Battle of Embabo
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Embabo was fought 6 June 1882, between the Shewa
n forces of Negus
Menelik II and the Gojjam
e forces of Negus Tekle Haymanot
. The forces fought to gain control over the Oromia Region
south of the Gibe River
. The Gojjame forces under Tekle Haymanot were defeated. This is one of the three battles (along with Chelenqo
and Adwa
) which Donald Donham lists that led to Shewan supremacy over the rest of Ethiopia
.
and the gold
deposits beyond. Both polities craved control of these resources in order to assert dominance over the rest of Ethiopia. Of the two, the Gojjame had the earlier start and better position: as early as 1810, a large volume of luxury trade passed North through Gojjam (and its major market at Boso) to the coast of the Red Sea
, far more than passed east through Shewa to the coast. Negus Bofo of Limmu-Ennarea
maintained good relations with the contemporary governor of Gojjam. A letter survives from his son Abba Bagibo to Dejazmach Goshu Zewde, seeking an alliance against a mutual foe.
The armies of Shewa and Gojjam had clashed earlier in 1882. The Shewan was led by Ras Gobana Dacche, and the Gojjame by Ras Darrasu, a deputy of Negus Tekle Haymanot; Ras Gobana had forced his opponent to surrender the tribute he was bringing back to Tekle Haymanot. Humiliated, Tekle Haymanot exchanged angry words with his peer, Menelik II , which resulted with the two potentates leading their armies to face one another at Embabo near the Guder River
.
"In victory Menelik was prepared to be magnanimous," Marcus states. Menelik allowed the common soldiers to return to their farms and plough their lands before the rainy season. For his vital role in the conflict, Menelik awarded Ras Gobana the governorship of the Gibe region, making the Ras potentially the most powerful man in Shewa—after Negus Menelik.
However, there was one exception to Menelik's magnanimity. According to Oromo tradition, Tekle Haymanot had been captured by a slave named Sambato, who did not know the identity of his prisoner. Ras Mangasha Atikam did recognize Sambato's prisoner, bought his captive for ten Maria Theresa thaler
s, and led him to Ras Gobana's tent. Gobana, on seeing the Negus, called to him in Amharic
, "Gojjame, bring me the plate!" -- responding to a boast Tekle Haymanot had made before the two armies had clashed: "After the battle Ras Gobana will carry my mitad [baking tray] back to Gojjam." Sambato also received his freedom was made a fitawrari for capturing the enemy negus.
However, Emperor Yohannes IV
, their overlord, was outraged at his two vassals openly at war with each other and marched to Were Ilu
, just inside Menelik's borders, where he demanded the release of Tekle Haymanot and his family. There the Emperor hammered out a compromise: Yohannes would take Agawmeder
from Negus Tekle Haymanot and Wollo
from Negus Menelik; Menelik would surrender the arms he captured to Yohannes' lieutenant Ras Alula Engida
; and a peace was cemented with several dynastic marriages, including Negus Menelik to the daughter of a noble family from the Emperor's own domain, Taitu Betul.
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
n forces of Negus
Negus
Negus is a title in Ge'ez, Tigrinya, Tigre and Amharic, used for a king and at times also a vassal ruler in pre-1974 Ethiopia and pre-1890 Eritrea. It is subsequently used to translate the word "king" in Biblical and other literature...
Menelik II and the 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...
e forces of Negus Tekle Haymanot
Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam
Tekle Haymanot Tessemma, also Adal Tessemma, Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam, and Tekle Haimanot of Gojjam, was an army commander and a member of the nobility of the Ethiopian Empire.- Biography :...
. The forces fought to gain control over the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
south of the Gibe River
Gibe River
The Gibe River is a tributary of the Omo River. Located in southwest Ethiopia, it is not navigable, like almost all rivers in the country.-Overview:...
. The Gojjame forces under Tekle Haymanot were defeated. This is one of the three battles (along with Chelenqo
Battle of Chelenqo
The Battle of Chelenqo was an engagement fought on 6 January 1887 between the army of Shewa under Negus Menelik II and Emir 'Abd Allah II of Harar...
and Adwa
Battle of Adowa
The Battle of Adwa was fought on 1 March 1896 between Ethiopia and Italy near the town of Adwa, Ethiopia, in Tigray...
) which Donald Donham lists that led to Shewan supremacy over the rest of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
.
