Wolde Selassie
Encyclopedia
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. In his "Life in Abysinia" book, the 19th century British traveler Mansfield Parkyns writes that, "the family of Dejazmach Kefla Iyasus and Wolde Selassie were of distinguished origin and came from Antalo (Hintalo) in Enderta of which place they were chiefs." His brothers included Dejazmach Bilaten-Geta Mennase Kefla Iyasus and Dejazmach Debbab Kefla Iyasus who is the great grandfather of Emperor Yohannes IV. And his wives included Mentewab (died 1812 from smallpox
), the sister of Emperor
Egwale Seyon
; and Sahin, the daughter of Emperor Tekle Giyorgis I
.
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".
after years of fighting; Nathaniel Pearce describes an encounter where he made a name for himself by single-handedly slaying the brothers Abel and Cail, "two of Ras Michael's
choice men" who were sent by Michael to kill Woldeselassie. Despite the fact Ras Mikael Sehul was so impressed at this act of bravery that he tried to make peace with him, but Wolde Selassie remembered how the older man had killed his father, and until the old Ras died he spent his years in exile amongst the Wollo Oromo and in Gojjam
.
Wolde Gabriel, grandson of Ras Mikael, attempted to crush Wolde Selassie when the later was in Wogera, but according to Pearce after besieging Wolde Selassie for 20 days Wolde Gabriel came off the worse, and made peace by proclaiming him Balgadda, or governor of the salt-making districts. After Wolde Gabriel's death in battle against Ras Aligaz of Yejju
the then Emperial regent of Abysinia, Wolde Selassie petitioned Emperor Tekle Giyorgis for the governorship of his kingdom, Enderta, but the Emperor "according to his usual bad faith" made another warlord, Ras
Gebre Masqal, governor of Enderta instead. Wolde Selassie then quickly marched forth with a smaller army against the Ras, which he defeated, then entered Gebre Masqal's camp and took the Ras prisoner. Shortly afterwards he marched on Gondar
. The two Emperors, Tekle Haymanot and Tekle Giyorgis bestowed Wolde Selassie the titles of both Ras
and Bitwoded of the Abyssinian empire in 1790.
Wolde Selassie made his seat of government in Chalacot
, but maintained his capital at Antalo in Enderta Province
. He built four residenial palaces, at Chelekot, Antalo, Felegdaro and Mekelle, all in Enderta. He played a role in the politics of the Imperial Throne, in part by providing shelter to Emperor Tekle Giyorgis I in 1799 and 1800, and was visited by the former Emperor Baeda Maryam
in 1813. Although at first he cooperated with Ras Aligaz
, the Imperial Regent, after his power grew, Wolde Selassie came to challenge Aligaz for that office prior to Aligaz's death in 1803. The first years of the 19th century were disturbed by fierce campaigns between Ras Gugsa
of Begemder, and Ras Wolde Selassie of Tigray, who fought over control of the figurehead Emperor Egwale Seyon
. Wolde Selassie was eventually the victor, and practically ruled the whole country as Enderase till his death in 1816. Wolde Selassie, a conservative Christian who greatly valued Ethiopia's monarchial traditions, hated the Yeju parvenus. He hit out at them by effectively conquering the Azebo and Raya Oromo and by taking control over all the important passes in Lasta leading to Tigray. He then turned his attention to the coast, slowly but surely imposing his suzerainty over the Muslim authorities there until he finally could control and tax their trade inland; he used the revenues, to train, reform and re-equip his army and when the nineteenth century opened, Wolde Selassie was by far Abyssinia's leading figure and certainly the main champion of the Solomonic tradition.
According to Paul Henze, Ras Wolde Selassie was the first ruler of this period to have close contact with Europeans, hosting three British diplomats, George Annesley
, Viscount Valentia
, his secretary Henry Salt
, and Pearce. Salt's arrival in Abyssinia culminated in the signing of a treaty of friendship with Wolde Selassie representing Abyssinia and the former representing Great Britain in 1805. Henry Salt also proposed inaugurating trade with Britain; Wolde Selassie was quick to see possible advantages in relations with Britain and promised to encourage such commerce with every means in his power. Revealing himself a realist, and speaking, Salt says, with 'great sincerity', he nevertheless expressed the fear that his country:
might not be able to supply any quantity of valuable commodities sufficient to recompense our merchants for engaging in so precarious a trade; more especially as the Abyssinians were not much acquainted with commercial transactions...Could any plan, however, be arranged for obviating these difficulties...he would most readily concur in carrying it into effect.
Wolde Selassie also touched on a major obstacle that the Abyssinians had faced, the Egyptians had control over the port of Massawa which they acquired from the Ottoman Empire and reminded King George that with their "naval superiority in the red sea" Abyssinia might find it difficult to gain access to the port. Wolde Selassie's effort however, did bear fruit in the long term when his successors Dejazmatch Wube of Semien and Tigray and Emperor Yohanness of Ethiopia followed up on the treaty that was struck between him and the kingdom of Britain.
