Brief
Chronology of Ethiopian History
Edited
and compiled by Dr. Ghelawdewos Araia
December
7, 2009
Ethiopia
is one of the ancient countries in the world with
a rich history and continuity of intellectual and
material culture of antiquity. The beginnings of
Ethiopian civilization goes back to a thousand
years before the birth of Christ, but it was in
the first seven centuries AD, i.e. when Aksum
arose, that a spectacular civilization took place
in Ethiopia. Here, we will just put a brief
chronology of Ethiopian history and some
recommendations for our subscribers in an effort
to introduce them to historians, scholars, and
other authors on Ethiopian history. At the outset,
however, a word of caution is necessary for our
readers: The Ethiopian civilization of antiquity
was a distinctly African civilization and not a
transplanted south Arabian civilization as some
Eurocentric historians have claimed in many of
their presentations. There is no doubt that there
were interactions among the Arabian and
Ethiopian/African population in ancient times, due
to trade or conquest and as a result cultural
exchange may have taken place that are duly
reflected in similarities of names and alphabets,
but the bulk corpus of the Ethiopian civilization
is endogenous.
Ancient Ethiopia�s
contribution to civilization, among other things,
were high-rise building, terrace agriculture,
phonetic alphabets, currency, and rock-hewn
buildings; none of which are to be found in
southern Arabia. Moreover, thanks to scholars like
Martin Bernal (author of Black Athena), now
we know that the first Semites indeed moved out
from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula.
Also, two important variables that reinforce our
argument are the fact that 1) Ethiopians conquered
and re-conquered southern Arabia (Aphilas in the
last quarter of the 3rd century AD and
Kaleb in the first quarter of the 6th
century AD) and it is not the other way around; 2)
The Ethiopian civilization had more in common with
Nubia and ancient Egypt rather than south Arabia.
On top of sharing some elements of material
culture such as monolithic statues, mummification,
herbal medicine, astronomy, calendar, and standard
measures and weights, Ethiopians, Nubians, and
Egyptians have also similar names. As indicated
below, a significant number of the Ethiopian
monarchs, in fact, had same names like the
Egyptians; for instance these Ethiopian kings
share same names: �min (like one of Egyptian
gods); Hathor (like the Egyptian goddess);
Amenhotep (like one of the pharaohs who came up
with the idea of one god and whose name means
Amen: god and Hotep: peace; therefore �god of
peace�; and out of whose name we adopted the
word of prayer, �Amen�. Despite commonalities,
however, Aksum in many ways was uniquely and
quintessentially Ethiopian.
Aksum was the metropolis
of what one researcher described as �the last of
the great civilizations of Antiquity to be
revealed to modern knowledge. In its heyday Aksum
displayed great prosperity, organizational power
and technological sophistication. Sections of its
population were literate in Ethiopic and/or in
Greek. From the third to the seventh centuries it
issued a tri-metallic coinage which is without
parallel in sub-Saharan Africa. Wide-ranging trade
contacts were maintained through the Red Sea port
of Adulis with the Mediterranean lands and, in the
opposite direction, as far as India and possibly
China. On occasion its rule extended over part of
what is now Yemen, on the Asian side of the Red
Sea. From
the Introduction of Ancient Ethiopia by
David W. Phillipson
Hundreds upon hundreds of
books, manuscripts, and study papers have been
published on Ethiopian history and civilization.
Some Ethiopian historians who wrote on Ethiopian
historiography are: Sergewi Habteselassie, Richard
Pankhurst, Taddese Tamrat, Bahru Zewdie, Tewelde
Teku, and Gebru Tareke. Other high caliber
contributors to Ethiopian history via oral
tradition are Aleka Taye (The History of
Ethiopian People in Amharic, 1914), Bilaten
Geta Herouy Woldeselassie (Wazema in
Amharic, 1921), GebereIyesus Abai (Origins of
the People of Mereb Milash in Tigrigna, 1954),
Azmach Kinfu Kidane (Ancient Coin Mints of
Aksum and the Kings who commissioned them, in
Amharic, 1960), Abba Tweldemedhin Yosief (Rock-Hewn
Churches in Tigray Governorate-General, in
Amharic1970), Belai Ghidey Amha (Aksum, in
Amharic, 1995), Teklesadiq Mekuria (series of
publications on Ethiopian unity and the four
modern Ethiopian Emperors [Tewdros, Yohannes,
Menelik, and Haile Selassie]). Dates of
publication are all in Ethiopian calendar.
