| Hezqeyas | |
|---|---|
| Emperor of Ethiopia | |
| Reign | 26 July 1789 – January 1794 |
| Predecessor | Tekle Giyorgis I |
| Successor | Tekle Giyorgis I |
| Died | 13 September 1813 |
| Dynasty | House of Solomon |
| Father | Iyasu III |
 |
Hezqeyas (died 13 September 1813) [1] was Emperor of Ethiopia from 26 July 1789 to January 1794, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Iyasu III.
Hezqeyas was brought down from the Royal prison on Wehni by Azaj Dagale and Kantiba Ayadar, who made him Emperor, while the reigning Emperor, Tekle Giyorgis, was in the field campaigning against several revolts. Tekle Giyorgis started from Aringo to suppress this threat, but the Dejazmaches Amade and Ali Borshe, with detachments of Ras Aligaz's followers, met him at the village of Salam, and tried to encircle his army; Tekle Giyorgis managed to escape and crossed over the Abay to find refuge in Gojjam. [2] Meanwhile, one of the first acts of Hezqeyas made as emperor was to appoint Ras Haile Yosadiq governor of Gojjam and Fitawrari Ikonyan Dejazmach of Damot. [3]
According to E. A. Wallis Budge, in the early years of his reign Hezqeyas provided a refuge for Selasse, who had raided Tigray. Hezqeyas made raids towards the frontier with Sennar, which he plundered and lay waste to. [4] However the Royal Chronicle provides a different narrative. Shortly after his elevation Emperor Tekle Giyorgis marched on Gondar, and upon learning of his advance Hezqeyas fled from the city. When Hezqeyas reached Kemekem, he was joined there by Dejazmach Hailu Eshte, Fitawrari Ikonyan, Dejazmach Hailu Terbenos, and others; reinforced, Hezqeyas marched back to Gondar and Tekle Giyorgis abandoned the city, proceeding to Gojjam by way of Dengel Ber, where he was joined by Ras Haile Yosadiq, and together they marched on Gondar. But once there, at the last moment Tekle Giyorgis declined to engage Hezqeyas in battle and instead proceeded to Mount Wehni, where he released his relatives from the Royal prison. [5] Hezqeyas' supporters attempted to restore him to Gondar, but found Qegnazmach Gualej had occupied it; they defeated Gualej who fled to Sar Weha. [6]
For much of the first year of Hezqeyas' rule the Ras Betwodded Aligaz could not directly intervene to support this emperor because he had his hands full consolidating his own position: he faced armed resistance to succeeding his brother Ras Ali, including members of his own family such as Dejazmach Alula, the Fitawrari Sadiq, and the Jantirar Yasufe. [7] When he was able to resolve these challenges, he supported the Emperor Hezqeyas by sending the Maqet Azmach Wolde Mikael to assist him. [8] Despite this, although the majority of the great lords supported Hezqeyas, Tekle Haymanot made his own appointments from his refuge in Gojjam, undermining Hezqeyas' authority, "for the Kingdom was split in two." [9]
The following year Tekle Giyorgis had a falling out with his primary supporter Ras Tekle Yosadiq; Tekle Giyorgis fled Gojjam, seeking the support of another noble, Dejazmach Gadlu, who refused to receive him; Tekle Giyorgis then turned to Ras Aligaz for help who responded positively, but once Tekle Haymanot arrived at Aligaz's palace at Filakit Gereger he was imprisoned at Emakina. [10] Hezqeyas then spent the rainy season of 1790 at Filakit Gereger before returning to Gondar. [11] The only action emperor Hezqeyas took that the chronicler felt was worth recording in 1791 was to send a general's robe to Ras Aligaz and spend the rainy season in Gondar. [12]
