This occasion must have been a sad one for Ras Adal, who
would be sure to be replaced by Däjjazmac Dästa under the new
administration. Emperor Yohannes left Tegré for the central regions
to receive hommage from the nobles there. Towards the end of 1872,
he entered Gojjam from Bâgémder and devastated the country. He
reinstated Dästa with the title of Ras of Gojjam. Realizing that he
could not resist the Emperor's forces, and seeing no hope of mercy
if he submitted right away, Ras Adal avoided a confrontation and
retreated to the lowlands of Mutära where the terrain was too rugged
for the Emperor to follow with a large army. Emperor Yohannes
returned to Bâgémder, leaving his newly appointed governor behind
to pacify Gojjam.
As soon as the Emperor was gone, Ras Adal returned to the

highlands and fought and defeated Dästa at the battle of Aysäl. No
one knows what military tactics Adal employed, but cetainly he had
the support of the people of Gojjam who hated Ras Dästa for his
collaboration with Emperor Yohannes in the devastation of their
land. Ras Dästa fell on the battlefield, and it is said that one of
Ras Adal's soldiers shot his dead body four times. Asked why by
his master, the soldier replied that he could not believe that Dästa
was dead and feared he might rise again as he did when fighting
Gäbru of Agäw-Meder.15 As this would indicate, Adal's soldiers
13. This material is drawn from an interview given by Blatta Dârésa Amanté,
«a retired Ethiopian official and a well-informed man concerning the events of
the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, on November 25, 1965 in
Däbrä-Zäyt.
14. Täklä-Iyäsus, op. cit., folio 82.
15. During the battle against the rebel Gäbru, Dästa fell wounded, and many of
his soldiers fled thinking that he was dead. He got up, rallied the remaining
soldiers and defeated the Agäws. On his retürn to his capital, he dealt severly
with the soldiers who had fled. Täklä-Iyäsus, op. cit., folio 83. Also inter-
view with Blatta Dârésa.
- 33 -
were terrified of Ras Dästa and each man fought his hardest because
he knew Dästa would show him no mercy.
Ras Adal was not only an excellent fighter but also a clever
politician. He was always careful to avoid any conflict with an Empe-
ror. He gave allegiance to Emperor Täklä - Giyorgis and received re-
wards. He avoided a clash with Yohannes when the Emperor entered
Gojjam to reinstate Dästa. Ras Adal now realized that though he
had defeated Dästa in battle, the Emperor himself might march into
Gojjam or send one of his strong officers to subdue the province.
After all, the Emperor was at Däbrä-Tabor, close enough to receive
news from Gojjam and take action. Therefore Ras Adal sent a mes-
sage of reconciliation to the Emperor immediately. He explained that
his forebearers had fought Dästa's; that fighting between these two
families was not at all unusual. He finally assured the sovereign that
he would remain loyal to him and pay the required tribute. Abunä
Atnatéwos, Eččágé Téwoflos, and the clergy of Gojjam also interceded
on his behalf.
Emperor Yohannes responded positively. In fact, he entrusted

Ras Adal with the responsibility of defending the new governor16 of
Bâgémder against Ras Wäldä - Maryam who had been replaced. In this
way the Emperor recognized Ras Adal's military prowess. Indeed,
Ras Adal was an excellent soldier, and he carried out this task suc-
cessfully.
In 1875, Egyptians invaded Northern Ethiopia from the east and

the west towards the highland of Hamasén, and Emperor Yohannes
IV marched northward to repulse the invaders. As soon as the Em-
peror left, Ras Wäldä-Maryam came to reclaim his former post in
Bâgémder, but Ras Adal marched to Bâgémder and defeated and
killed Ras Wäldä-Maryam. Then he continued his march to Semén
to fight Däjjazmac Nägas, the powerful governor of that region who
regarded himself as the legitimate successor of Ras Wäldä-Maryam.
Däjjazmac Nägas had a superior force, but Ras Adal carefully planned
his strategy. He seated one of his officers on his alga 17 in his tent
on the battlefield and he himself went to lead his men. He also set
up an ambush of about 300 men near the tent. Then the fighting
began.
Däjjazmac Nägas was victorious, and Ras Adal fled with his
soldiers. One of Däjjazmac Nägas officers killed the man in Ras
Adal's tent, and everyone believed that Ras Adal had been killed.
Däjjazmac Nägas ordered his men to follow Adal's fleeing soldiers,
and he himself sat on the alga of his enemy. He was now content,
and perhaps he contemplated declaring himself Ras. But Ras Adal's
soldiers waiting in ambush were not noticed, and no one suspected
such a strategy. These soldiers were said to have been led by Abba
Wäldä-Giyorgis, a man who was more of a soldier than a monk, and
who later became Eccâgé during the reign of Emperor Menilek. Most
16. The name of this official was not mentioned in any of the sources available
at the time this article was writteen.
17. Literally "bed," it is a throne-like divan on which the highest Ethiopian nobles
sat.
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of Däjjazmac Nägas's soldiers and officers went after Ras Adal's fleeing
army, each wanting to kill or capture a number of enemy soldiers,
and the camp of Däjjazmac Nägas was poorly guarded. Abba Wäldä-
Giyorgis and his soldiers suddenly feel on the camp and captured
Däjjazmac Nagaš. When his sldiers found out he had been captured,
they turned around, and then Ras Adal's men were pursuing them.
By undertaking this campaign, Ras Adal proved to the Emperor
that he was true to his word. The Emperor was also successful in
his military campaign against the advancing Egyptian forces in the
North. He crushed a sizable Egyptian force in November 1875, at
Gundät near River Maräb between Addi Kwhala and Adwa. March-
ing further north in February 1876, the Emperor attacked and defeated
a huge Egyptian force trained by American officers and led by Prince
Hassan, the son of Khedive Pasha, at Qayyeh-Korr (Red Hill) in Ak-
kälä-Guzay. A third Egyptian force led by Munzinger Pasha , a Swiss
who served the French, the British and the Egyptians at Massawa and
Bogos, was also crushed by the Dankils of Awasa when they tried to
penetrate the highlands of Tegré and Wällo. Thus the Egyptian mili-
tary advance into Ethiopia was successfully halted.18
Emperor Yohannes also captured about 20,000 Remington rifles
and 25 to 30 cannons. These weapons, added to those the British
left him in 1868, gave Emperor Yohannes indisputable dominance
throughout the Empire. Now that he had secured the whole norland
much of the center of the Empire, the Emperor turned south to Säwa
where one strong political figure, Negus Menilek, remained unsubdued.
Ras Adal was the strongest man in the central highland of the
Empire. He was loyal to the Emperor, and it is possible that the
Emperor rewarded him for his loyalty. It is said, for example, that
Yohannes provided Adal with 2,000 rifles.19 It is not clear whether
this gift was meant to reward Adal's loyalty and victories in 1875-76,
or whether it was intended to encourage the ruler of Gojjam to
follow a policy of expansion and check the growing power of Negus
Menilek. Ras Adal, in any case, decided in the late 1870's to push
his domain further south. Since his arrival in Säwa in 1865, Negus
Menilek had been engaged in pacifying theSäwans and annexing some
of the rich Galla-inhabited regions to the south, west and east. The
confrontation between Emperor Yohannes and Negus Menilek ended
in 1877, with a peaceful reconciliation and Menilek's formal corona-
tion as Negus .
The power struggle between Negus Menilek and Ras Adal, how-
ever, became intense around 1880. Menilek was interested in expanding
his control to the neighbouring regions and acquiring a port on the
Red Sea or the Indian Ocean. He had firearms and outstanding mili-
tary leaders, the most famous being Däjjazmac Gobäna, who was
given the title of Ras in 1878. According to one account, he was
18. W. McE. Dye, Moslem Egypt and Christian Abyssinia (New York, 1880), pp.
120-398; Sir E. A. Budge, A History of Ethiopia (London, 1928), II,
1-523;52C. Jesman, "Egyptian Invasion of Ethiopia," African Affairs (1959)
LVIII, 75-81, 145-146.
19. Interview with Blatta Dârésa on November 25, 1965 in Däbrä-Zayt.
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promoted because Ras Adal had made his faithful general, Däräso, a
Ras and had sent him to the Galla territories across the Abbay.20
Ras Däräso, like his master, was an outstanding military leader.
He began his conquest with Guduru, a Galla-inhabited region in
what is now Western Šáwa, and then he went further west and finally
south. He obtained submission from Moroda of Léqa, Joté of Qéllam,
and other minor chiefs in the west, as well as the rulers of Géra,
Guma, Limmu, Konta and Käfa. He received annual tribute from all
these regions which were rich in gold and ivory as well as slaves.
It seems that he maintained smooth relations with these areas in spite
of the difficulty or even the lack of communication.
The territories which Ras Däräso brought under control for Ras
Adal were separated from Gojjam by mighty rivers like the Abbay,
the Didésa, and the Omo. Communication and trade were almost
non-existent when these rivers were swollen during the rainy seasons.21
But paradoxically the communication problem seems to have contri-
buted to a smooth relationship between Ras Adal and the autonomous
rulers of the territories in the South who had been independent for
centuries. Käfa, Limu, Guma and Géra had their own kings, the first
from as early as the fifteenth century, and the rest from the six-
teenth or seventeenth century. Ruling families in Léqa and Qéllam
dated from the first half of the nineteenth century.22 Ras Adal's
suzerainty did not affect their authority or the local power structure.
All they were required to do was to send a specified amount of
tribute to Däbrä-Marqos. No official from outside was appointed over
or under them by their overlord, Adal, nor were they required to
account for their behaviour towards their own subjects. This was a
basic difference between the administration of Ras Adal and Negus
Menilek, who replaced Adal in the next decade. With the remoteness
of the territories and the difficulty of communication, a strict and
intensive control from Gojjam might have resulted in quite a different
situation.
Ras Adal, in any case, was ruler of a huge territory almost