According to Aleka Taye�s
The History of the Ethiopian People the
chronology of reigning kings and queens before the
birth of Christ or Before the Common Era (BCE)
are:
Name
duration of reign
end of reign
1. Ahnahus Seba
55
1930
2. Nekhite Kalas
40
1890
3. Kesayopi (queen)
19
1871
4. Sebi II Ayibe (son of
Amin) 15
1856
5. Ethiopis I
56
1800
6. Lakundu Neworos
30
1770
7. Tuteemheb
20
1750
8. Hirhator I or Yotor
20
1730
9. Ethiopis II
30
1700
10. Senka I Menkon
17
1683
11. Bonu I
8
1675
12. Mumazis (queen/daughter
of Bonu) 4
1671
13. Aruas
7 months
14. Aminasro I
30
1641
15. Ori II
30
1611
16. �Piori II
15
1596
17. Aminswamhat I Behas
40
1556
18. Dawe�
15
1541
19. Oktisanisa
10
1531
20. Mandis
17
1514
21. Pretowes Seshul
33
1481
22. Amoya
21
1460
23. Konsi (Indian)
5
1455
24. Bonu II
2
1453
25. Sebi III Kefie
(Bonu�s 3rd son)
15
1438
26. Jagonis Sekones
20
1418
27. Senuka 3rd
Felias
10
1408
28. Angabo
50
1358**
29. Me�amur
2 days
30. Belina (queen)
11
1347
31. Zegdur
40
1307**
32. Herhator Ertras
30
1277
33. Herhator II Zesbado
1
1276
34. Nikti IV Zesbado
20
1256
35. Tinton Sotio
10
1246
36. Hermentu II
5 months
37. Amenamhet II
5
1241
38. Konseb I
5
1236
39. Konseb II
5
1231
40. Senuka IV
5
1226
41. Angabo II
Hezbey
40
1186
42. Amin Astat
30
1156
43. Arhor
16
1140
44. Piankhi IV HenQuqay
9
1131
45. Ťenot Sem I
17
1114
46. Ťenot Sem II
41
1073
47. Mashirtar Tuklay
16
1057
48. Ramenkopirm Sehel
41
1043
49. Ťenot Sem III
7
1036
50. Sebi IV
10
1026
51. Tewasia Dewes
13
1013
52. Queen Saba
31
982
53. Menelik I (Dawit)
25
957
54. Handeyon
1
956
55. Sirah I Tomay
27
930
56. Amenhotep Zegdur
41
889
57. Aksumay Ramesu
20
869
58. Sirah II
38
831
59. Tewasia II
21
810
60. Abralios Piankhi II
32
778
61. Aksumay Werede Tsehay
23
755
62. Kaseheta Handeyon
13
742
63. Sebaka II
12
730
64. Nikanta Qendeke
10
720
65. Dawe� Tirhaq (Werede
Negash) 49
671
66. ArdAmen Awsia
6
665
67. Gesio
6 hours
68. Nuatmiamen
4
661
69. Tomadion Piankhi III
12
649
70. AminAsro II
16
633
71. Piankhi IV (Awtio)
34
599
72. Zuwarenbret Aspurta
41
558
73. Serfay Harsiatew
12
546
74. Ramhay Nastosonan
14
532
75. Handew Abra
11
521
76. Sofelia Nekibon
31
490
77. Agelbul Sewekos
21
469
78. Psmeret (Werede Negash)
21
448
79. Awesia Burakos
12
436
80. Qeniz Pismes
13
423
81. Apraso
10
413
82. Kes�hita Welde Equh
20
393
83. Elalion Te�niki
10
383
84. Atsirkamin III
10
373
85. Atsirkamin IV
10
363
86. Hadina
10
353
87. Atsirkamin V
10
343
88. Atsirkamin VI
10
333
89. Nikawla Qendeke III
10
323
90. Base�
7
316
91. Nikawsis Qendeke IV
10
306
92. Awtet Arawra
10
296
93. Arkamin II
10
286
94. Kel�sa II (Kelitro)
10
276
95. Zewarienebret
16
