Eskender

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Eskender (or Alexander, Ge'ez እስክንድር iskindir) (July 15, 1471 - 1494) was nəgusä nägäst (1478 - 1494) of Ethiopia (throne name Constantine II), and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Emperor Baeda Maryam by Romna.

Due to his young age, his authority required a regent; a council was formed of his mother Queen Romna, Tasfa Giyorgis (the abbot of the monastery of Lake Hayq, and the Bitwoded Amda Mikael. However, Queen Romna withdrew from this arrangement early on, entering a convent near Debre Libanos where she lived until her death; Abbot Tasfa Giyorgis proved no match for the experienced Bitwoded, and according to Taddesse Tamrat Amda Mikael "ruled the kingdom almost single handed."^[1] Betwadad Amda Mikael's rule came to an end around 1486 when a palace coup led by the Emperor's step-grandmother Queen Mother Eleni resulted in his deposition and execution. Queen Eleni thereafter played a leading role in the Emperor's government.

Emperor Eskender's premature death at 22 immediately led to civil war.^[2] While the court kept the Emperor's death a secret, one major noble, Zasillus, immediately marched to the royal prison of Amba Geshen, freed Na'od, and proclaimed him Emperor. Another noble Tekle Kristos, who had remained at the Imperial court, championed Eskender's son Amda Seyon II as emperor. While Tekle Kristos' forces defeated the followers of Zasillus, warfare continued through the realm.^[3]

European influence was noticeable during his reign. In a manuscript written by Francesco Suriano (dated to 1482 by Somigli), Suriano describes finding 10 Italians "of good repute" residing at Eskender's court, some who had been living there for 25 years. Suriano adds that since 1480, seven more had travelled to the Ethiopian court. They had travelled there "to seek jewels and precious stones", but "since the king did not allow them to return, they were all ill content, although they were all well rewarded, each in accordance with his rank."^[4]

It was in the last years of Eskender's reign that Pedro de Covilham arrived in Ethiopia, as an envoy from king John II of Portugal. However, da Covilha was not allowed to return to Portugal, and was forced to live out his days in Ethiopia -- although as a trusted advisor to the Emperors.

[edit] Notes

^ Taddesse Tamrat, Church and State in Ethiopia (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972), p. 286.
^ The explorer Richard Burton states that Mahfuz of Zeila had him assassinated at Tegulet, but does not provide his source for this. (First Footsteps in East Africa [New York: Praeger, 1966], p. 179)
^ Taddesse Tamrat, Church and State, p. 292.
^ O.G.S. Crawford, Ethiopian Itineraries, circa 1400-1524 (Cambridge: Hakluyt Society, 1958), pp. 40-54.