It appears that in 1792 Emperor Hezqeyas acted against his primary supporter, Ras Aligaz: that year Hezqeyas, Abuna Yosab and Ichege Wolde Iyasus held a council where they declared that they will "not submit to the Galla"—a clear reference to either Aligaz or his family; the Royal Chronicle records that later that year a battle was fought near Gondar where the Emperor and the two leaders of the Ethiopian church were defeated. "And on the coming of the Galla all that was what was done." [13] Not long after this, Haile Wand Bewossen went to Emakina and freed Tekle Giyorgis; they proceeded to Lalibela where the Emperor resided for a while, apparently mustering his supporters. When Hezqeyas heard that his rival had left Emakina, he advanced at the head of an army from Gondar, first to Tsenjana, then to the house of Dejazmach Haile Eshte where they were joined by Ras Aligaz, where they "took counsel together." [14]
Several battles then followed, ending with Hezqeyas fleeing to Dengel Ber. The restored Emperor Tekle Giyorgis then met with his supporters to decide on their next step, but a lack of consensus led to Tekle Giyorgis going to Wegera and Dejazmach Gabriel going to Begemder late in 1793. [15] The Royal Chronicle records that towards the end of his reign one of the warlords, Dejazmach Wolde Gabriel, entered Gondar and "made appointments and dismissals without leave of the Negus [Hezqeyas]." A few months later the disgruntled Balambaras Asserat entered the capital city to expel the Dejazmach, and in the fighting his men set fire to the Gan Takal, part of the Royal Enclosure. [16]
Hezqeyas made one last attempt to retain the throne, before the end of 1793, entering Gondar with the support of Qegnazmach Mare'ed, Dejazmach Gugsa, and Dejazmach Aklog. However, Hezqeyas immediately returned to Ras Aligaz's camp, while Mar'ed and Aklog remained in Gondar for one more month before leaving for their provinces. [17]
The Royal chronicle notes Hezqeyas met his son the Emperor Egwale Seyon in 1802, as he was travelling from Zage to Gondar. His son then escorted him for the rest of his journey and conducted him to the house of the Ichege. [18] The traveler Henry Salt notes that Hezqeyas was still alive at the time of his visit to northern Ethiopia in 1809/1810. [19]
Tekle Giyorgis II was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1868 to 1871.
Tekle Haymanot II, throne name: Admas Sagad III was Emperor of Ethiopia from 18 October 1769 to 13 April 1777, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Yohannes II by Woizero Sancheviyar, at the Imperial prison of Mount Wehni.
Susenyos II was Emperor of Ethiopia from August 1770 to December 1770. His name at birth was Wolde Giyorgis; he was the son of a noble woman who had lost her fortune and made her living by carrying jars of water, while it was rumored that he was the illegitimate son of the deceased ruler Iyasu II. The Scottish traveller James Bruce, who was living in the capital city of Gondar at the time, described him as "a drunkard, a ruffian, and a profligate".
Tekle Giyorgis I, throne name Feqr Sagad, was Emperor of Ethiopia intermittently between 20 July 1779 and June 1800, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the youngest son of Yohannes II and Woizoro Sancheviyer, and the brother of Tekle Haymanot II.
Salomon II was Emperor of Ethiopia from 13 April 1777 to 20 July 1779. He was the son of Abeto Adigo. He may be identical with the Emperor Solomon whom the traveler Henry Salt lists as one of the Emperors still alive at the time of his visit in 1809/1810.
Iyasu III was Emperor of Ethiopia from 16 February 1784 to 24 April 1788, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Abeto Azequ, and the grandson of Iyasu II.
AtseBaeda Maryam was proclaimed Emperor of Ethiopia in Tigray and Gojjam by Dejazmach Wolde Gabriel, the son of Ras Mikael Sehul, who was opposed to Ras Ali of Begemder.
Baeda Maryam II was Emperor of Ethiopia from 15 April to December 1795. He may have been the son of Salomon II. Although E. A. Wallis Budge, in his book A History of Ethiopia: Nubia and Abyssinia, notes some authorities believe Baeda Maryam was the same person as Salomon III, Nathaniel Pearce, who met the former Emperor when he visited Ras Wolde Selassie 20 January 1813, states that he had been Emperor only once, for nine months.