260
96. Sotio
14
246
97. Sodofay
13
232
98. Nikosis Qendeke V
10
225
99. Remhay Armin IV
10
213
100. Fielya Hurnekhet
15
198
101. Hendi Awkirara
20
176
102. Aghabu Bisehran
10
166
103. Sulay Awawminun
20
146
104. Meslni Qurarmer
8
138
105. Negsay Bisiniti
10
128
106. Etbinukawir
10
118
107. Sifelya Abramin
20
98
108. Senay
10
88
109. Awesina (queen)
11
77
110. Dawit II
10
67
111. Aghelbuls
8
59
112. Bewawl
10
49
113. Berewas
10
39
114. Danidad
10
29
115. Amoy Mehasi
5
24
116. Nicotris Hendeke VI
(queen) 10
14
117. Nolkee
4
10
118. Luzai
2
8
119. Bazen
8
Editor�s note: The
double asterisk (**) for Angabo and Zegdur, i.e.
for numbers 28 and 31 respectively, is to indicate
the credit accorded to the two monarchs. Aleka
Taye claims that Angabo, the son of Adhana, was
responsible for killing the monster (probably the
python-like creature in Ethiopian mythology that
was offered sacrificial lambs �girls- and slain
by Angabo, as later typified by St. George in
Ethiopian hagiography), and Zegdur is credited for
improvising the Geez phonetic alphabets. We may
never know the genius behind the invention of Geez
alphabets, but there is no doubt that it is the
collective work of leading clerics.
Bazen
would be the last reigning monarch in the period
Before the Common Era (BCE) and the only one who
reigned before and after the birth of Christ. As
indicated below, thus, the king would reign for 9
years in the formative period of the Common Era.
Following Aleka Taye again,
the kings and queens who reigned after the birth
of Jesus Christ or the Common Era (also known as
Anno Domini � AD -) are:
1. Bazen
9
9
2. SereŤu (Tsenfe
Aseged)
21
30
3. Tsenfe Are�d
2
32
4. SeŤtah
8
40
5. HorEmteku
2
42
6. Gersmot (queen)
8
50
7. Hatez Baher Asged
28
78
8. Meshin Germasor
7
85
9. SeTwa Germa Asfir
9
94
10. Adghele II
10 years and six months
104
11. Agba
1
105
12. Ser�ada
16
121
13. Melis Alamida
4
125
14. Haqabi Kulu Tsion
6
131
15. Kaqeli Serseguay
12
143
16. Dedeme Zeray
10
153
17. AwŤeť
2
155
18. Alay Begamai
7
162
19. Awdu Jen Aseged
30
192
20. Zagen Tsion Hagez
5
197
21. Riema Tsion Geza
3
200
22. Aziegan Me�albagad
5
or 7
207
23. Gefelie Seb� Aseged
1
208
24. Tsegayon Be�esie Serq
4
212
25. Gaza Agdur
9
221
26. Agdur Asguaga
8
229
27. Dewiza
1
230
28. Wakena (queen)
2 months
29. Hawdes
4 months
30. Aslal Sen Segel
3
233
31. Asfeho Asfeha
14
247
32. Atsgebe Seyfe Are�d
6
253
33. �yba
17
270
34. Tseham Lakdun
9
279
35. Tsegab
10
289
36. Tazier Tazena
10
299
37. Ahyewa Sophia (queen)
7
306
Editor�s note: According
to Aleka Taye, Queen Ahyewa Sophia would be the
last reigning sovereign in pre-Christian Ethiopia.