encircling the kingdom of Šáwa. Negus Menilek must have realized
that his own territory was surrounded by Adal's, and furthermore he
must have realized that Ras Adal was gaining in prestige. On January
20, 1881, Emperor Yohannes IV crowned Ras Adal Negus Täklä-
Haymanot of Gojjam and Käfa at Sämära, Däbrä - Tabor.23 This
act was probably designed by the Emperor to enhance the prestige of
the ruler of Gojjam and to create a balance of power between Negus
Täklä-Haymanot and Negus Menilek, for Menilek had also gained
control over vast regions in the south, west and east. Ras Dargé,
Menilek's uncle, and Däjjazmaä Gârmamé pushed the frontier to
20. QãMazmac Haylé Zälläqä, Yä-Däjjazmac Gârmamé Yä-Heywät Tarik (Ms,

I.ES. 5115, n.d.) Folio. 19
21 . But in the dry season merchants from the North visited all these regions.
See Richard Pankhurst, Economic History of Ethiopia, 1800-1935 (Addis Abäba,
1968), pp. 447-48.
22. Bayru Tafia, "Four Ethiopian Biographies," Journal of Ethiopian Studies
VII, 2, 11.
23. G. Biacchi, Alla terra dei Galla (Milano, 1886), p. 600.
- 36 -
the east along the Awaš. Also Ras Gobäna had crossed south to the
Gibé in 1880-81, with the intention of adding Janjero, Jimma and
Käfa to the kingdom. Käfa already belonged to Negus Täklä-Hayma-
not, however loose his claim and control might have been. As a mat-
ter of fact, he regarded Käfa with greater esteem than the rest of
his territones, for it was Käfa from among all the regions south
the Abbay which was added to his royal title.24 Ras Gobäna's in-
tention to march to that kingdom was a direct encroachment on Negus
Täklä-Haymanot's claim.
Meanwhile, Negus Täklä-Haymanot had not stopped expanding
his territories. Ras Däräso went to Jimma in late 1881 or early 1882,
to receive hommage and collect tribute from the Sultan of the terri-
tory, Tulu, often known as Sultan Abba Jefar. This coincided with the
arrival of Ras Gobäna and his army from the north with the same
purpose. For a while confrontation seemed imminent, but considering
the fact that he was too far away from Däbrä-Marquos to hope for
reinforcement, Ras Däräso withdrew, warning his opponent that he
would return better armed some time in the future. The Gojjam army
left Jimma hurriedly, leaving behind the tribute they had collected, and
it was at this time that the following couplet was sung in Säwa:
MIW ijppif arit
How will the people of Gojjam laugh from now on?
TCAÏOKÎ TAfl* dh& hfc *
They say they went away and left their teeth [
Ras Däräso's threat was soon carried out. He sent for his master
in Gojjam, and Negus Täklä-Haymanot sent back a message blaming
him for withdrawing without a fight. He sent Ras Däräso reinforc
ments, this time under the command of his own son, Ras Bäzabeh.
Negus Menilek himself drove these soldiers from Guduru and pursued
them as far as Wälläga; finally Menilek granted them permission to
return home to Gojjam.25 This defeat at the hands of Menilek
infuriated Negus Täklä-Haymanot and he was determined to fight.
The resulting developments were dramatic. Negus Täklä-Haymanot,
whether out of anger or over-confidence sent messengers to the court
of Negus Menilek at Entoto to inform him that he planned to march
across the Abbay to the Galla territories. Perhaps Täklä-Haymanot
was not sure if Menilek was really determined to defend the Galla
territories that his general had claimed for he sent his message to
the court at Entoto verbally so that it had to be presented in public.
But Negus Menilek was confident of what he was doing. He required
only a written message which might serve him as evidence that he
was on the defensive.26 Täklä-Haymanot sent a written message soon
afterwards.
Negus Täklä-Haymanot mobilized his men and crossed the Abbay
to Guduru. It seems that he did not get the help of the Galla.
24. It should be noted however, that neither Gojjam nor Käfa appears in the
seal, which evidently was given to him by Emperor Yohannes. See Gäbrä-
Sellasé, Tarikä-Zämän Zä-Dagmawi Menilek (Addis Abäba> 1959 E. C.),
p. 107.
25. Asmé, loc. cit., part II, folio 91; and Gâbrâ-Sellasé, op. cit., pp. 102-108
26. Asmé, op. cit., part II, folio 92.
- 37 -
Tradition attributes this to the fact that Negus Menilek had secretely
convinced Moroda and other Galla leaders to remain neutral.27
A battle took place at Embabo in the vicinity of the Abbay in
early summer 1882. Both sides had horsemen and infantry with
firearms as well as spears and shields. They did not have to wait
long for the fight. It was the beginning of the rainy season and a
long delay would have been disastrous for Täklä-Haymanot and the
Gojjam army since the Abbay was difficult to cross once it was flood-
ed. Also, an epidemic had broken out in Negus Menilek's camp, and
a number of animals and soldiers had died before the battle began.28
Thus, both camps were eager for action.
The army of Negus Täklä-Haymanot attacked first. The battle
raged for a few hours, and Täklä-Haymanot's soldiers were fighting
bravely, but they were soon outmanoeuvered by Ras Gobäna who
had led a force from behind their position. The Gojjam army was
routed; Negus Täklä-Haymanot was wounded and captured together
with Ras Däräso and many of his officers and counsellors. Negus
Menilek treated his captives well and released the Gojjam soldiers
in time, but the balance of power was destroyed, to the dissatis-
faction of the Emperor.
Emperor Yohannes was at Däbrä-Tabor, and, having sent an order

that Menilek should appear before him with his prisoner, he marched
to Wärä Ilu. One oral tradition states that the discussion which took
place at Wärä Ilu excluded all the officials and that agreement wa
reached among the three sovereigns alone and sealed by an oath. Th
tradition also states that in the territorial settlement, someone propos
ed that the lands beyond Tulu-Amara (Mount Amara) in Guduru
must be given to Negus Menilek. This was almost the entire territory
carved out by Ras Däräso. It is said that Negus Täklä-Haymanot,
being ignorant of the extent and location of his vast lands outside
Gojjam, accepted the proposal.29 At any rate, Negus Täklä-Haymanot
came out more poorly than he had expected. He was indeed restored
to his position as Negus of Gojjam, and by an Imperial order he
regained the captured weapons, for whatever they were worth. But he
lost virtually all his territories beyond the Abbay to Menilek who
eventually extended and consolidated them. Agäw - Meder was also
taken away from him and given to the Emperor's outstanding general,
Ras Alula.
Negus Menilek seemingly lost Wällo, but a marriage agreement