Salomon III was Emperor of Ethiopia intermittently between 1796 and 1797, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Tekle Haymanot II. He may be identical with the Emperor Solomon whom the traveler Henry Salt lists as one of the Emperors still alive at the time of his visit in 1809/1810. E. A. Wallis Budge notes some authorities believe he was the same person as Baeda Maryam II.
Demetros was Emperor of Ethiopia intermittently between 1799 and 1801, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Arqedewos. He may be the same person as the "Adimo" mentioned in the account of the traveler Henry Salt who was dead by the time of Salt's visit to northern Ethiopia in 1809/1810.
Yonas was Emperor of Ethiopia from 18 August 1797 to 4 January 1798, and a member of Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Letezum, and the grandson of the Emperor Fasilides.
Egwale Seyon, throne name Newaya Sagad, was Emperor of Ethiopia from June 1801 to 12 June 1818, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Hezqeyas.
Gugsa of Yejju was a Ras of Begemder, and Inderase (regent) of the Emperor of Ethiopia. According to Nathaniel Pearce, he took the Christian name of Wolde Mikael. He was the son of Mersu Barentu and Kefey, the sister of Ras Aligaz. Both Bahru Zewde and Paul B. Henze consider his reign as Ras and Enderase as the peak of the Yejju Dynasty during the Zemene Mesafint.
Aligaz of Yejju was Ras of Begemder, and Inderase (regent) of the Emperor of Ethiopia. He was the son of Abba Seru Gwangul and brother of Ali I of Yejju; he became both Ras and Inderase following Ali's death. Aligaz had four sons: Dejazmach Birru, Dejazmach Gobeze, Dejazmach Faris, and Dejazmach Gojjee.
Ali I of Yejju was Ras of Begemder, and following the death of Ras Mikael Sehul, Regent of the Emperor of Ethiopia. He was the son of Abba Seru Gwangul, chieftain of the Yejju, and Woizero Gelebu Faris, daughter of Ras Faris of Lasta.
Mentewab was Empress of Ethiopia, consort of Emperor Bakaffa, mother of Iyasu II and grandmother of Iyoas I. She was also known officially by her baptismal name of Walatta Giyorgis. Mentewab was a major political figure during the reigns of her son the Emperor Iyasu and grandson Iyoas. Empress Mentewab was also known by the honorific of Berhan Mogassa. This was to complement the honorific of her son Iyasu II, who was Berhan Seged.
Wolde Selassie was Ras of the Tigray province between 1788-1816, and Regent of the Ethiopian Empire between 1797-1800. John J. Halls, in his Life and Correspondence of Henry Salt, preserves a description of this powerful warlord, as "small in stature, and delicately formed, quick in his manner, with a shrewd expression, and considerable dignity in his deportment." Nathaniel Pearce also notes that Ras Wolde was an avid chess player, and "would play at from morning till night".
Dengel Ber is a town in western Ethiopia. Located on the south-western shore of Lake Tana in the Semien Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of 11°57′N37°00′E. Access to this town includes track roads to both Shawra and Kunzela and weekly service by the Bahir Dar-Gorgora ferry on Lake Tana. While the name of the town is indisputably Amharic, there is some disagreement over the meaning of its name: while "Pass of the Virgin" has been the most common interpretation since at least the days James Bruce visited Ethiopia, Huntingford and Beckingham state that it means "pass of canna plants".
Tekle Haymanot Tessemma, also known as Adal Tessemma, Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam, and Tekle Haimanot of Gojjam, was King of Gojjam. He later was an army commander and a member of the nobility of the Ethiopian Empire.
Gebre Tasfa better known as Gebre of Semien was the governor of Semien, Tsegede, Welkait and Wogera during the late 18th and early 19th century in Ethiopia. He held the title of Ras, and had an unusually long reign spanning 44 years during the tumultuous Zemene Mesafint when lords of each province and district continuously fought each other for supremacy. Ras Gebre was the primary backer of his son-in-law Emperor Tekle Giyorgis I claims to the throne.