Other sovereigns that succeeded her adopted
Christianity. Apparently, Aleka Taye and many
other scholars including Ethiopians and
non-Ethiopian Ethiopianists thought that
Christianity was introduced into Ethiopia around
the first two to three decades of the 4th
century Common Era (CE), but this conjecture is
most certainly erroneous. There is no doubt that
Christianity was made official during the reign of
Ezana in the first quarter of the 4th
century CE, but there were already Christian sects
in Tigray (northern Ethiopia) as far back as the
first century CE. Historians such as Yuri
Kobischanov, author of Axum, corroborate
the latter argument.
In some of the chronology
of the above monarchs, there are errors in the
dates of the end of their reign and I had to
double-check it by referring to other sources
including that of Bilaten Geta Herouy. There are
also disagreements between the two authors in the
duration of reign of some kings; for instance,
with respect to Wakena, Aleka Taye has it as 2
months while Bilaten Geta puts it as 2 days.
Moreover, some names are spelled (or pronounced,
hence transliterated) differently: For instance,
in the above list of monarchs, # 29 or Hawdes is
named Hadawes in Bilaten Geta�s book.
The Christian era in
Ethiopia and the Chronology of Kings and Queens
1. Abraha and Atsbeha
26
332
2. Abraha (by himself)
12
344
3. Asfeha Delz
7
351
4. Sahel
14
365
5. Arfeed Gebremesqel
4
369
6. Adhana (queen)
5
374
7. Ret�e
1
375
8. Asfeha II
1
376
9. Atsbeha II
5
381
10. Ameda I
15
396
11. Abraha II
7 months
12. Elle Sahel
2 months
13. Elle Gebez
2
398
13. Sahel
4
402
14. Abraha
10
412
15. Adhana (queen)
6
418
16. Eyoab
10
428
17. Tseham II
2
430
18. Ameda II
1
431
19. Sahel Sahle Ahzab
2
433
20. Tsebah Meharene
Christos
3
436
21. Tseham III
2
438
22. Elle Gebez II
6
444
23. Agabie
1
445
24. Liewee
2
447
25. Ameda III (Yacob)
3
450
26. Armah (Dawit)
14
464
27. Amsee
5
469
28. Seladoba
9
478
29. Ellamida
8
486
30. Tazena II (Ezana)
7
493
31. Kaleb
30
523
32. Ze�Israel
undocumented
33. Gebru
1 month
34. Gebremesqel
14
537
35. Kostantinos (Sahel)
28
563
36. Wosen Seged Meharene
Christos 15
578
37. Ferie Senay
23
603
38. Adre�z
20
623
39. Akale W�dem
10
633
40. Germa Asefer
15
648
41. Z�rgaz
8
656
42. Degna Michael
21
677
43. Baher Ekla
14
701(?) 691
44. Gum
24
725
45. Asgomgum
5
730
46. Le�tm
16
746
47. Tela�tm
21
767
48. Ode Gosh
13
780
49. Ayzor
till noon
50. Dedim
5
785
51. W�Dedim
10
795
52. W�dma Asferie
30
825
53. Armah
5
830
54. Degnajen
19 and one month
849
55. Gedajen
10 months
850
Editor�s note: Before
Abraha and Atsbeha, there reigned very important
kings that are not mentioned in the above
chronology. Their names are Endibis, Aphilas,
Wazeba, Usnas, and Ella Amidas and they reigned
between 270 and 325 CE. Endibis was the sovereign
who introduced money (coin mints) as medium of
exchange in trade. Aphilas was most innovative and
brilliant who invented the unit currencies of
half, quarter, and one eighth of coins to
facilitate domestic and international trade. He
was also responsible for expanding Aksum�s
empire by conquering Hijaz (now in Saudi Arabia)
on the eastern shore of the Red Sea.
