Tekle Giyorgis I of Ethiopia
Encyclopedia
Tekle Giyorgis I was Emperor of Ethiopia
(throne name Feqr Sagad) 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
.
According to Sven Rubenson, who described Teke Giyorgis as the last emperor to exercise authority on his own, "It is not without justification that he has in Ethiopian tradition received the nickname Fiṣame Mengist, 'the end of the government'".
Pearce continues his description on the next page, noting that Tekle Giyorgis
Then the Englishman concludes this description with an account of the former Emperor's character, by writing, "I shall begin by stating, in plain English, that he is a great liar and a great miser, and from his childhood has been remarkable for his changeable and deceitful temper, and utter disregard of his oath." Pearce illustrates this by his treatment of Wolde Gabriel, the son of Ras Mikael Sehul
, who had restored him to the throne after the Rasses Ali
and Meru rebelled against him: when Wolde Gabriel protested that his men were exhausted after their campaign against the rebels, and could not march forth with the Emperor to Shewa
, Tekle Giyorgis conspired with his captured foes to arrest and kept Wolde Gabriel in chains, until he had ransomed himself with "the last article of value he possessed".
and made him Emperor in 1779. According to E. A. Wallis Budge
, the Emperor proved unpopular from the beginning, and until he was deposed for the first time in 8 February 1784 by Ras Abeto of Gojjam, he was forced at times to seek a safe haven with Ras Wolde Selassie
.
However, the Royal Chronicle presents a very different picture, with the chronicler Alaqa Gabru stating that public opinion in Yebaba forced Kenfu Adam to elevate Tekle Giyorgis. In the first year of his reign he and Kenfu Adam had a falling out over the behavior of Kenfu's son-in-law Bajrond Tsadalu Egabet, who soon after his appointment was defeated in battle and had the signs of his office, the nagarit war drums, taken from him. Then an ally of Kenfu Adam, Gadlu, rebelled in Wolqayt and on 14 January 1780 the Emperor Tekle Giyorgis marched on Gadlu, putting the rebel's amba
under siege and blocking access to the amba's water supply. Negotiations for Gadlu's surrender dragged on fitfully until 18 March when Gadlu fled with a small group of his men to Bergetta. At that point Tekle Giyorgis' was forced to disengage when he learned that Kenfu Adam had brought the former Emperor, Salomon
, down from Wehni to be his candidate to replace Tekle Giyorgis. Tekle Giyorgis broke camp to face this threat, only to receive word that one of his other loyal nobles, Dejazmach Mebaras Boqatu, had defeated Kenfu Adam at Maryam Weha on 25 May, and both Kenfu Adam and Hailu Adara were now in custody.
Later in 1780, Kenfu Adam escaped from his imprisonment and made his way to Gojjam
; Tekle Giyrogis marched from Gondar on 4 November in pursuit. By 27 June 1781 he had reached Dangila
, where he learned that Kenfu Adam had been recaptured. Although Kenfu Adam and his brother Hailu Adara could have been executed for their acts instead, out of leniency, Tekle Giyorgis had them blinded.
That November, Tekle Giyrogis undertook another campaign to Wollo
, with the intent of visiting Shewa
and forcing its ruler, Asfa Wossen
, to submit. It was during this campaign that Tekle Giyorgis ordered the construction of Debre Metmaq Maryam church in Gondar, delegating the direct management of its building to Ras Ayadar. Richard Pankhurst
notes that this church is the last example of Imperial patronage in Gondar in that century.
The Emperor's first step was to secure his flank against the hostile Oromo
, whom he defeated at Wuchale 14 March 1782. At the same time he had to suppress a plot against him by putting Dejazmach Wolde Gabriel in chains. But once they reached the Bashilo
, his men mutinied at the prospect of crossing into Shewa, and he was forced to turn back; within three weeks, he was holding court in Aringo
. The tribute from Asfa Wossen which reached him months later was small compensation for this failure.
