Wossen Seged
Encyclopedia
Wossen Seged was a Meridazmach of Shewa
, an important Prince of Ethiopia
. He was the elder son of Asfa Wossen
, by a woman of the Solomonic dynasty
. He was the first ruler of Shewa to claim a higher title than Meridazmach, calling himself Ras.
It is during the reign of Wossen Seged that the chronology of Shewa becomes stable. One mention that helps date the Meridazmachs reign is that of Henry Salt
, who mentions him as ruling Yifat (the contemporary name of Shewa, from "Ifat
") during his visit to Ethiopia in 1809-1810.
As Asfa Wossen had sons by a second wife, who came from the aristocracy in Menz
, Wossen Seged feared that he would be passed over in favor of his younger half-brother and he rebelled against his father. Failing to attract support, Wossen Seged was defeated and imprisoned; but the aging Asfa Wossen was reconciled to Wossen Seged, and made him not only governor of Antziokia in northern Shewa but his successor.
Abir mentions a tradition that during a battle against the Yejju Oromo
he was captured by chief Guji, the grandson of Gwangul
, but ransomed by the head of the Shewan church, who had disguised himself as a Muslim
sheikh to enter the territory of Yejju undetected. After he assumed control of Shewa, he joined in an alliance with Ras Wolde Selassie
of Tigray
to invade the territories of Ras Gugsa of Yejju
.
Wossen Seged began a campaign of church-building, restoring the Church of the Trinity in Debre Berhan
, and Church of the Virgin in Debre Libanos
, as well as building a new church in Sela Dingay
. Despite these works, the local Ethiopian church were dissatisfied with him due to his policy of religious toleration towards his Muslim subjects. Henze believes they were behind his murder at the hand of one of his slaves in his palace at Qundi, north of Ankober
. According to Pearce, the slave had set on fire the thatched house Wossen Seged and his wife was sleeping in. Although the Meridazmach managed to escape the burning house, as well as saving the life of his queen, the slave then fatally stabbed Wossen Seged in the ribs. Wossen Seged survived the attack for a few days, naming his son Sahle Selassie
as his successor.
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
, an important Prince 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 elder son of Asfa Wossen
Asfa Wossen
Asfa Wossen was a Meridazmach of Shewa, an important noble office of Ethiopia...
, by a woman 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 first ruler of Shewa to claim a higher title than Meridazmach, calling himself Ras.
It is during the reign of Wossen Seged that the chronology of Shewa becomes stable. One mention that helps date the Meridazmachs reign is that of 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...
, who mentions him as ruling Yifat (the contemporary name of Shewa, from "Ifat
Ifat
The Ifat Sultanate was a medieval Muslim sultanate in the Horn of Africa. Led by the Walashma dynasty, it was centered in Zeila. The kingdom ruled over parts of what is now eastern Ethiopia, Djibouti and northern Somalia.-Location:...
") during his visit to Ethiopia in 1809-1810.
As Asfa Wossen had sons by a second wife, who came from the aristocracy 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...
, Wossen Seged feared that he would be passed over in favor of his younger half-brother and he rebelled against his father. Failing to attract support, Wossen Seged was defeated and imprisoned; but the aging Asfa Wossen was reconciled to Wossen Seged, and made him not only governor of Antziokia in northern Shewa but his successor.
Abir mentions a tradition that during a battle against the 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....
he was captured by chief Guji, the grandson of Gwangul
Abba Seru Gwangul
Abba Seru Gwangul was a chieftain of the Yejju Oromo, an ethnic group of Ethiopia. He came to control Begemder and parts of Wollo, and his heirs were significant warlords of the Zemene Mesafint...
, but ransomed by the head of the Shewan church, who had disguised himself as a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
sheikh to enter the territory of Yejju undetected. After he assumed control of Shewa, he joined in an alliance 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...
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...
to invade the territories of Ras Gugsa of Yejju
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...
.
Wossen Seged began a campaign of church-building, restoring the Church of the Trinity in 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...
, and Church of the Virgin in Debre Libanos
Debre Libanos
Debre Libanos is a monastery in Ethiopia, lying northwest of Addis Ababa in the Oromia Region. Founded in the thirteenth century by Saint Tekle Haymanot, the monastery's chief abbot, called the Ichege, was the second most powerful official in the Ethiopian Church after the Abuna.The monastery...
, as well as building a new church in Sela Dingay
Sela Dingay
Sela Dingay is a town in central Ethiopia. According to Johann Ludwig Krapf, the name means "the jumping stone", named for a rock which rolled over the edge of the southern rim of the gorge of the Mofar River, and killed a group of people sitting on it...
. Despite these works, the local Ethiopian church were dissatisfied with him due to his policy of religious toleration towards his Muslim subjects. Henze believes they were behind his murder at the hand of one of his slaves in his palace at Qundi, north of Ankober
Ankober
Ankober is a town in central Ethiopia and one of the capitals of the former kingdom of Shewa. Located in the Semien Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region, Ankober is perched on the eastern escarpment of the Ethiopian Highlands 40 kilometers to the east of Debre Birhan, with a latitude and longitude of ,...
. According to Pearce, the slave had set on fire the thatched house Wossen Seged and his wife was sleeping in. Although the Meridazmach managed to escape the burning house, as well as saving the life of his queen, the slave then fatally stabbed Wossen Seged in the ribs. Wossen Seged survived the attack for a few days, naming his son Sahle Selassie
Sahle Selassie
Sahle Selassie was a Meridazmach of Shewa , an important noble of Ethiopia. He was a younger son of Wossen Seged...
as his successor.