was concluded between the son of Emperor Yohannes and the daughter
of Negus Menilek, and Wällo was given to the couple. Thus Negus
Menilek emerged victorious from the battle-field and from the political
agreements at Wärä Ilu. The arrangements made at Wärä Ilu must
have fed Menilek's hopes for the Imperial crown and weakened any
hopes Negus Täklä-Haymanot had for further aggrandizement.
27. This material is drawn from the interview with Blatta Dârésa on December
22, 1965.
28. Asmé, loc. cit ., part II, folio 92.
29. Interview with Blatta Dârésa on November 25, 1965 in Däbra-Zäyt.
- 38 -
The four years that followed the battle of Embabö were generally
peaceful for Negus Täklä-Haymanot. During these years he devoted
himself to domestic matters and proved to be rather progressive. He
encouraged and subsidized all sorts of skilled people- scribes, black-
smiths, carpenters, weavers, saddlers and tailors. He was also inter-
ested in the development of trade and communications throughout his
domain. Gojjam did not have access to the sea and was not visited
by as many foreigners as Säwa, so Täklä-Haymanot was not able to
find out about a lot of Western innovations or introduce them to his
people. But he . did his best with whatever opportunities were available
to him. In 1880-81, Negus Täklä-Haymanot strongly urged the Italian
traveler, Gustavo Bianchi, to construct a bridge for him over the
Abbay in the south. Bianchi drew a plan for him, and in return the
king secured the release of Antonio Cecchi, who had been detained
for two years by one of his vassals, the Queen of Géra.30 Later he
had another Italian traveller, Salimbeni make a bridge over the Tämca
River at Dämbäca, and he himself took part in the construction in
order to encourage his people.31
Negus Täklä-Haymanot was also a religious man. He got along
well with Abunä Luqas, one of the four Coptic bishops brought
from Alexandria by Emperor Yohannes in 1881. He adhered to the
Hulät-Ledät32 Doctrine and built many churches in Gojjam, the most
famous being that of St. Mark at Däbrä-Marqos.33 His administration
in general seems to have been efficient and just, qualities which made
him popular in Gojjam both during his lifetime and afterwards.
After the fall of Khartoum at the hands of the Mahdists in
1885, events developed which had percussions on the internal histo
of Ethiopia. The Egyptian threat on the northern and western fro
tiers of Ethiopia subsided after the defeats of 1875-76, but in 18
a new force threatened - the Mahdists. The Egyptian garrison at Mä-
tämma was saved by an Ethiopian army under the command of a
certain Sum-Dähna Fanta, dispatched by Emperor Yohannes in ac-
cordance with the treaty concluded at Adwa in 1884, between Ethio-
pia, Great Britain and Egypt.34 Unfortunately, the Ethiopians left
30. Bianchi, op. cit., pp. 528-531.

31. Anonymous, Africa Orientale Italiana (Ms. in the possession of the Institute
of Ethiopian Studies, 1940), See in "Alphabetical Order" under "Haylu";
and Pankhurst, op. cit., p. 45.
32. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church was torn by doctrinal dissention in the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The disagreement was settled at the
Council of Boru-Méda in 1878, which Emperor Yohannes, Negus Menilek
and Ras Adal (later Negus Täklä-Haymanot) attended. At that time the
doctrine of the dual nature of Christ was declared. See Gâbrâ-Sellasé, op.
cit., pp. 86-92; and Weld Blundell, The Royal Chronicle of Abyssinia. 1769 -
1840 (Cambridge, 1922), pp. 521-529.
33. He endowed this church with many ecclesiastical objects. He also invited Emperor
Yohannes, Abunã Pétros and fccâgé Téwoflos to visit the church and confer
the status of däbr (cathedral), and the Emperor decreted that the town, pre-
viously called Mänqorär, should be renamed Däbrä-Marqos.
34. Heruy Wâldâ-Sellasé, Ityopyana Mätämma: Yä-Ase Yohannes Tarik Baceru
(Addis Abäba, 1910 E.C.), p. 5; and "Treaty Between Great Britain, Egypt
and Abyssinia Signed at Adowa, June 3rd, 1884," in A. B. Wylde Modern .
Abyssinia (London, 1901), pp. 472-473
- 39 -
Galabat, a trading center and capital of the district of Mätämma,
unoccupied, and a Mahdist force took over on March 5, 1885.
For a time, there was no serious threat from the Mahdists. But
later in 1886, they raided part of Western Bâgémder, burnt down
churches, took booty and retreated to Mätämma. The situation also
became more tense when a few people from the Sudan, among whom
were Salih Idris, a Moslem theologian, and Mudawi Abd al-Rahman
the former chief of Mätämma, took refuge in Ethiopia, and the
Khalifa wanted to get them back.35
Emperor Yohannes entrusted the defence of Bâgémder to Negus
Täklä-Haymanot, who immediately began to get ready. According to
the estimate of the Ethiopian writer, Blâttén-Géta Heruy, he raised
100,000 soldiers, and in January, 1887, he fought the Mahdist forces
which numbered about 16,000.36 He routed the Moslems, killed gover-
nor Muhammad al-Arbab, took booty and captives and returned
to Gojjam, leaving Galabat undefended.
The reason the Ethiopians repeatedly withdrew from Galabat is
unclear, but it was certainly an inhospitable, hot and malarial area,
and the commanders must have feared that their highland men might
not survive if they were garrisoned there. Whatever the reason, the
Mahdists found it deserted, and they fortified it more strongly. Their
commander was Hamadan Abu- Anja, an outstanding military leader
who had previously led an expeditionary force to South-western Sudan,
The provocation again came from the Mahdists' side. The Khalifa
wrote a letter to Emperor Yohannes demanding his conversion to
Islam. The Emperor made no reply.37 Hamadan raided Čelga in West-
ern Bâgémder and plundered churches and villages, and Negus Täklä*
Haymanot was again ordered to defend Gondär. Emperor Yohannes
himself marched north to stop an Italian advance from Massawa.
Negus Täklä-Haymanot mobilized his men and camped at aplace
called Sarwäha not too distant from Gondär. Abu-Anja attacked the
camp on January 18, 1888. Täklä-Haymanot's men fought bravely and
defeated the first column of Mahdists, but a fresh contingent replaced
them, and in the end Täklä-Haymanot was defeated. Many of his
people were killed, and others captured, including one of his daughters,
Yäwubdar. Täklä-Haymanot himself escaped with his eldest son, Raš
Bäzabeh. Five days later the Mahdists ransacked and burnt Gondär
and retreated to Mätämma.
His defeat at Sarwäha not only ended any hopes Täklä-Haymanot

might have had of becoming Emperor, but it also ruined his relation-
ship with Emperor Yohannes. Yohannes blamed him for the defeat,
and made him responsible for the damages. In fact, the Emperor
summoned Täklä-Haymanot to present himself and account for the
defeat. At the same time the Emperor ordered Negus Menilek to
35. P. M. Holt, The Mahdist State in the Sudan , 1881-1898 (Oxford, 1966), pp.
151-152.
36. Heruy, p. 5
37. Holt, ibid.
- 40 -
defend Gondär against the possibility of a second attack by the Mah-
dists.
Negus Menilek went to Bâgémder where he displayed his military

forces, and the Mahdists subsequently retreated to Mätämma. After
reviewing the parades of his army, he returned to Šawa by way of
Gojjam. There, he met the unhappy Täklä-Haymanot, and they plotted
together to disobey the Emperor* Negus Täklä-Haymanot was angered
by the Emperor's reaction to his defeat and felt encouraged by Meni-
lek' s intention to resist, so he refused the Imperial summons to appear
at court. He released Seyyum, the Emperor's nephew who for some
unknown reason had been in chains on Mount Jebäla under Täklä-
Haymanoťs custody. Seyyum joined the plot, and he left for Šáwa
with Negus Menilek.38 Täklä-Haymanot's refusal and Seyyum's release
clearly showed the Emperor that his two vassal kings had deserted
him, and he had to take action against them before confronting the
Mahdists.
In February, 1889, Emperor Yohannes marched into Gojjam.