Alaqa Gabru continues Tekle Giyorgis' chronicle only until the beginning of his fifth regnal year, or mid-October 1782; from this point, the Royal chronicle is taken up with the biography of one of the warlords of the Zemene Mesafint
, Hailu Eshte. The fall of Tekle Giyorgis from his throne is told tersely: Dejazmach Ali Gwangul
and Ras Haile Yosadiq conspired to depose the emperor. Tekle Giyorgis marched from Gondar to Gojjam, where he expected to deal with Ras Hailu first, but the Ras managed to evade him and cross the Abay to join Dejazmach Ali. The Emperor withdrew across the Abay to Afarwanat, where he was defeated in battle and forced to flee into exile at Ambasell. Why Dejazmach Ali and Ras Hailu Yosadiq decided to rid themselves of Tekle Giyorgis, and who stood with the Emperor at Afarwanat is not recorded.
and Baeda Maryam
, supported by rivals of Ras Ali. Until he lost the throne 26 July 1789, Tekle Giyorgis was one of five Emperors ruling in Ethiopia in the years of 1788 and 1789 — the others being Iyasu III
, Tekle Haymanot
, Hezqeyas of Ethiopia
.
in the northwestern part of Begemder
to seek the support of Dejazmach Gadlu, but the Dejazmach would not receive him; however, Ras Aligaz
the brother of Ras Ali and who had a large army encamped at Chat Weha did receive him, and with his help Tekle Giyorgis was able to hold onto the throne until 15 April 1795.
.
Despite the fact that the Imperial throne had little power or income, Tekle Giyorgis continued to work towards his restoration. Pearce recounts how the common wisdom, while he lived in Ethiopia, expected Ras Wolde Selassie to restore Tekle Giyorgis to the throne. He notes a meeting the former Emperor and the Ras had at Axum
17 January 1814, but the Ras declined to help the former ruler. Tekle Giyorgis then left for the court of Wolde Selassie's rival, Ras Gebre, and stirred up trouble between the two until Wolde Selassie met Gebre, and was undeceived; Ras Wolde Selassie took custody of Tekle Giyorgis and afterwards exiled him to Axum, where he was kept under close watch until the Ras' death. Having fled to Axum after the death of his patron the Ras, Pearce found the former king doing quite well in that city, selling noble titles to the victorious warlords in return for shares of their plunder; only Sabagadis
refused to take a part in this trade. He died of natural causes at Axum, and was buried in the churchyard of Mariam Sean of that city.
Emperor of Ethiopia
The Emperor of Ethiopia was the hereditary ruler of Ethiopia until the abolition of the monarchy in 1974. The Emperor was the head of state and head of government, with ultimate executive, judicial and legislative power in that country...
(throne name Feqr Sagad) intermittently between 20 July 1779 and June 1800, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty
Solomonic dynasty
The Solomonic dynasty is the Imperial House of Abyssinia. Its members claim lineal descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, the latter of whom tradition asserts gave birth to the first King Menelik I after her Biblically described visit to Solomon in Jerusalem .-Overview:The dynasty, a...
. He was the youngest son of Yohannes II
Yohannes II of Ethiopia
Yohannes II or John II was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Iyasu I, and brother of Emperors Tekle Haymanot, Dawit III and Bakaffa....
and Woizoro Sancheviyer, and the brother of Tekle Haymanot II
Tekle Haymanot II of Ethiopia
Tekle Haymanot II was as Admas Sagad III of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
.
According to Sven Rubenson, who described Teke Giyorgis as the last emperor to exercise authority on his own, "It is not without justification that he has in Ethiopian tradition received the nickname Fiṣame Mengist, 'the end of the government'".
Physical description
Nathaniel Pearce, who lived in Ethiopia during the 1810s, was acquainted with Tekle Giyorgis and described the emperor, at age 66, as- tall, and stout in proportion, always wears his hair long and plaited; has large eyes, a Roman nose, not much beard, and a very manly and expressive countenance, though he is a great coward. He has a dark, shining skin which is very singular, as ... [his parents and brother], were very fair for Abyssinians ... while he, the youngest son, is as dark as mahoganyMahoganyThe name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
. The Ras [i.e. Wolde Selassie] who knew the whole family, often remarked this, and repeated "Black without and black within."