Background
South of Gojjam, across the Abay River, and southwest of Shewa, lay the fertile Gibe regionGibe region
The Gibe region is used to indicate a historic region in modern southwestern Ethiopia, to the west of the Gibe and Omo Rivers, and north of the Gojeb...
and the gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
deposits beyond. Both polities craved control of these resources in order to assert dominance over the rest of Ethiopia. Of the two, the Gojjame had the earlier start and better position: as early as 1810, a large volume of luxury trade passed North through Gojjam (and its major market at Boso) to the coast of the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
, far more than passed east through Shewa to the coast. Negus Bofo of Limmu-Ennarea
Limmu-Ennarea
The Kingdom of Limmu-Ennarea was one of the kingdoms in the Gibe region of Ethiopia that emerged in the 19th century. It shared its eastern border with Jimma, its southern border with Gomma, and its western border with Gumma. Beyond its northern border lay tribes of the Macha Oromo...
maintained good relations with the contemporary governor of Gojjam. A letter survives from his son Abba Bagibo to Dejazmach Goshu Zewde, seeking an alliance against a mutual foe.
The armies of Shewa and Gojjam had clashed earlier in 1882. The Shewan was led by Ras Gobana Dacche, and the Gojjame by Ras Darrasu, a deputy of Negus Tekle Haymanot; Ras Gobana had forced his opponent to surrender the tribute he was bringing back to Tekle Haymanot. Humiliated, Tekle Haymanot exchanged angry words with his peer, Menelik II , which resulted with the two potentates leading their armies to face one another at Embabo near the Guder River
Guder River
The Guder is a river of central Ethiopia. It is a tributary of the Abay or Blue Nile on the left side; tributaries of the Guder include the Dabissa and the Taranta. The Guder has a drainage area is about 7,011 square kilometers in size....
.
The battle
The battle began at 10:00 am with the Gojjame cannons firing at the enemy. The guns of both sides did little damage, and soon were inoperable. After a volley of rifle fire, soldiers on both sides charged and engaged their opponents in what Harold Marcus describes as "a fierce day-long battle of hand-to-hand combat, with both kings participating as ordinary soldiers." Late in the afternoon the Gojjame center collapsed, and Tekle Haymanot was wounded then captured. The troops under his son, Ras Bezzabbeh, surrendered and were taken prisoner. Although Ras Darrasu continued to fight, a cavalry charge led by Ras Gobana on his flank ended their resistance, and the battle was over. More than half the Gojjame force was lost during the battle. The Shewans suffered 913 killed and 1,648 wounded."In victory Menelik was prepared to be magnanimous," Marcus states. Menelik allowed the common soldiers to return to their farms and plough their lands before the rainy season. For his vital role in the conflict, Menelik awarded Ras Gobana the governorship of the Gibe region, making the Ras potentially the most powerful man in Shewa—after Negus Menelik.
However, there was one exception to Menelik's magnanimity. According to Oromo tradition, Tekle Haymanot had been captured by a slave named Sambato, who did not know the identity of his prisoner. Ras Mangasha Atikam did recognize Sambato's prisoner, bought his captive for ten Maria Theresa thaler
Maria Theresa thaler
The Maria Theresa thaler is a silver bullion-coin that has been used in world trade continuously. Maria Theresa Thalers were first minted in 1741, using the then Reichsthaler standard of 9 thalers to the Vienna mark. In 1750 the thaler was debased to 10 thalers to the Vienna Mark...
s, and led him to Ras Gobana's tent. Gobana, on seeing the Negus, called to him in Amharic
Amharic language
Amharic is a Semitic language spoken in Ethiopia. It is the second most-spoken Semitic language in the world, after Arabic, and the official working language of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Thus, it has official status and is used nationwide. Amharic is also the official or working...
, "Gojjame, bring me the plate!" -- responding to a boast Tekle Haymanot had made before the two armies had clashed: "After the battle Ras Gobana will carry my mitad [baking tray] back to Gojjam." Sambato also received his freedom was made a fitawrari for capturing the enemy negus.
However, Emperor Yohannes IV
Yohannes IV of Ethiopia
Yohannes IV , born Lij Kassay Mercha Ge'ez, was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1872 until his death.-Early life:...
, their overlord, was outraged at his two vassals openly at war with each other and marched to Were Ilu
Were Ilu
Were Ilu is a town in north-central Ethiopia. Located in the Debub Wollo Zone of the Amhara Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of . From the 1870s, Were Ilu had a Thursday market....
, just inside Menelik's borders, where he demanded the release of Tekle Haymanot and his family. There the Emperor hammered out a compromise: Yohannes would take Agawmeder
Agawmeder
Agawmeder was a historical state and region in the northwestern part of Ethiopia. It most likely etymology is from Agew , a people living in the area plus meder , thus meaning "Land of the Agaw"...
from Negus Tekle Haymanot and 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...
from Negus Menelik; Menelik would surrender the arms he captured to Yohannes' lieutenant Ras Alula Engida
Alula Engida
Ras Alula Engida was a general and Ethiopian politician...
; and a peace was cemented with several dynastic marriages, including Negus Menelik to the daughter of a noble family from the Emperor's own domain, Taitu Betul.