Negus Täklä-Haymanot withdrew to Mount Jebäla, but the Emperor
struck the highlands of Damot and Gojjam fiercely. The clergy blamed
the Negus and reconciled him with the Emperor. Emperor Yohannes
then approached the northwestern frontier of Säwa and perhaps con-
templated marching into that province. But he abruptly changed direc-
tion for some unknown reason, giving rise to a number of legends.
Instead, he went to Mätämma where he fell fighting the Mahdists in
March, 1889.
The only political figure in Ethiopia who could now claim the
Imperial throne was Negus Menilek, and from Boru Méda in Wällo
he immediately declared himself Emperor when news came of Yohan-
nes's death. He moved north to Wäldya and Lalibäla where he received
submission and appointed territorial governors. Negus Täklä-Haymanot
who survived the disasterous defeat at Mätämma humbly submitted
to him, having given up all hopes of supremacy or even independence.
The new Emperor met him at Quana in Wällo, and honoured him
with a pompous reception. Thereafter they had a smooth and lasting
relationship.
Emperor Menilek gave Negus Täklä-Haymanot control of Gojjam

and Agäw-Meder, provinces which Täklä-Haymanot had governed when
his power was at its peak. In addition, he was given Käfa, a king-
dom he had claimed nine years earlier but had never really conquer-
ed. Täklä-Haymanot was not given Käfa as a reward, but rather he
was given the formidable task of conquering it. However, he seemed
pleased with the proposal and had "Käfa" engraved on his seal,39
even after his unsuccessful military expedition there. His two sons,
Ras Bäzabeh and Däjjazmaä Bäläw, were appointed to govern some
Galla territories south of the Abbay. His third son, Däjjazmac Seyyum,
stayed in his father's territory and governed Damot.
38. Asmé, loc. cit., part II, folio 101.

39. Gâbrâ-Sellasé, loc. cit., p. 209.
- 41 -
Negus Täklä-Haymanot did not attend the elaborate coronation of
Emperor Menilek at Entoto on November 2, 1889, due to the flood-
ing of the Abbay. Two of his sons, Ras Bäzabeh and Däjjazmac
Bäläw, attended. Negus Täklä-Haymanot himself visited Entoto in
early June, 1890, and he was received with great pomp and was
decorated along with his officials. Soon he returned to his province
which had been struck by the famine40 and epidemic raging
throughout Ethiopia from 1888 to 1892. The famine was especially
severe in that region because it had been preceded by Emperor Yohan-
nes's punitive expedition in early 1889, and now there was not enough
food to feed Täklä-Haymanot's army. Emperor Menilek therefore
advised him to lead an expedition to Käfa at the beginning of the
next year, not so much to really take control of Käfa, but rather to
move his troops to a region that could support them. This was not
an unusual procedure, for the rest of the Emperor's officials were
also ordered to move their retinues to the east, south and west.41
By this wise plan the Emperor was able to save all those from famine
who had the means to leave the devastated areas.
It is not clear whether Negus Täklä-Haymanot's military expedi-

tion to the south affected Käfa's economy, but it certainly did not
change the kingdom's political status or structure. Yet Täklä-Haymanot
still kept the name Käfa in his title. In fact, he was recrowned Negu
of Käfa in February, 1894. Chronicler Gâbrâ-Sellasé notes that Negu
Täklä-Haymanot himself asked Emperor Menilek to renew his title
over Käfa.42 The reason for this alleged request is left to speculation
but an elaborate crowning ceremony took place at Addis Abäba. The
Negus arrived with his old crown which had been given to him by
Emperor Yohannes in 1881. It was removed from his head by the
Major-Domo of Emperor Menilek II, and a new one was placed
on his head by the Emperor himself.
His seal, which had read, "Negus Täklä-Haymanot, appointed by
Yohannes, King of Seyon" was changed to, " Negus Täklä-Haymanot,
King of Käfa, appointed by Menilek II, Emperor of Ethiopia." Thus
the transfer of allegiance from one Emperor to the next was formali-
zed, and a friendly relationship was solidified between an Emperor
jealous of his power and a vassal king eager to maintain a favoured
position with his lord. The vague title of Negus was deliberately applied
to a region over which Täklä-Haymanot had no actual control.
The British traverler, Count Gleichen, mentioned Täklä-Haymanot
in 1897, as one of Emperor Menilek's outstanding counsellors 43 Täklä
Haymanot also engaged in the task of pacifying Gojjam and expand-
40* R. Pankhurst, "The Great Ethiopian Famine of 1888-1892: a new asses-

sment," Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences
(1966), XXI 1,2,3, 95-194.
4Í. Täklä-Iyäsus, loc. cit., folio 94-96; and Gâbrâ-Sellasé, loc. cit.9 pp. 181-
182.
42. Gâbrâ-Sellasé, op. cit., pp. 208-209. It is interesting to note that Aläqa
Täklä-Iyäsus, the Gojjamé chronicler of Negus Täklä-Haymanot, did not
mention this particular event, but chronicler Gâbrâ-Sellasé devoted consider-
able space to it in his book.
43. Count Gleichen, With the Mission to Menelik (London, 1898), p. 243.
- 42 -
ing its western frontiers. In the years 1896-99, he went beyond Agäw-
Meder to the lowlands bordering the Sudan, pacified the region and
built a town at a place called Boräna. This area was rich in gold,
and Negus Täklä-Haymanot appointed one of his gold-smiths, a cer-
tain Bäjerond Mehrâté, governor of the region. He also built many
churches in Gojjam during this period. He rebuilt the church of St.
George at Tami in gratitude for the victory at Adwa won on St.
George's day. He also rebuilt the church of St. Mark which had
earlier burnt down.
Täklä-Haymanot's health grew worse after 1898, and he died at

Däbrä-Wärq in January, 1901. He was buried at his favorite church
at Däbrä-Marqos, and his death was widely mourned. His officials
brought his royal trappings to Menelik after having celebrated the
memorial mass and täskar , or memorial feast, in accordance with
tradition. The Imperial chronicle does not describe Emperor Menilek's
reaction to his death.
Negus Täklä-Haymanot was survived by his wife, Wäyzäro Laqäc

Gäbrä-Mädhen, three sons and a daughter. It is not known whom he
wished to succeed him. Each of his children had a different mother,
and it seemed likely that there would be a struggle for power within
the family.
His eldest son, Ras Bäzabeh, was born around 1868, and his
mother was Wäyzäro Gudayé, one of the concubines of Däjjazmcvt
Tädla Gwalu. Ras Bäzabeh was a skillful military leader and had led
a force south in 1882, with Ras Däräso to defend his father's land
against Ras Gobäna. He also participated at the Battle of Embabo,
and he was subsequently appointed governor to Damot by his father.
By 1889, he was governor of the Galla region bordering Gojjam.
When Negus Täklä-Haymanot led an expedition to Käfa in 1891,
Bäzabeh accompanied him, but he fell out with his father. The Negus
fell ill, and Bäzabeh was accused of trying to poison him. He and
his officers were arrested and committed to prison.44
His younger brother, Däjjazmac Bäläw, rebelled against the Negus
in early 1890. Little is known of his early life, but he was a Däj-
jazmac by 1889. The reason for his quarrel with his father is obscure.
He crossed over to Galla territory and spread the rumour that Negus
Täklä-Haymanot had concluded an agreement with the Mahdists to
attack the new Emperor and to become sole ruler of Ethiopia. But
Ras Dargé arrested Bäläw and handed him over to his father when
he came to the court of Emperor Menilek with tribute and presents
in June, 1890.45
It is not known how long Bäzabeh and Bäläw46 remained in
prison or when and on what condition they were released. Never-the-
44. Täklä-Iyäsus, loe . c/7., folio 95.