Abraha and Atsbeha are
brothers (also known as Ezana and Sezana) who
governed together but it is not known whether one
of them was a co-ruler or both exercised equal
power, and while Aleka Taye, as indicated above,
argues that Abraha subsequently ruled by himself,
Bilaten Geta claims that it was Atsbeha who also
ruled alone. In this case, however, it looks that
Aleka Taye is right especially if our
interpretation of Abraha as Ezana is correct.
According to Aleka Taye,
the reign of Adre�z coincided with the ascendance
of the Prophet Mohammed but other documentary
evidences indicate that Armah was the contemporary
king of Aksum. Bilaten Geta describes Aleka
Taye�s �Tazena� as �Wozena�.
With respect to Ze�Israel, while Aleka
Taye does not indicate his reigning period,
Bilaten Geta Herouy puts it as one month; and
Gebru reigns for one month in Aleka Taye but there
is no mention of him in Bilaten Geta. The end of
reign for Baher Ekla is safely assumed that it is
a typographical error. Bilaten Geta specifies the
duration of reign for Ayzor as 7 hours.
The cause for the extremely
short duration of reigns (ranging from few hours
to few months) for some monarchs is not explained,
but it is highly probable that they could have
been either incompetent or illegitimate and as a
result may have been forced to abdicate power.
The kings and queens were not absolute
monarchs, and in the absence of formidable
dynastic rule, power was not inherited and
sovereigns could not have governed as they wish.
After the reign of Gedajen,
an illegitimate queen by the name Yodit (known as
Gudit by Ethiopians for her atrocities and
destructive behavior) will usher an intermediate
period of at least seven decades:
1. Gudit
40
890
2. Anbesa W�dim
20
910
3. Dil Ne�d Ma�day
10
920
Editor�s note: Gudit�s
reign had a devastating impact on Ethiopian
civilization, for she and her successors created
enormous havoc to the Ethiopian social fabric by
destroying the material culture of antiquity. In
fact, the already weakened Aksumite kingdom
witnessed its end by the time Gudit assumed power,
and by the end of Dil Ne�d�s reign, a new
dynastic rule known as the Zagwe arose in
north-central Ethiopia under the leadership of
Mera Teklehaimanot.
The Zagwe Dynasty
1. Mera Teklehaimanot
(Zagwe) 13
933
2. Ťeťew Dim
40
973
3. Jan Seyoum
40
1013
4. Germa Seyoum
40
1053
5. Yemrehane Christos
40
1093
6. Kudus Arbie
40
1133
7. Lalibela
40
1173
8. Ne�akuto Le�ab
40
1213
9. Yitbarek (son of
Lalibela)
17
1230
10. Meyrari
15
1245
11. Harboy
10
1255
The Zagwe chronology is not
in right order. In one of my books, I have
indicated Yitbarek as the last king of this
dynasty and other scholars including Bilaten Geta
Herouy substantiate my finding.
Most scholars and some
Ethiopian historians view the Zagwe dynasty as
another intermediate period in Ethiopian history
and some portray the Zagwe kings as usurpers and
consider the Menelik I line (or so-called
Solomonic dynasty) as legitimate, but I do not
agree with this rationale and/or paradigm. In all
likelihood, the Zagwe kings continued the material
and spiritual culture of Aksum. The eleven
rock-hewn churches at Lalibela, both in terms of
architecture and Christian values, symbolize the
artistic excellence of Aksum. It should also be
noted that the Agaw, who founded the Zagwe
dynasty, spoke Agaw but they also spoke Amharic
and Tigrigna. They are the ancestors of the
Agawmidir in Gojjam, Lasta in Wollo, Abergle in
Tigray, and the Bilen of Eritrea in the
Keren/Bogos area
Numerous books have
documented the Zagwe experience and its
contribution to Ethiopian civilization, but very
few authors have recognized the significance and
legacy of Aksumite architecture and philosophy in
Lalibela. Peter Garlake succinctly captures the
marvel of the rock-hewn churches as follows:
The churches are not
only testimonies to masonry skills; they are even
more monuments to their architects powers of
logical thought, foresight, imagination, and
ability to control every aspect of the work.
