Salomon III of Ethiopia
Encyclopedia
Salomon III or Solomon III was the Emperor of Ethiopia
(20 May 1796 – 15 July 1797 and 16 June – 25 July 1799) 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
.
of Tigray
and Ras Mare'ed in 1796. He spent the next year struggling with his rival, and brother, the former Emperor Tekle Giyorgis
; while he was preoccupied with Tekle Giyorgis, Gondar
was surrounded in May 1797 by the rebel Balambaras Asserat, who did not have the military strength to enter the capital city, and limited his destruction to burning the property of Tekle Giyorgis in Gondar. Salomon was forced to flee Gondar, and took refuge in Axum
where he lived under the protection of Ras Wolde Selassie. The Ras then supported the restoration of Salomon's brother Tekle Giyorgis. Not long afterwards, Salomon was invited to live with his brother as his guest.
In May 1797, while Tekle Giyorgis was campaigning in Begemder
, Salomon disappeared from Tekle Giyorgis' camp and made his way back to Gondar where he received by Ras Mare'ed. Ras Mare'ed and Ras Guebre then restored Salomon as Emperor the following month. However, Ras Wolde Gabriel marched on Gondar and a battle was fought between him and Ras Mare'ed on 22 July; both Wolde Gabriel and Mare'ed were killed, but Salomon's supporters were defeated. Salomon was deposed and put into chains by Dejazmach Gugsa
and Dejazmach Alula
, who were in the victorious army, and replaced him five days later with Demetros
, the great-grandson of Emperor Fasilides
. In 1802, Salomon was reportedly still a prisoner, but at that time in Tigray
.
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...
(20 May 1796 – 15 July 1797 and 16 June – 25 July 1799) 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 son 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...
. He may be identical with the Emperor Solomon whom the traveler Henry Salt
Henry Salt (Egyptologist)
Henry Salt was an English artist, traveller, diplomat, and Egyptologist.-Biography:Salt, the son of a physician, was born in Lichfield. He trained as a portrait painter, first in Lichfield and then in London under Joseph Farington and John Hoppner. In 1802 he was appointed secretary and...
lists as one of the Emperors still alive at the time of his visit in 1809/1810. 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:...
notes some authorities believe he was the same person as Baeda Maryam II
Baeda Maryam II of Ethiopia
Baeda Maryam II was of Ethiopia. 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...
.
Life
He was largely a figurehead, appointed Emperor by Ras Wolde SelassieWolde 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...
of Tigray
Tigray 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...
and Ras Mare'ed in 1796. He spent the next year struggling with his rival, and brother, the former Emperor Tekle Giyorgis
Tekle Giyorgis I of Ethiopia
Tekle Giyorgis I was Emperor of Ethiopia intermittently between 20 July 1779 and June 1800, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
; while he was preoccupied with Tekle Giyorgis, 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...
was surrounded in May 1797 by the rebel Balambaras Asserat, who did not have the military strength to enter the capital city, and limited his destruction to burning the property of Tekle Giyorgis in Gondar. Salomon was forced to flee Gondar, and took refuge in 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...
where he lived under the protection of Ras Wolde Selassie. The Ras then supported the restoration of Salomon's brother Tekle Giyorgis. Not long afterwards, Salomon was invited to live with his brother as his guest.
In May 1797, while Tekle Giyorgis was campaigning in Begemder
Begemder
Begemder was a province in the northwestern part of Ethiopia. There are several proposed etymologies for this name...
, Salomon disappeared from Tekle Giyorgis' camp and made his way back to Gondar where he received by Ras Mare'ed. Ras Mare'ed and Ras Guebre then restored Salomon as Emperor the following month. However, Ras Wolde Gabriel marched on Gondar and a battle was fought between him and Ras Mare'ed on 22 July; both Wolde Gabriel and Mare'ed were killed, but Salomon's supporters were defeated. Salomon was deposed and put into chains by Dejazmach Gugsa
Gugsa of Yejju
Gugsa of Yejju was a Ras of Begemder , and Inderase 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...
and Dejazmach Alula
Alula of Yejju
Alula of Yejju was the son of Gugsa of Yejju and Amata Selassie, the daughter of Emperor Tekle Giyorgis of Ethiopia. He was the first husband of Menen Liben Amede and father of her son, Ras Ali II while governor of Damot....
, who were in the victorious army, and replaced him five days later with Demetros
Demetros of Ethiopia
Demetros or Demetrius was of Ethiopia. He was the son of Arqedewos...
, the great-grandson of Emperor Fasilides
Fasilides of Ethiopia
Fasilides was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
. In 1802, Salomon was reportedly still a prisoner, but at that time in Tigray
Tigray 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...
.