Nathaniel Pearce lived with Ras Wolde from about 1808 and the warlord's death. Pearce's diary of his stay is not only valuable for the history of this period, but also provides enormous detail about daily life in Ethiopia.
The great Ras died at the age of 80 due to natural causes at his residence in Hintalo, Enderta. His death was universally mourned.
, or titular religious leader, from Egypt since the death of Yosab in 1804: Qerellos III
(1816–1828), who made his residence in Antalo.
The British traveller Henry Salt described Selassie as "distinguished still more for his intrepidity and firmness than by the policy with which he has uniformly ruled the country under his command; having been successfully engaged in upwards of forty battles, and having evinced. on these occasions even too great a disregard of his own personal safety in action." Another British traveler by the name of Parkyns adds, “Wolde Selasie reigned for twenty-five years, and during this long period obtained and maintained for him self the character of a good and wise prince”.
He was an Overlord 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...
-Mereb Milash and a Ras
Ras
Ras is the name given to a family of related proteins found inside cells, including human cells. All Ras protein family members belong to a class of protein called small GTPase, and are involved in transmitting signals within cells...
Bitwoded 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...
. He was the second son of Dejazmach Kefla Iyasus Amdamikael, hereditary chief of Enderta. In his "Life in Abysinia" book, the 19th century British traveler Mansfield Parkyns writes that, "the family of Dejazmach Kefla Iyasus and Wolde Selassie were of distinguished origin and came from Antalo (Hintalo) in Enderta of which place they were chiefs." His brothers included Dejazmach Bilaten-Geta Mennase Kefla Iyasus and Dejazmach Debbab Kefla Iyasus who is the great grandfather of Emperor Yohannes IV. And his wives included Mentewab (died 1812 from 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"...
), the sister of 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...
Egwale Seyon
Egwale Seyon of Ethiopia
Egwale Seyon or Gwalu was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
; and Sahin, the daughter of Emperor Tekle Giyorgis I
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...
.
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
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
player, and "would play at from morning till night".
Life
Wolde Selassie, a hereditary chief of Enderta, emerged as the ruler of Tigray-Merebmilash and GondarGondar
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...
after years of fighting; Nathaniel Pearce describes an encounter where he made a name for himself by single-handedly slaying the brothers Abel and Cail, "two of Ras Michael's
Mikael Sehul
Mikael Sehul was a Ras or governor of Tigray 1748–71 and again from 1772 until his death...
choice men" who were sent by Michael to kill Woldeselassie. Despite the fact Ras Mikael Sehul was so impressed at this act of bravery that he tried to make peace with him, but Wolde Selassie remembered how the older man had killed his father, and until the old Ras died he spent his years in exile amongst the Wollo Oromo and in 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...
.
Wolde Gabriel, grandson of Ras Mikael, attempted to crush Wolde Selassie when the later was in Wogera, but according to Pearce after besieging Wolde Selassie for 20 days Wolde Gabriel came off the worse, and made peace by proclaiming him Balgadda, or governor of the salt-making districts. After Wolde Gabriel's death in battle against Ras Aligaz of Yejju
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 then Emperial regent of Abysinia, Wolde Selassie petitioned Emperor Tekle Giyorgis for the governorship of his kingdom, Enderta, but the Emperor "according to his usual bad faith" made another warlord, Ras
Ras
Ras is the name given to a family of related proteins found inside cells, including human cells. All Ras protein family members belong to a class of protein called small GTPase, and are involved in transmitting signals within cells...
Gebre Masqal, governor of Enderta instead. Wolde Selassie then quickly marched forth with a smaller army against the Ras, which he defeated, then entered Gebre Masqal's camp and took the Ras prisoner. Shortly afterwards he marched on 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...
. The two Emperors, Tekle Haymanot and Tekle Giyorgis bestowed Wolde Selassie the titles of both Ras
Ras
Ras is the name given to a family of related proteins found inside cells, including human cells. All Ras protein family members belong to a class of protein called small GTPase, and are involved in transmitting signals within cells...
and Bitwoded of the Abyssinian empire in 1790.
Wolde Selassie made his seat of government in Chalacot
Chalacot
Chalacot or Chelekot is a village in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Located in the Enderta woreda of the Debubawi Zone, 10 kilometers north of Antalo and 17 kilometers south of Mek'ele, the village has a latitude and longitude of with an approximate elevation of 2100 meters above sea level...