Underlying the whole
concept of the rock-cut church seem to lie the
same metaphysical concepts as those that
exemplified ancient Aksum. In the stelae, great
baulks of rock were reduced to a carapace
shielding, preserving, and symbolizing life after
death. In the rock-cut churches the opposite took
place: an inversion of the pre-Christian concept.
Now the living worshipper is entombed in the rock.
The rock embraces and swallows the pilgrim. The
church is the mirror image of the stele. In both,
life � before or after death � is enclosed in
rock. These parallels, ironies and oppositions
seem to close for coincidence. Pre-Christian
concepts have a continuity and reality down the
centuries. The architectural world view that was
born in Yeha continued for nearly two thousand
years.
(From Peter Garlake, Early
Art and Architecture of Africa, Oxford
University Press, 2002)
After the end of the Zagwe
dynasty, a newly constituted dynasty led by
Yekunoamlak ushers what is known in Ethiopian
history as the Restoration, apparently the revival
of the Solomonic dynasty:
1. Yekunoamlak
13
1268
2. Yagbe� Tsion
9
1277
3. Tsenfe Are�d
1
1278
4.
Hizbe Aseged
1
1279
5. Qedme Aseged
1
1280
6. Ĵen Aseged
1
1281
7. Seb� Aseged
1
1282
8. W�dema Are�d
15
1297
9. Amde Tsion
30
1327
10. Seyfe Are�d
28
1355
11. W�dema Asfere
10
1365
12. Dawit
30
1395
13. Tewodros
4
1399
14. Yishaq
15
1414
15. Endrias
6 months
16. Hizbe Naň
4
1418
17. Bedil Naň VI
1
and six months
1419
18. Āmde Eyasu
7
1424
19. Zera Yaqob
34
1458
20. Be�de Mariam
10
1468
21. Eskindir
16 and five months
1486
22. Āmde Tsion
1
and seven months
1487
23. Naod
13
1500
24. Lebne Dingil
30
1530
25. Galawdewos
19
1549
26. Minas
4
1553
27. Sertse Dingil
34
1587
28. Yaqob
7
1594
29. Zedingil
1
1595
30. Susenyos
28
1623
31. Fasil (founder of
Gonder)
36
1659
32. Yohannes (the
benevolent) 15
1674
33. Adiam Seged Eyasu
24
1698
34. Teklehaimanot
2
1700
35. Tewoflos
3
1703
36. Yosţos
5
1708
37. Dawit
5
1713
38. Bakafa
9
1722
39. Alemseged Eyasu
25
1747
40. Iyo�s
15
1762
41. Yohannes
5 months
42. Teklehaimanot
7
and seven months
1769
43. Solomon
2
1772
44. Teklegiorgis
5
1777
Editor�s note: In
appreciation of the authentic documentation of the
routine encounters of the kings of the
Restoration, Richard Pankhurst writes cogently and
lucidly and here we quote him in some length:
The period after the
restoration of the Solomonic dynasty is
significant also in that it witnessed the
production, as far as known, of the first royal
chronicles. These historical writings�written at
the command of most of the rulers since the
thirteenth century, and were the work of learned
men or scribes specially appointed for this task
and whose identity is often recorded in the text.
The chronicles were thus the work of court
historians and as such are mainly concerned with
court life. Their attention is centered on the
sovereign�s official life: his education,
preparation, for his high office, marriage and
coronation, his wars and expeditions, appointments
and dismissals of provincial governors and other
officials, the issue of proclamations and decrees,
the founding of towns and the building and
endowment of churches, and the settlement of
religious and other disputes and controversies, as
well as various problems connected with the
succession. Despite such emphasis on activities at
court, the chronicles contain many passages of
wider economic and social interest, affording us,
for example, interesting descriptions of famines
and epidemics, systems of taxation and the
utilization of foreign craftsmen.