45. Asmé, loe . cit., part II, folio 101.
46. At the time Täklä Haymanot died, Bäzabeh and Bäläw were in Addis Abäba
waiting for any appointment from the Emperor. It is not known whether
Bäläw was given any office after the death of his father. He died of probaby
cancer in March 1970 in Addis Abäba. See Alàqa Kenfé Addisu, "Diary"
Ms. in the possession of Dr. Aleme Eshte of the I.E.S. N.D.), Folios 5, 6
and 17.
- 43 -
less, both of them were outstanding military leaders, and Emperor
Menilek respected them. The French traveller, Monsieur Le Roux, saw
them with the honoured guests of Emperor Menilek around 1900.47
Yet knowing that they were not on good terms with their father,
Emperor Menilek must have been careful about what positions he gave
them.
Soon after the death of Täklä-Haymanot, Ras Bäzabeh claimed

that as the eldest son he was the heir to the throne, but this claim
was not supported by members of the Royal House of Gojjam.
Wäyzäro Laqäö, Täklä-Haymanot's legal wife, supported by his con-
fessor, wrote the Emperor that the Negus had wished her to rule with
his children after his death. She had married Täklä-Hayamanot's and
her daughter, Wäyzäro Negest, to Ras Mäsfen, one of the Negus's
officials and a powerful noblmean from Damot. Thus, Wäyzäro La-
qäö could hold her own militarily in the struggle for succession. A
third group of officials led by Däjjazmac Seyyum also claimed the
throne in a letter to Emperor Menilek.
The Emperor was somewhat puzzled by the various claims, and

he postponed appointing any ruler over Gojjam for almost a year.
In the meantime, the Emperor gave the Galla region which Täklä-
Haymanot had controlled to Däjjazmac (later Ras) Dämesäw Näsibu
who governed Wälläga. He also sliced off the northwestern part of
the kingdom consisting of Damot, Agäw-Meder, Méčča, Ačafár,
Wândgé, and Qwara and gave it to his faithful advisor, Ras-Bitwäddäd
Mängäsa Atikäm, a native of Damot. Evidently, this did not please
Täklä-Haymanot's family or the people of Gojjam in general.
In autumn of 1901, Emperor Menilek appointed Däjjazmaö Sey-
yum governor of Gojjam. Seyyum was born in 1868 (?) at Däbrä-
Marqos. His mother was Wäyzäro Wešen. He seems to have been
Negus Täklä-Haymanot's favorite son, and he was certainly an ambi-
tious man. At the age of fourteen, he was made Fitawrari and gover-
ned Däga-Damot under the tutelage of Afä-Negus Yegzaw Çsâté,
one of Täklä-Haymanot's officials. In 1896, he was given the rank of
Däjjazmac and governed Méčča.
Däjjazmaö Seyyum married Wäyzäro Askalä-Maryam, the daughter

of Ras-Bitwäddäd Mängäsa Atikäm. Thus, there was a note of com-
promise in the Emperor's division of Gojjam. Däjjazmac Seyyum's
administration was very severe, and he lacked his father's generosity in
giving feasts. For these reasons he was not a popular governor. How-
ever, he fell from office not because he was unpopular, but because
he was overly ambitious. Däjjazmac Seyyum was too ambitious tobe
satisfied with the territory allotted to him. A year after his appoint-
ment he accused some of his father's officials of a plot to oust his
father-in-law, Ras-Bitwäddäd Mängäsa Atikäm, but the seal on the
document he produced as evidence was not genuine, and he was
condemned to life imprisonment.48
47. Le Roux, Mènèlik et nous (Paris, 1902), p. 422.

48. Gabrâ-Sellasé, loc. cit ., pp. 299-301.
- 44 -
Ras Bäzabeh replaced Däjjazmac Seyyum as governor of Gojjam.
In order to strengthen his governor's loyalty, Emperor Menilek ar-
ranged for his grand-daughter, Wäyzäro Zännäbä-Wärq Mika' él, tó
marry Ras Bäzabeh. Zännäbä-Wärq was born in the mid-1890's, and
she must have been a child of about ten when Bäzabeh married her.
In any case, she died soon afterwards, and Ras Bäzabeh took up his
brother's intrigue against Ras-Bitwäddäd Mängäsa. He was sent to the
prison of Afqära in 1905, and died there in August of the same year.
Chronicler Gâbrâ-Sellasé notes that Emperor Menilek was disap-
pointed with the sons of Negus Täklä-Haymanot and governed Gojjam
through his own meslanéwoč , or proxies.49 However, the decline of
Emperor Menilek's health after 1906, and the increasingly active role of
Empress Tay tu in state affairs brought Dájjazmač Seyyum back into
the political arena. In December, 1906, the Emperor released him
from prison and reinstated him in the next year to his governorate.
In order to gain an advantage over his rival, Ras-Bitwäddäd Mängäsa,
Däjjazmaö Seyyum divorced Wäyzäro Askalä-Maryam Mängäsa and
married Wäyzäro Assäläfäö Wândé, the Empress's niece and widow of
Däjjazmac Yelma Mäkonnen.50 In addition, Wäyzäro Negest, his half
sister, was married to Däjjazmac Gässässä, a nephew of the Empress.
Däjjazmaö Seyyum was consequently made Ras and given a new name,
Haylu, after his ancestor51, Haylu the Great. He was also made
governor of Gojjam, including Damot. Agäw-Meder and the western
lowlands were retained by Ras Käbbädä, the son of Ras - Bitwäddäd
Mängäsa who succeeded his father around 1910.
Ras Haylu was interested in keeping his position and regaining
his father's lost territories. He also maintained an interest in com-
merce until his death. Soon after Empress Taytu was removed from
politics and the Regent Ras-Bitwäddäd Täsämma Nadäw died in April
1911, Ras Haylu gave his daughter, Sâblâ-Wângél who was only
fourteen, to the ruling prince Lej Iyasu. He also divorced Assälä-
fač, and Lej Iyasu restored to him Agäw-Meder and the territories
bordering the Sudan. Thus he governed all of present day Gojjam,
which had been carved out by his father.
Although Lej Iyasu had helped him in all his achievements, Ras
Haylu did not openly support the deposed prince in 1916. Because
of his stance of opportunistic neutrality, he was able to maintain his
position throughout the reign of Empress Zäwditu. In fact, he married
a young lady brought up by Fitäwrari Habtä-Giyorgis, who shared the
administration of the government with Empress Zäwditu and His
Highness Ras Täfäri, and he maintained a smooth relationship with
the central government. He also visited Europe in 1924 with the
Regent.
Ras Haylu, though interested in new things, did not introduce
many innovations in Gojjam. He had a few bridges built and im-
49. Ibid,, p. 315.

50. He was the eldest son of His Highness Ras Mäkonnen and succeeded his
father as Governor of Harär in 1906. He died of illness two years later,
survived by a daughter and a son.
51. P. Mérab, Impressions ď Ethiopie (Paris, 1921-1929), 11,72.
45 -
proved the road from Däbrä-Marqos to the Abbay,52 but he opened
no schools or hospitals in Gojjam and is not remembered for his
social reforms. He owned a number of taxis, a cinema, and a night
club in Addis Abäba,53 but these were outside the province he governed
and amounted to personal business more than anything else. He taxed
the people heavily and put down rebellions severely, and he became
one of the richest and strongest men in the country. In the years
1925-27, an American zoological expeditionary group described him as
follows:
"Ras Hailu is perhaps the most powerful chief in Abyssinia after