, but maintained his capital at Antalo in Enderta Province
Enderta province
Enderta province or Inderta province, also known as Enderta Awraja as well as 70 Enderta is located in the eastern edge of the Ethiopian highlands. Enderta is bordered on the west by Tembien, on the southeast by Wag of Gondar, the south by Raya and Azebo, on the east by Afar and Aseb, and on the...
. He built four residenial palaces, at Chelekot, Antalo, Felegdaro and Mekelle, all in Enderta. He played a role in the politics of the Imperial Throne, in part by providing shelter to Emperor Tekle Giyorgis I in 1799 and 1800, and was visited by the former Emperor Baeda Maryam
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...
in 1813. Although at first he cooperated with 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 Imperial Regent, after his power grew, Wolde Selassie came to challenge Aligaz for that office prior to Aligaz's death in 1803. The first years of the 19th century were disturbed by fierce campaigns between Ras 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...
of Begemder, and Ras Wolde Selassie of Tigray, who fought over control of the figurehead Emperor Egwale Seyon
Egwale Seyon of Ethiopia
Egwale Seyon or Gwalu was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
. Wolde Selassie was eventually the victor, and practically ruled the whole country as Enderase till his death in 1816. Wolde Selassie, a conservative Christian who greatly valued Ethiopia's monarchial traditions, hated the Yeju parvenus. He hit out at them by effectively conquering the Azebo and Raya Oromo and by taking control over all the important passes in Lasta leading to Tigray. He then turned his attention to the coast, slowly but surely imposing his suzerainty over the Muslim authorities there until he finally could control and tax their trade inland; he used the revenues, to train, reform and re-equip his army and when the nineteenth century opened, Wolde Selassie was by far Abyssinia's leading figure and certainly the main champion of the Solomonic tradition.
According to Paul Henze, Ras Wolde Selassie was the first ruler of this period to have close contact with Europeans, hosting three British diplomats, George Annesley
George Annesley, 2nd Earl of Mountnorris
George Annesley, 2nd Earl of Mountnorris FRS , styled Viscount Valentia between 1793 and 1816, was a British peer and politician.-Background:Mountnorris was the son of Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Mountnorris, and the Hon...
, Viscount Valentia
Viscount Valentia
Viscount Valentia is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It has been created twice. The first creation came in 1621 for Henry Power. A year later, his kinsman Sir Francis Annesley, 1st Baronet, was given a "reversionary grant" of the viscountcy, which stated that on Power's death Annesley would be...
, his secretary 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...
, and Pearce. Salt's arrival in Abyssinia culminated in the signing of a treaty of friendship with Wolde Selassie representing Abyssinia and the former representing Great Britain in 1805. Henry Salt also proposed inaugurating trade with Britain; Wolde Selassie was quick to see possible advantages in relations with Britain and promised to encourage such commerce with every means in his power. Revealing himself a realist, and speaking, Salt says, with 'great sincerity', he nevertheless expressed the fear that his country:
might not be able to supply any quantity of valuable commodities sufficient to recompense our merchants for engaging in so precarious a trade; more especially as the Abyssinians were not much acquainted with commercial transactions...Could any plan, however, be arranged for obviating these difficulties...he would most readily concur in carrying it into effect.
Wolde Selassie also touched on a major obstacle that the Abyssinians had faced, the Egyptians had control over the port of Massawa which they acquired from the Ottoman Empire and reminded King George that with their "naval superiority in the red sea" Abyssinia might find it difficult to gain access to the port. Wolde Selassie's effort however, did bear fruit in the long term when his successors Dejazmatch Wube of Semien and Tigray and Emperor Yohanness of Ethiopia followed up on the treaty that was struck between him and the kingdom of Britain.
Nathaniel Pearce lived with Ras Wolde from about 1808 and the warlord's death. Pearce's diary of his stay is not only valuable for the history of this period, but also provides enormous detail about daily life in Ethiopia.
The great Ras died at the age of 80 due to natural causes at his residence in Hintalo, Enderta. His death was universally mourned.
Reputation
At the effort of Ras Wolde Selassie, Ethiopia received its first AbunaAbuna
Also see Leaders of ChristianityAbun is the honorific title used for any bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church as well as of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church...
, or titular religious leader, from Egypt since the death of Yosab in 1804: Qerellos III
Abuna Qerellos III
Qerellos III was an Abuna, or head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church . In the words of Richard Pankhurst, "A controversial figure, he is reputed to have been fanatical and rapacious."...
(1816–1828), who made his residence in Antalo.
The British traveller Henry Salt described Selassie as "distinguished still more for his intrepidity and firmness than by the policy with which he has uniformly ruled the country under his command; having been successfully engaged in upwards of forty battles, and having evinced. on these occasions even too great a disregard of his own personal safety in action." Another British traveler by the name of Parkyns adds, “Wolde Selasie reigned for twenty-five years, and during this long period obtained and maintained for him self the character of a good and wise prince”.