The
chronicles vary considerably in length, style and
character. The earliest, that of the fourteenth
century Emperor Amda Tseyon, is mainly concerned
with that sovereign�s wars which it describes in
such lively detail that one cannot help believing
that the author was actually present at most if
not all of the events which he records. This
indeed is the view of one modern writer, Professor
Edward Ullendorff, who observes that the work was
�unquestionably written by an eye-witness�, as
is apparent from the � vivid account of the
King�s campaigns� as well as �the anecdotes
and tales about the King�s life � all narrated
with a distinct flair and personal touch�.
The chronicle of the fifteenth century
Emperor Zara Yaqob is a very different type of
document. It is largely concerned with political
matters and devotes much attention to the
Emperor�s methods of government and gives us
many revealing glimpses of the system of
administration. An interesting feature of the
chronicle is that it was written after the death
of the Emperor. Its author was therefore able to
express himself much more freely than was usually
the case, and declares that �there was great
terror and fear among all the people of
Ethiopia� on account of the Emperor�s �sever
justice and authoritarian rule�, and that �all
the peoples trembled before the undaunted power of
the King.�
(From Richard Pankhurst, The
Ethiopian Royal Chronicles, Oxford University
Press, 1967)
Editor�s note: After
Teklegiorgis, another intermediate period known as
Zemene Mesafint or Era of Princes ensued
and Ethiopia was virtually divided among various
regional lords for slightly over seven decades,
i.e. till Emperor Tewodros reunited it again.
The chronology of the Era
of Princes that constituted 19 regional lords is
adopted from Bilaten Geta Herouy Woldeselassie�s
book Wazema. However, since one most
important lord, namely Ras Michael Suhul is
omitted, his name is included to best illustrate
the chronology and hence 20 names appear as shown
below:
1. Ras Michael Suhul
Tigray and Gonder
2. Ras Woldeselassie
Tigray
3. Ras Hailu
Gojjam
4. Ras Mer�d
Gojjam
5. Ras Gebrie
Semien
6. Ras Wond Wossen
Lasta
7. Ras Ali Senior
Begemidr
8. Ras Aligaz
Begemidr
9. Ras Asrat
Begemidr
10. Ras Woldegebriel
Begemidr
11. Ras Gugsa
Begemidr
12. Ras Yimam
Begemidr
13. Ras Marie
Begemidr
14. Dejazmach Subagadis
Tigray
15. Ras Dori
Begemidr
16. Ras Ali junior
Begemidr
17. Ras Wubie
Tigray and Semien
18. Mer�d Azmach Asfa
Wossen
Shewa
19. Ras Wossen Seged
Shewa
20. Negus Sahle Selassie
Shewa
As indicated above,
following the long period of disunity, Tewodros II
emerged as supreme sovereign after defeating the
regional lords one by one. His reign (1855-1868)
signaled the beginning of modern Ethiopian
history. His successors are Emperor Yohannes IV
(1871-1889), Emperor Menelik (1889-1913), Lij
Eyasu (1913-1916), Queen Zewditu (1816-1829), and
Emperor Haile Selassie (1830-1974). For further
reading on the modern Ethiopian emperors� brief
biography, their political life, and their
achievements in modernizing Ethiopia please
consult the following links:
The Great Unifier:
Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia
www.africanidea.org/emperor_tewdros.pdf
The
Martyred King of Kings: Emperor Yohannes IV of
Ethiopia
www.africanidea.org/atse_yohannes.pdf
Emeye
Menelik Abba Dagnew: Emperor of Ethiopia
www.africanidea.org/Emeye.pdf
Lij
Eyasu and Emperor Haile Selassie (Amharic)
www.africanidea.org/Doc3.pdf
Note: If you
encounter technical difficulties in opening the
above links, please visit www.africanidea.org
and scroll down till you see the respective
titles. The present editor authored all of the
above papers on modern Ethiopian monarchs.
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright � IDEA, Inc. 2009. Dr. Ghelawdewos
Araia can be contacted for educational and
constructive feedback via dr.garaia@africanidea.org
|