Ras Tafari. He is certainly the most picturesque and interest-
ing. Like an Old-Man-of-the-Mountain he resides in his
stronghold at Debra-Markos among the high peaks of his vast
domians; monarch of all he surveys. His father before him
ruled Gojjam, andito^ Hailu, born to the purple, is the ty-
pical highland chieftain, brooking no restraint, no interference.
Gojjam is a wide and rich holding with its immense herds
of cattle, sheep, horses, and mules; its populous villages
crowning the hilltops; its churches, hords of priests, and an
estimated population of two million, not counting slaves.
From the Sudan border on the west to the big bend of the
Blue Nile, from Lake Tsana south to Shoa, this great country
belongs, bag and baggage, to Ras Hailu. The first principle, the
Golden Rule of its inhabitants, is loyalty to their hereditary
chieftain; his word is absolute law, life or death - what Ras
Hailu says goes in Gojjam.54"
He attended the coronation of Emperor Haylâ-Sellasé I in Addis
Abäba in November, 1930, and he was promoted to the status of
Le'ul-Ras . However, he was implicated in the escape of Lej Iyasu
from prison in June of the next year, and he was sentenced to life
imprisonment. He was incarcerated at Zway, Dändi, Méčča, and
Ankobär in turn, but his property remained untouched, and he carried
out his business through agents.
The Fascists released him from prison55 in 1936, and he continued

his business in Addis Abäba. They did not give him* a region to
govern, but he was well treated and became even wealthier. Some-
time in 1938, the patriots printed a leaflet accusing him of betraying
his people by amassing great personal wealth and arranging marriages
between Ethiopian women and Italian men. At any rate, he arranged
52. Pankhurst, Economic History of Ethiopia , 1880-1935, pp. 290, 294, 302, 715.
53. E. Waugh, Remote People (London, 1934), p. 43; also Pankhurst, ibid.
54. E. Baum, Unknown Ethiopia (New York, 1935),
p. 241.
55. Africana Orientale Italiana , loc. cit., see in alphabetical order under "Hailu."
According to Moseley, Haylä Sellasé's biographer, the Emperor had intended
to take Ras Haylu abroad and actually took him on the train to Dire-Dawa,
but Ras Haylu escaped, see Leonard Mosley, Haile Sellassie the Conquering
Lion (London, 1964), pp. 231-232 He was, in any case, with the Italians until
1941.
- 46 -
political marriages for his female relatives.56 For example, he married
his daughter, Denqánáš, to Ras Gétacâw Abatä, a nobleman who had
joined the Italians. The Fascist sent him to pacify Gojjam in Decem-
ber, 1940, at a time when the patriots had become more active. A
few months later he met the Emperor at Däbrä-Marqos. He was
not reinstated as governor, but remained in Addis Abäba until he
died of illness in 1950. His nephew, Däjjazmac (later Le'ul-Ras)
Haylu Bäläw was made governor of Gojjam and after some time was
appointed Crown councillor.
Gojjam was thus ruled from the eightenth century to the middle
of the twentieth century by its own dynasty which enjoyed a certain
degree of autonomy and full power within its own territory. The
ruling family had already become so large by the middle of the nine-
teenth century that the members were divided by political rivalry.
The most powerful ruler in the family was Ras Adal, a descendent of
Ras Haylu the Great through a female line who was crowned Negus
Täklä-Haymanot in 1881. He was able to rule Gojjam in peace for
only a brief period, but during this time the province was expanded
geographically, achieved political stability, economic development and
religious unity. Täklä-Haymanot's sons, though given this substantial
inheritance, lost prestige and power by their rivalry and incessant
intrigues. In addition, political power was being centralized in Addis
Abäba, and regional authority was on the decline. Except for the period
of about ten years when Täklä-Haymanot ruled in peace, Gojjam, like
many other provinces of Ethiopia, suffered intermittent plunder and
devastation which hampered consistent economic growth and progress.
56. The National Archives, Microcopy T, 81, 467-175-6, as quoted in Richard

Pankhurst, "Italy and Ethiopia: The First Four Years of the Resitance
Movement (1936-1941)," Africa Quarterly , IX, 1970, p. 357.
- 47 -
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Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis Abboyyé Abba-Säggäd
c. 1859-1918
Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis was one of the most capable military leaders

and provincial governors in Ethiopia during the late nineteenth and
early twentieth centuries. He was also one of the councillors closest
to the Imperial court, since he was related by consaguinity and mar-
riage to Emperor Menilek II and Empress Taytu. His father, Ato
Abboyé Abba-Jawwi, probably the same Abboyyé whom Emperor
Téwodros made regent of Säwa in 1859,1 was a nobleman from Mänz.
Through his mother, Wäyzäro Ayahlušem, daughter of Negus Sahlä
Sellasé of Säwa, who reigned from 1813 to 1847, Wäldä-Giyorgis was
first cousin to Emperor Menilek II. He married, Wäyzäro YaSi-Emmä-
bét, cousin of Emperess Taytu.
Little is known about his early life and educational background.
Blattén-Géta Heruy Wâldâ-Sellasé states that he was brought up by
Emperor Menilek.2 This may well be true, since it was the custom for
the children of nineteenth-century notables to be reared at the Imperial
court, observing royal etiquette and practicing horsemanship, marks-
manship, and hunting, their formal education, however, consisted of
nothing more than the reading of the Psalms.
Wäldä-Giyorgis began his career of governorship in the early 1880's
when Ras Gobäna3 and some other generals were engaged in the
conquest and pacification of the South. The French traveler Jules Borel-
li mentions him as Däjjazmac and governor of the territory of Limu
in the middle 1880's.4 Limu was the first region where Däjjazmac
Wäldä-Giyorgis demonstrated his military leadership. From that area he
led a series of successful military expeditions to the neighbouring ter-
ritories.
In 1885, Däjjazmac Wäldä-Giyorgis, with the assistance of Tulu

Abba-Jifar of Jimma, took the kingdom of Janjero, or Yamma. The
German anthropologist F. J. Bieber states that he captured a number
of cattle and slaves during this campaign.5 Four years later he con-
quered Dawro, a region that was traditionally tributary to Käfa, and
also Konta, to the south of Jimma. He expanded his territories as
far as the Omo River, and farther to the south and west, to Lake
Rudolf. Wäldä-Giyorgis governed all these territories except for Jan-
jero, which was given first to Abba-Jifar and later to other officials,
including Däjjazmac Webé.
1. Asmé, Yä-Galla Tarik (Ms., I. E. S. 173, N.D.), folios 69 and 70.