Pearce continues his description on the next page, noting that Tekle Giyorgis
- is remarkably proud of his person: though a little bald at the top of his head, he manages to have the hair, which is nearly a span long, so plaited and disposed as to hide the bald part. He always wears silver or gold bodkin with a large head, called wolever, upon his forehead; and round the instep, and below the ancle, a string of oval silver or gold beads, such as are worn by all women rich and poor, and which are called aloo.
Then the Englishman concludes this description with an account of the former Emperor's character, by writing, "I shall begin by stating, in plain English, that he is a great liar and a great miser, and from his childhood has been remarkable for his changeable and deceitful temper, and utter disregard of his oath." Pearce illustrates this by his treatment of Wolde Gabriel, the son of Ras Mikael Sehul
Mikael Sehul
Mikael Sehul was a Ras or governor of Tigray 1748–71 and again from 1772 until his death...
, who had restored him to the throne after the Rasses Ali
Ali I of Yejju
Ali I of Yejju was a 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 Oromo, and Gelebu Faras....
and Meru rebelled against him: when Wolde Gabriel protested that his men were exhausted after their campaign against the rebels, and could not march forth with the Emperor to Shewa
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
, Tekle Giyorgis conspired with his captured foes to arrest and kept Wolde Gabriel in chains, until he had ransomed himself with "the last article of value he possessed".
Life
Tekle Giyorgis gained and lost the Imperial throne five times after Hailu Adara and Kenfu Adam had him brought down from the royal prison at WehniWehni
Wehni is the name of one of the mountains of Ethiopia where most of the male heirs to the Emperor of Ethiopia were interned, usually for life. It was the last one the three such mountains -- or amba -- said to have been used for this purpose, the other two being Debre Damo and Amba Geshen.From...
and made him Emperor in 1779. According to E. A. Wallis Budge
E. A. Wallis Budge
Sir Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis Budge was an English Egyptologist, Orientalist, and philologist who worked for the British Museum and published numerous works on the ancient Near East.-Earlier life:...
, the Emperor proved unpopular from the beginning, and until he was deposed for the first time in 8 February 1784 by Ras Abeto of Gojjam, he was forced at times to seek a safe haven with Ras Wolde Selassie
Wolde Selassie
Wolde Selassie He was an Overlord of Tigray-Mereb Milash and a Ras Bitwoded of Ethiopia. He was the second son of Dejazmach Kefla Iyasus Amdamikael, hereditary chief of Enderta...
.
However, the Royal Chronicle presents a very different picture, with the chronicler Alaqa Gabru stating that public opinion in Yebaba forced Kenfu Adam to elevate Tekle Giyorgis. In the first year of his reign he and Kenfu Adam had a falling out over the behavior of Kenfu's son-in-law Bajrond Tsadalu Egabet, who soon after his appointment was defeated in battle and had the signs of his office, the nagarit war drums, taken from him. Then an ally of Kenfu Adam, Gadlu, rebelled in Wolqayt and on 14 January 1780 the Emperor Tekle Giyorgis marched on Gadlu, putting the rebel's amba
Amba (geology)
An amba is a characteristic geologic form in Ethiopia. It is a steep sided, flat topped mountain, often the site of villages, wells and their surrounding farmland. These settlements were located there because they were very defensible and often virtually inaccessible plateaus.The original term in...
under siege and blocking access to the amba's water supply. Negotiations for Gadlu's surrender dragged on fitfully until 18 March when Gadlu fled with a small group of his men to Bergetta. At that point Tekle Giyorgis' was forced to disengage when he learned that Kenfu Adam had brought the former Emperor, Salomon
Salomon II of Ethiopia
Salomon II was of Ethiopia. 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.Richard Pankhurst credits him with the construction of Qeddus Fasilides Salomon II...
