Unit six

• Emperor Tewodros


  Did not want to see the existence of strong vassals under him with the title of king of Ethiopia
• Tewodros' vision of Unified Ethiopia under one king


  Defeated one major regional leader after another
• Tewodros defeated Dajjach Goshu Zewude, the lord of Gojjam, at the Battle of Guramba


  27th Nov. 1852
• Tewodros crushed four of Ras Ali's and Dajjach Webe of Semen's high ranking vassals at the battle of Gorgora Bichen

  12th April, 1853
• Tewodros defeated Ras Ali II at the Battle of Ayshal, symbolizing the end of the era of princes


  29 June 1853
• Tewodros defeated Ras Wube at the Battle of Darasge, and was crowned as Emperor Tewodros II


  Feb 8, 1855
• Tewodros did not see his victories as the fulfillment of his objective
• Tewodros' campaign southward


  1. Captured Maqdalla on September 12 1855, ending his Wollo campaign

  2. Defeated the Shawan forces at the Battle of Barakat in November 1855
• In other areas of the empire, rebellion was already boiling
• Tewodros did not completely destroy all the local dynasties
• Tewodros' appointments


  • Dajjach Kassa Subagadis in Tegre
  • Dajjach Liban Amade and Amade Ali in Wollo
  • Hayla-Mikael Sahla - Sellassie in Shawa
• Tewodros was not successful in bringing a unified Ethiopia because the rebellions covered almost every part of his kingdom
• Rebellions against Tewodros


  • Tadla Gwalu in Gojjam
  • Tesso Gobeze in Walqayt
  • Wag Shum Gobeze in Lasta
  • Sayfu Sahla-Sellasie in Shawa
  • Dajjach Liban Amade and Amade Bashir in Wollo
• Wag Shum Gobeze crowned himself Emperor Takla-Giyorgis and got the submission of Ras Adal Tassama of Gojjam


  After the death of Emperor Tewodros
• Wag Shum Gobeze as Emperor Takla-Giyorgis

  Agreed the Bashilo River to be the boundary with Menilek
• Kassa Mercha refused to submit to Takla-Giyorgis' claim to the throne
• Kassa was victorious over Tekla-Giyorgis at the Battle of Assam, near Adwa


  July 11, 1871
• Kassa ascended to the throne, with the name of Yohannes IV and ruled Ethiopia from 1872 to 1889

  21th January, 1872
• Reign of Emperor Yohannes IV


  1872-1889
• Yohannes' policy towards regional governors


  Tolerated the existence of strong regional governors with a high degree of autonomy when they recognized his superiority
• Yohannes' administrative policy


  • Menilek and Adal Tessema had priority
• Menilek challenging Yohannes


  1. Crossed the natural boundary between Shawa and Wallo

  2. Established his base at Warra Illu
• Yohannes was busy with the Egyptians in the north

  Could not give meaningful help to his candidate Amade Liban
• Menilek gaining upper hand over rival

  1. Captured Maqdala

  2. Imprisoned Abba Wataw

  3. Appointed Muhammad Ali as governor of Wollo
• Yohannes defeated the Egyptians at the battles of Gundat and Gura


  1875 and 1876
• Yohannes dealing with Menilek

  1. Entered deep inside Menilek's province

  2. After some initial clashes, Menilek was advised to submit
• Yohannes and Menilek met at Leche and made an agreement

  March 20, 1878
• Agreement between Yohannes and Menilek


  • Menilek accepted the over lordship of Yohannes
  • Agreed to pay annual tribute to the emperor
  • Agreed to provide supplies for the imperial army when it passed through Shawa
  • Renounced the title of king of kings but was allowed to maintain the title of king
• Yohannes supporting Adal


  To discourage Menilek's expansion of the southwest, gave permission to Adal's expansion south of the Abbay River
• Adal's loyalty to Yohannes


  Suppressed rebellions in Bagemder and Semen in 1875-1876 while Yohannes was engaged with the Egyptians
• Adal was made King Takla-Haymanot and governor of Gojjam and Kaffa


  1881
• Objective of appointing Adal as King Takla-Haymanot


  To deprive Menilek from the resourceful region of the southwest
• Menilek defeated Takla-Haimanot at the Battle of Embabo


  June 6, 1882
• Menilek's victory at Embabo

  Meant mastery of the southwest for Menilek
• Emperor Menilek II


  Ruled Ethiopia from 1889-1913
• Methods used by Emperor Menilek to unite the territories of Ethiopia

  1. Peaceful submission

  2. Armed resistance
• Campaigns to incorporate the Gurage and Oromo areas


  Conducted in 1875-1876
• Gurage people's reaction


  • Peaceful submission
  • Armed resistance
• Gurage groups


  • Northern Gurage (Kestane)
  • Western Gurage forces led by Hasan Enjamo of Qabena
• Hasan Enjamo's resistance


  Serious challenge to Menilek's reunification