2. Heruy Wâldâ-Sellasé, Yä-Heywat Tarik (Addis Abäba, 1915 E.C), pp.71-72.
3. For a biography of this personality, seeBairu Tafla, "Three Portraits," Journal
of Ethiopian Studies , (1967,) V. 2, 145-150
4. Jules Borelli, Ethiopie méridionale (Paris, 1890), p. 151.
5. F.J. Bieber, Kaff a: ein altkuschitisches Volkstum in Inner-Africa , (Munster»
1920), I. 97.
- 50 -
Däjjazmac Wäldä-Giyorgis was constantly engaged in strenous ef-
forts of pacification and reconstruction within his vast territory. In
1893 he was rewarded by Emperor Menilek with the title of Ras.
The regions under his care were remote and difficult to govern. When
Emperor Menilek II declared the mobilization of the Ethiopian army
in 1895 to repel the advancing Italians in the North, Ras Wäldä-
Giyorgis could not arrive at the capital in time to participate. Menilek
however, ordered him, together with Azza j Wäldä-Sadeq and Däjjaz-
mac (later Ras-Bitwäddäd) Täsämma Nadäw, to campaign in Awsa
against Muhammad Anfari, who at the instigation of the Italians had
rebelled. The commander of this expedition was Azzaj Wäldä-Sadeq.6
The campaign ended with victory for the triumvirate forces, and news
of their success coincided with the victory of Emperor Menilek at
Adwa.7
The territories that Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis had governed for several
years now seemed in need of further pacification. In his absence dur-
ing 1895 and 1896 Gansa, king of Dawro, had risen in rebellion and
destroyed the governor's house.8 This news was not, however, received
with alarm at the victorious court of Emperor Menilek: it was proba-
bly taken for granted, and rightly so, that this rebellion could easily
be brought under control; therefore the Emperor entrusted Ras Wäldä-
Giyorgis with a more formidable task, that of conquering Käfa.
The conquering of the kingdom of Käfa was perhaps the most
difficult task that the army of Emperor Menilek faced in the late
nineteenth century. Ras Gobäna (1882), Däjjazmac Bäsah Abboyé9
(1885 and 1889), and other officers (1890) had led unsuccessful expedi-
tions against the kingdom. Galli and Gaki, consecutive rulers of Käfa,
pretended to submit to Emperor Menilek, but repeatedly refused to
pay the required tribute. It was Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis who finally cap-
tured Gaki and brought the country under control.
In the spring of 1896, soon after the victory of Adwa, Emperor
Menilek appointed Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis to lead a huge military force
whose efforts were to ensure the complete conquest of Käfa. A num-
ber of generals were assigned to assist Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis. Bulatovich,
the Russian soldier who took part in the campaign, gives an estimated
count of the expeditionary forces: 15,000 men, half of whom were
equipped with guns, led by Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis; 8,000 men, half of
them with guns, under the command of Däjjazmac Dâmessé; and 8,000,
almost all with guns, commanded by Däjjazmac flater Ras-Bitwäddäd)
Täsämma.10 Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis was thus at the head of 31,000 sol-
diers, most of whom were equipped with modern weapons.
The campaign was an arduous one for both sides. King Gaki
Säroco, otherwise known as Čanito, fought on even after his capital,
Andarača, was captured. He ordered the destruction of grain and houses
in order that his enemies might suffer and retreat, but in vain. Ras
6 . For a biography of this commander, see Bairu Tafia, "Two Ethiopian Biogra-
phies," Journal óf Ethiopian Studies (1968) VI, 1, 123-125.
7. Gäbrä - Sellasé, Tarika - Zämän Zä - Dagmawi Menilek (Addis Ababa, 1959
E. C.), p. 258.
8. Bieber, op. cit., I, 95.
9. Brother of Negus Wäldä Giyorgis, a brave commander who governed vast
regions in the South; he died at the Battle of Adwa, March 2, 1896.
10. Quoted in Bieber, op. cit., I, 100.
- 51 -
Wäldä-Giyorgis pressed hard, and in March 1897 the various forces
met at Andarača. In September 1897, after a pursuit of several months,
Čanito was captured. Two months later he was brought to Addis Aba-
ba in silver chains and presented to Emperor Menilek
The success of Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis in this campaign greatly enhan-
ced his prestige as a leader; his following grew immensely and his
popularity was tremendous. On the occasion of the seventh anniver-
sary of the campaign of Adwa, he paraded in Addis Abäba at the head
of 32,000 armed soldiers, the largest group among those participating.
Once victory was his, Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis set himself the task of
rebuilding Käfa, which had been devastated by both the defenders
and the attacking forces. He restored peace and revived the economy
through agriculture, trade, and cattle rearing; his moderate and just
administration was a striking contrast to the administration of his
successors in the governorship after 1910. In that year, Ras Wäldä-
Giyorgis was transferred to Bâgémder, which he governed in conjunc-
tion with Semén and Agäw-Meder until his death in 1918.
What role Ras Wäldä-Giyogris played in the period of politica
turmoil following the illness and death of Emperor Menilek is not
clear. His personal valour, his prestige as a military leader, his patrio-
tism, and his family and marital connections would have placed him
in a good position if he had chosen to lead a faction or bid for
power. In fact, as Dr. Mérab, the Georgian physician who knew him
well, states certain people attempted to interest him in marching to
Addis Abäba and seizing the crown, but he remained loyal to the
ruling house, and Lej Iyyasu himself seems to have held him in
high esteem.11 Certain government officials at Addis Abäba were
perhaps among those who urged the Ras to claim the crown: Lej
(later Qämazmac) Bäyänä, Minister of Posts and Telegraph, was
accused of cabling Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis, telling him to be ready to
take power, since the situation in Addis Abäba was deteriorating.12
The Ras was, in fact, in legitimate line for the crown, as the fol-
lowing genealogical talbe shows.
Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis stayed in his governorship throughout the
regency of Lej Iyasu and probably remained aloof from the political
plot of 1916 that ended with the overthrow of the ruling prince. It
would seem, however, that he was concerned to some extent about the
political situation, which had placed the fortunes of the Empire in
jeopardy. A couplet of the time implies his dissatisfaction:
M rtt-Ä4 hftlňa*
Abba-Säggäd Wâldé should not be di
KM.V vnc Arta*
For Gobé, too, did so pacify for others13
11. P. Mérab, Impressions ď Ethiopie (Paris: 1922), II 70 f.

12. Ibid.
13. This couplet compares Wäldä-Gyorgis to Ras Gobäna, who was a great
soldier and the conqueror of vast lands in the south and west, but who did
not enjoy the fruits of his conquests. He was suspected of usurping power,
and was, therefore, confined to the governorship of Wälläga in the late
1880's. The simile implies that Wäldä-Giyorgis deserved a better reward than
he received.
- 52 -
Leland Buxton, a member of the British diplomatic corps in Addis
Abäba in 1917, remembered that when Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis attended the
coronation of Empress Zäwditu, he seemed discontented with the
political situation of the time.14 If this allegation is true, his discon-
tent would have been likely to perpetuate the political instability of
the country. At this juncture, however, he was rewarded in proportion
to his accomplishments by being given the crown of Negus of Gondär
in March 1917. He died, probably of an illness, a year later and was
buried at Gondär.
Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis was slighter in built than most of his

countrymen. He had a fine face, delicate manners, a lively mind, and
the reputation of being knowledgeable in religious literature, accord-
ing to an account given by Dr. Mérab, who was his physician for
several years.15 He could read, but the extent of his formal educa-
tion is not known. One informant16 recalls that he recited the Wedasé-
Maryam17 and other prayers frequently and that he attended church
services regularly. There was a Se'el-bét (a tiny chapel) at his court
for his personal use. It is not clear whether he was well-versed in
theology. Mérab criticizes him for being intolerant of Christian sects
other than the Orthodox Church,' which was for him the only true
representative church of Christ.18 This attitude of intolerance may
have contributed to his decision to imprison the Ethiopian scholar and
writer Aläqa Tayé in 1910-1911.
In all other ways, Wäldä-Giyorgis was amiable and just. The
German delegation of 1905 found him a jovial man and noted his
privileged position at the Imperial court, as well as his important rôle
in provincial administration.19 His wisdom as a judicial administrator
was as impressive as his powers of military leadership. He listened
to complaints wherever he happened to be, and gave strict orders
for their satisfaction. If during litigation he perceived that someone
was weak in defending his case, he would call in Fitawrari Daba, the
official in charge of his court, and order him to find the man a
good advocate, lest God punish the dignitary if the litigant suffered
because of his inability to properly present his case.20
The huge and fertile territory that Wäldä-Giyorgis governed in

the south was inhabited by various peoples with different social struc-
tures and customs. It is said that he did his best to administer all
ustly. At one time he levied a dollar from each farmer annually. It
14. A. Hodson, Seven Years in Southern Abyssinia (London, 1927), p. 135.