, down from Wehni to be his candidate to replace Tekle Giyorgis. Tekle Giyorgis broke camp to face this threat, only to receive word that one of his other loyal nobles, Dejazmach Mebaras Boqatu, had defeated Kenfu Adam at Maryam Weha on 25 May, and both Kenfu Adam and Hailu Adara were now in custody.
Later in 1780, Kenfu Adam escaped from his imprisonment and made his way to Gojjam
Gojjam
Gojjam was a kingdom in the north-western part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Debre Marqos. This region is distinctive for lying entirely within the bend of the Abbay River from its outflow from Lake Tana to the Sudan...
; Tekle Giyrogis marched from Gondar on 4 November in pursuit. By 27 June 1781 he had reached Dangila
Dangila
Dangila is a town in northwestern Ethiopia. Located in the Agew Awi Zone of the Amhara Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 2137 meters above sea level...
, where he learned that Kenfu Adam had been recaptured. Although Kenfu Adam and his brother Hailu Adara could have been executed for their acts instead, out of leniency, Tekle Giyorgis had them blinded.
That November, Tekle Giyrogis undertook another campaign to Wollo
Wollo
Wollo was a historical region and province in the northeastern part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Dessie. The province was named after the Wollo Oromo, who settled in this part of Ethiopia in the 17th century...
, with the intent of visiting Shewa
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
and forcing its ruler, Asfa Wossen
Asfa Wossen
Asfa Wossen was a Meridazmach of Shewa, an important noble office of Ethiopia...
, to submit. It was during this campaign that Tekle Giyorgis ordered the construction of Debre Metmaq Maryam church in Gondar, delegating the direct management of its building to Ras Ayadar. Richard Pankhurst
Richard Pankhurst (academic)
Richard Keir Pethick Pankhurst OBE is a British academic with expertise in the study of Ethiopia.-Early life and education:...
notes that this church is the last example of Imperial patronage in Gondar in that century.
The Emperor's first step was to secure his flank against the hostile Oromo
Oromo people
The Oromo are an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, .and parts of Somalia. With 30 million members, they constitute the single largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and approximately 34.49% of the population according to the 2007 census...
, whom he defeated at Wuchale 14 March 1782. At the same time he had to suppress a plot against him by putting Dejazmach Wolde Gabriel in chains. But once they reached the Bashilo
Bashilo River
The Bashilo River is located in Ethiopia. Known for its canyon, which one source describes as almost as extensive as the canyon of its parent the Abay, also known as the Blue Nile, the river originates just west of Kutaber in the Amhara Region, flowing first to the northwest to where the Tergiya...
, his men mutinied at the prospect of crossing into Shewa, and he was forced to turn back; within three weeks, he was holding court in Aringo
Aringo
Aringo is a frazione in the Province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy....
. The tribute from Asfa Wossen which reached him months later was small compensation for this failure.
Alaqa Gabru continues Tekle Giyorgis' chronicle only until the beginning of his fifth regnal year, or mid-October 1782; from this point, the Royal chronicle is taken up with the biography of one of the warlords of the Zemene Mesafint
Zemene Mesafint
The Zemene Mesafint was a period in Ethiopian history when the country was rent by conflicts between warlords, the Emperor was reduced to little more than a figurehead confined to the capital city of...
, Hailu Eshte. The fall of Tekle Giyorgis from his throne is told tersely: Dejazmach Ali Gwangul
Ali I of Yejju
Ali I of Yejju was a 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 Oromo, and Gelebu Faras....
and Ras Haile Yosadiq conspired to depose the emperor. Tekle Giyorgis marched from Gondar to Gojjam, where he expected to deal with Ras Hailu first, but the Ras managed to evade him and cross the Abay to join Dejazmach Ali. The Emperor withdrew across the Abay to Afarwanat, where he was defeated in battle and forced to flee into exile at Ambasell. Why Dejazmach Ali and Ras Hailu Yosadiq decided to rid themselves of Tekle Giyorgis, and who stood with the Emperor at Afarwanat is not recorded.
