Negasi Krestos
Encyclopedia
Negassie or Negasi Krestos was the ruling prince of Shewa
(reigned c.1682 - c.1703), an important Amhara
noble of Ethiopia
. Although the official account is that his father Lesba Qal (lord of Agancha, in Menz
) was a male-line great-grandson of Prince Yaqob, son of Emperor Lebna Dengel, and thus descended in male line from the Solomonic dynasty
(this version, told by Serta Wold, a councilor of Sahle Selassie
, has been criticized as a later fabrication of genealogy, in order to help the imperial designs of his heirs two centuries later), other versions are known of his ancestry. Abir records two other traditions collected in the 1840s: one is that his mother, Senebeit, was a woman of imperial descent and his father a rich landowner from Menz; another is that Senebeit was the daughter of one Ras Faris, "who with many other followers of Emperor Susenyos
escaped into Menz."
After fighting the Wollo and Yejju Oromo
north of Menz, he subdued the Oromo living in the district of Yifat
, which came to replace Menz as the center of the Shewan lordship. His further conquests included the districts of Debdabo, Mengist, Makfud, Doqaqit and Asundabe. Through these he succeeded in establishing an autonomous state of Shewa by the end of 17th century. Pankhurst credits Negasi Krestos with moving the capital of Shewa to Debre Berhan
from the old center in Tegulet; Nagasi's stone palace was still visible when Rochet d'Hericourt visited Debre Berhan in 1840.
In the early years of the 18th century, Negasi travelled to Gondar
to pay homage to Emperor
Iyasus I, where he died of smallpox
. According to Donald Levine, Negasi was buried in the church Fit Abbo, "where his grave -- as well as the field he camped on, Nagassi Meda -- remain objects of historical interest today." He did not succeed in obtaining the title Meridazmach, which later was unilaterally adopted by his son and heir Sebestyanos
. His death away from his domain plunged Shewa into a period of disorder, and the territories he had conquered reverted to their original rulers.
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
(reigned c.1682 - c.1703), an important Amhara
Amhara people
Amhara are a highland people inhabiting the Northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Numbering about 19.8 million people, they comprise 26% of the country's population, according to the 2007 national census...
noble 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...
. Although the official account is that his father Lesba Qal (lord of Agancha, in Menz
Menz
Menz or Manz is a province of Ethiopia, located inside the boundaries of the modern Semien Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region...
) was a male-line great-grandson of Prince Yaqob, son of Emperor Lebna Dengel, and thus descended in male line from 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...
(this version, told by Serta Wold, a councilor of Sahle Selassie
Sahle Selassie
Sahle Selassie was a Meridazmach of Shewa , an important noble of Ethiopia. He was a younger son of Wossen Seged...
, has been criticized as a later fabrication of genealogy, in order to help the imperial designs of his heirs two centuries later), other versions are known of his ancestry. Abir records two other traditions collected in the 1840s: one is that his mother, Senebeit, was a woman of imperial descent and his father a rich landowner from Menz; another is that Senebeit was the daughter of one Ras Faris, "who with many other followers of Emperor Susenyos
Susenyos of Ethiopia
Susenyos was of Ethiopia...
escaped into Menz."
After fighting the Wollo and Yejju Oromo
Yejju Oromo
Yejju Oromo is a tribe of the Barentu branch of Oromo people. They are one of the northernmost tribes of the Oromo people, which is the second largest ethnicity in Ethiopia....
north of Menz, he subdued the Oromo living in the district of Yifat
Yifat
Yifat is a kibbutz in Galilee, northern Israel. Located adjacent to the town Migdal HaEmek and short distances from the cities of Afula and Nazareth. It falls under the jurisdiction of Jezreel Valley Regional Council...
, which came to replace Menz as the center of the Shewan lordship. His further conquests included the districts of Debdabo, Mengist, Makfud, Doqaqit and Asundabe. Through these he succeeded in establishing an autonomous state of Shewa by the end of 17th century. Pankhurst credits Negasi Krestos with moving the capital of Shewa to Debre Berhan
Debre Berhan
Debre Berhan is a city and woreda in central Ethiopia. Located in the Semien Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region, about 120 kilometers north east of Addis Ababa on the paved highway to Dessie, the town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 2,840 meters...
from the old center in Tegulet; Nagasi's stone palace was still visible when Rochet d'Hericourt visited Debre Berhan in 1840.
In the early years of the 18th century, Negasi travelled to Gondar
Gondar
Gondar or Gonder is a city in Ethiopia, which was once the old imperial capital and capital of the historic Begemder Province. As a result, the old province of Begemder is sometimes referred to as Gondar...
to pay homage to Emperor
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...
Iyasus I, where he died of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
. According to Donald Levine, Negasi was buried in the church Fit Abbo, "where his grave -- as well as the field he camped on, Nagassi Meda -- remain objects of historical interest today." He did not succeed in obtaining the title Meridazmach, which later was unilaterally adopted by his son and heir Sebestyanos
Sebestyanos
Sebestyanos was a ruler of Shewa, an important Amhara noble of Ethiopia. He was one of the sons of Negasi Krestos. Abir states that he ruled for 15 years, although noting that Harris claims he ruled for 25 years, and d'Hericourt 33....
. His death away from his domain plunged Shewa into a period of disorder, and the territories he had conquered reverted to their original rulers.