15. Mérab, II., ibid .
16. I am grateful to Abba-Yegal, 79, for this and other materials in the present
article. The interview took place at his residence in Addis Abäba on 6-8-1965.
17. A prayer-book composed in praise of St. Mary and traslated into Ge'ez
from the Arabic in the 15th century.
18. Mérab, IL, ibid.
19. F. Rosen, Eine Deutsche Gesandtschaft in Abessinien (Leipzig 1907), p. 200;
and, H. Vollbrecht, Im Reiche des Negus Negesti Menelik II (Stuttgart,
1906), p. 78.
20. I am grateful to the late Blattén Géta Sahlé Sädalu, a high Ethiopian govern-
ment official, for this and other materials in the present article. The inter-
view was made at his home in Addis Abäba on 6-11-1965.
- 53 -
was later proposed by his officers that this sum be increased, but the
increase was met with complaints and criticism by the people. A man
from Käfa is said to have told the governor: "Birds feed on the fruit
of a sycamore tree; they cry, but the tree never complains." On hear-
ing this, Wäldä-Giyorgis immediately instructed his officials to treat the
people more justly, and the raising of the tax was abandoned.
Injustice incensed Wäldä-Giyorgis greatly, and he was rigorous in

his punishment of criminals. He appointed a certain Fitäwrari Abärra
from the north as governor of the district of Gimbo. The Fitawrari ,
a hot-tempered man, shot down his servant for some trivial offense.
The father of the deceased complained to Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis, who
forthwith avenged the death of the servant by hanging Abärra on the
gallows. This action, however, aroused the anger of Emperor Menilek,
who felt that Wäldä-Giyorgis, had usurped his own prerogatives; he
therefore curtailed the power of the provincial governors, at least in
theory, by reserving to himself the right to pronounce the sentence
of death.
Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis visited Addis Abäba occasionally with a large

entourage. His court was located on the southern edge of the present-
day market-place, between, the courts of. two important peers and
friends, Fitawrari Habtä-Giyorgis and Ras Täsämma. The latter was
perhaps his closest friend, various sources indicate that the two men
spent most of their time together.21 The court of Wäldä-Giyorgis
was spacious and impressive. Skinner, the American traveler who
visited it at the begginning of the present century, describes it
as follows:
The Ras Oualdo Gorghis, an uncie of the Emperor and ruler of

an outlying province, had erected this place for his own comfort,
when he should have occasion to visit the capital and pay homage
to his suzerain. A dobe wall, such as they build in Mexico, sur-
rounded the large park, which was subdivided into numerous com-
pounds. In the central compound stood the palace. The palace was
probably 100 feet long by 80 feet wide, one story high, and divided
into two rooms. The external walls were made of sun-dried bricks,
such as we saw in process of manufacture as we approached from
the Guebi . . . Our palace was oval in shape. There were several
large doors and two windows in each room. The windows had
solid wooden shutters, but no galls. Upon the floor were laid
numerous Oriental rugs, and in the front-room was a divan, or
throne, a long table, and many chairs. Portraits of the Emperor
and of the Patriarch of Alexandria were upon the walls. After our
tent life it all seemed quite sumptous. The general, judges, and
21. Aläqa Kenfä Addisu, a contemporary writer, records that Wäldä-Giyorgis and
Ras Täsämma were involved in a boundry conflict in Gimira in 1900, but
that the question was soon settled when officers sent by Menilek demarcated
the area. See Diary of Aläqa Kenfä Addisu (Folio 5 V), an unpublished ms.
in the private possession of Dr. Aleme Eshete. This conflict did not affect the
friendship of Wäldä-Giyorgis and Ras Täsämma. Later sources leave .no
doubt in confirming this point. See Rosen, op. cit€> p. 201; and, Mérab,
op. cit., II., p. 71.
- 54 -
colonels were as amiable as possible, and we became vary good
friends.22
Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis maintained harmonious relations with the

Imperial couple as well as with the notables. In order to avoid any
conflict between the Emperor and his own officials, he sent messengers
from time to time from his governorate to see if there were any at
the capital summoned to account for their actions and attitudes,
who had been waiting a long time to receive an audience with the
Emperor. He would send them provisions and advise them to wait
patiently until the Emperor gave them his decision, or until he him-
self could come to intercede on their behalf.
Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis was wealthy and led a very comfortable

life. In the early part of his life he was interested in hunting and
horseback riding, for which his huge territory was ideal. His moral
habits seem from all indications to have been better than those of
many of his peers. He was married to Wäyzäro Yáši-Emmábét, a cous
of Empress Tay tu. The number of his children is unknown, but
of his sons, Fitawrari Alämayyähu and Fitawrari Gäbrä-Maryam, wer
remembered by informants, although nothing of significance was re
led about their activities. Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis spent much of h
time while in Addis Abäba at the Imperial court, or at his own
court, attending to administrative affairs, hearing complaints, and
presiding over the rich feasts that he often held for his following. The
little time that was left was employed in prayers, chatting with the
elders, listening to the bäganä (lyre) and playing sänfäräj (the Ethiopian
game of chess).
Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis, though not renowned for his innovations
was not opposed to change. He enjoyed collecting foreign firearms,
and his court was furnished with imported furniture. He was receptive
to the discoveries of foreign medicine and to the medical diagnoses of
foreign physicians, as well as to the friendship of foreigners.
To sum up, Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis was a respected nobleman, a
distinguished military leader, and an outstanding governor. He played
an active role in the expansion, pacification, and consolidation of the
Ethiopian Empire before the turn of the century, and can therefore be
considered one of the founders of modern Ethiopia.
22. R. P. Skinner, Abyssinia of Today (London, 1906), pp. 80-81.
- 55 -

Two of The Last Provincial Kings of Ethiopia

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Two of The Last Provincial Kings of Ethiopia

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Two of 'he Lasf Provincial Kings of Ethiopia

Negus Täklä-Haymanot Abba-Tänna of Gojjam,

Wäyzäro Denqenäs married Däjjazmac Zâwdé Salim4 of Esté,

9. Aläqa Täklä-Iyäsus, "Chronicle of Negus Täklä-Haymanot of Gojjam"

The account of the struggle between Dájjazmač Dästa and Lej

While Dájjazmač Dästa was still faced with Adal's rebellion,

Unlike Dájjazmač Dästa, Ras Adal realised that to retain control

12. Aläqa Täklä-Iyäsus, the chronicler of Negus Täklä-Haymanot, and variou»

As soon as the Emperor was gone, Ras Adal returned to the

Emperor Yohannes responded positively. In fact, he entrusted

In 1875, Egyptians invaded Northern Ethiopia from the east and

Ras Adal, in any case, was ruler of a huge territory almost

20. QãMazmac Haylé Zälläqä, Yä-Däjjazmac Gârmamé Yä-Heywät Tarik (Ms,

Emperor Yohannes was at Däbrä-Tabor, and, having sent an order

Negus Menilek seemingly lost Wällo, but a marriage agreement

30. Bianchi, op. cit., pp. 528-531.

His defeat at Sarwäha not only ended any hopes Täklä-Haymanot

Negus Menilek went to Bâgémder where he displayed his military

In February, 1889, Emperor Yohannes marched into Gojjam.

Emperor Menilek gave Negus Täklä-Haymanot control of Gojjam

38. Asmé, loc. cit., part II, folio 101.

It is not clear whether Negus Täklä-Haymanot's military expedi-

40* R. Pankhurst, "The Great Ethiopian Famine of 1888-1892: a new asses-

Täklä-Haymanot's health grew worse after 1898, and he died at

Negus Täklä-Haymanot was survived by his wife, Wäyzäro Laqäc

44. Täklä-Iyäsus, loe . c/7., folio 95.

Soon after the death of Täklä-Haymanot, Ras Bäzabeh claimed

The Emperor was somewhat puzzled by the various claims, and

Däjjazmaö Seyyum married Wäyzäro Askalä-Maryam, the daughter

47. Le Roux, Mènèlik et nous (Paris, 1902), p. 422.

49. Ibid,, p. 315.

"Ras Hailu is perhaps the most powerful chief in Abyssinia after

The Fascists released him from prison55 in 1936, and he continued

56. The National Archives, Microcopy T, 81, 467-175-6, as quoted in Richard

Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis was one of the most capable military leaders

In 1885, Däjjazmac Wäldä-Giyorgis, with the assistance of Tulu

1. Asmé, Yä-Galla Tarik (Ms., I. E. S. 173, N.D.), folios 69 and 70.

11. P. Mérab, Impressions ď Ethiopie (Paris: 1922), II 70 f.

Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis was slighter in built than most of his

The huge and fertile territory that Wäldä-Giyorgis governed in

14. A. Hodson, Seven Years in Southern Abyssinia (London, 1927), p. 135.

Injustice incensed Wäldä-Giyorgis greatly, and he was rigorous in

Ras Wäldä-Giyorgis visited Addis Abäba occasionally with a large

The Ras Oualdo Gorghis, an uncie of the Emperor and ruler of

Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis maintained harmonious relations with the

Negus Wäldä-Giyorgis was wealthy and led a very comfortable

22. R. P. Skinner, Abyssinia of Today (London, 1906), pp. 80-81.

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