Second reign
Before Tekle Giyorgis was restored as Emperor on 24 April 1788, two rivals for the throne had appeared: IyasuAtse Iyasu
Iyasu or Joshua was proclaimed of Ethiopia in Tigray and Gojjam by enemies of Ras Ali I of Yejju. He was defeated in battle against Ras Ali....
and Baeda Maryam
Atse Baeda Maryam
Baeda Maryam was proclaimed of Ethiopia in Tigray and Gojjam by Dejazmach Wolde Gabriel, the son of Ras Mikael Sehul, who was opposed to Ras Ali of Begemder....
, supported by rivals of Ras Ali. Until he lost the throne 26 July 1789, Tekle Giyorgis was one of five Emperors ruling in Ethiopia in the years of 1788 and 1789 — the others being Iyasu III
Iyasu III of Ethiopia
Iyasu III or Joshua III was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Abeto Azequ, and the grandson of Iyasus II....
, Tekle Haymanot
Tekle Haymanot of Gondar
Tekle Haymanot was proclaimed of Ethiopia by the former followers of Baede Maryam. He set up his palace in Gondar, and ruled there for about a year...
, Hezqeyas of Ethiopia
Hezqeyas of Ethiopia
Hezqeyas or Hezekiah was niguse negest of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
.
Third reign
In January 1794, Tekle Giyorgis defeated the warlord Ras Haile Yosadiq, and once again was Emperor. He went to the province of DembiyaDembiya
Dembiya is a historic region of Ethiopia, intimately linked with Lake Tana. According to the account of Manuel de Almeida, Dembiya was "bounded on East by Begemder, on South by Gojjam, on West by Agaws of Achefer and Tangha...
in the northwestern part of Begemder
Begemder
Begemder was a province in the northwestern part of Ethiopia. There are several proposed etymologies for this name...
to seek the support of Dejazmach Gadlu, but the Dejazmach would not receive him; however, Ras Aligaz
Aligaz of Yejju
Aligaz of Yejju was a Ras of Begemder, and Inderase 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 a son, Goje....
the brother of Ras Ali and who had a large army encamped at Chat Weha did receive him, and with his help Tekle Giyorgis was able to hold onto the throne until 15 April 1795.
Later reigns
Tekle Giyorgis was restored as Emperor a fourth time December 1795, and remained Emperor until 20 May 1796. His fifth period as emperor was from 4 January 1798 to 20 May 1799, and his last ran from 24 March 1800 into June of that year. He lived the rest of his life in Waldebba and TigrayTigray Province
Tigray was a province of Ethiopia. The Tigray Region superseded the province with the adoption of the new constitution in 1995. The province of Tigre merged with its neighboring provinces, including Semien, Tembien, Agame and the prominent Enderta province and towards the end of 19th century it...
.
Despite the fact that the Imperial throne had little power or income, Tekle Giyorgis continued to work towards his restoration. Pearce recounts how the common wisdom, while he lived in Ethiopia, expected Ras Wolde Selassie to restore Tekle Giyorgis to the throne. He notes a meeting the former Emperor and the Ras had at Axum
Axum
Axum or Aksum is a city in northern Ethiopia which was the original capital of the eponymous kingdom of Axum. Population 56,500 . Axum was a naval and trading power that ruled the region from ca. 400 BC into the 10th century...
17 January 1814, but the Ras declined to help the former ruler. Tekle Giyorgis then left for the court of Wolde Selassie's rival, Ras Gebre, and stirred up trouble between the two until Wolde Selassie met Gebre, and was undeceived; Ras Wolde Selassie took custody of Tekle Giyorgis and afterwards exiled him to Axum, where he was kept under close watch until the Ras' death. Having fled to Axum after the death of his patron the Ras, Pearce found the former king doing quite well in that city, selling noble titles to the victorious warlords in return for shares of their plunder; only Sabagadis
Sabagadis
Sabagadis was a Dejazmach or governor of Tigray, a province in northern Ethiopia. He was the son of Shum Waldu of Agame, and a member of the Irob people.- Life :...
refused to take a part in this trade. He died of natural causes at Axum, and was buried in the churchyard of Mariam Sean of that city.