Mentewab
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Mentewab ("How beautiful"; circa 1706 - 27 June 1773), was Empress of Ethiopia, consort of Emperor Bakaffa, mother of Iyasu II and grandmother of Iyoas I. She was also known officially by her baptismal name of Welete Giyorgis ("Daughter of St. George").
Mentewab was a native of Qwara, and is said to have had a Portuguese grandparent; because of this, she was often suspected of harboring secret Roman Catholic sympathies. She was a daughter of Dejazmach Manbare, of Dembiya, by his wife, Woizero Yenkoy, herself a daughter of Abeto Waksos, of Bula, and his wife woizero Yolyana (d 15 June 1532) - herself a daughter of azaz Damo and woizero Krestosawit, she herself a daughter of abeto Za Selassie of Walaqa and woizero Kedeste Krestos, herself a daughter of woizero Walatta Maryam (daughter of Gabre Seyum of Lasta and Semien, the wagshum) and abeto Laeka Mariam of Genaza, himself son of Za Krestos Sarsa and princess Nassahit, herself daughter of woizero Marata Wangel of Bad and abetahun Fiqtor, the imperial prince, fourth son of Emperor Menas Admas Sagad and Empress Admas Mogassa, and younger brother of Emperor Yishaq Sarsa Dengel. She married Emperor Bakaffa at Qwara 6 September 1722, becoming one of his secondary wives.
Following the death of her husband, Empress Mentewab took up a romantic liaison with her late husband's nephew. The Empress' much younger lover was derisively called "Melmal Iyasu" (Iyasu the Kept) by members of the court. Mentewab would have three daughters by "Melmal Iyasu", including Woizero Aster Iyasu, who would marry the powerful Tigrean warlord Ras Mikael Sehul.
Empress Mentewab built several significant structures in Gondar, including her own castle in the Imperial Precinct, and a large banqueting hall as well. Most significantly she built a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary at Qusquam (named for a site in Egypt where the Holy Family had stayed during their exile) in the mountains outside of Gondar. Empress Mentewab built a palace adjoining her church which became her favored residence.
Empress Mentewab was crowned co-ruler upon the succession of her son in 1730, and held unprecedented power over government during his reign. (She descended in her own right from emperors who reigned two centuries earlier.) Her attempt to continue in this role following the death of her son 1755 led her into conflict with Wubit (Welete Bersabe), Iyasu's widow, who believed that it was her turn to preside at the court of her own son Iyoas. The conflict between these two queens led to Mentewab summoning her Qwaran relatives and their forces to Gondar for support. Wubit responded by summoning her own Oromo relatives and their considerable forces from Yejju. Mentewab summoned the powerful Mikael Sehul (who was to become her son-in-law) to mediate the dispute and prevent a bloodbath. She hoped that he would land firmly on her side, but instead Ras Mikael seized power for himself, and eventually engineered the murder by strangulation of Emperor Iyoas I, at which time Mikael also married the aunt of his victim.
Empress Mentewab was distraught at the murder of her grandson. She retreated to Qusquam and buried her grandson there next to her son, and refused to return to the city of Gondar. She lived at her palace there in seclusion till the end of her life.
[edit] Children
by emperor Bakaffa:
Prince (Abetahun) Agaldem Iyasu, succeeded as Iyasu II b 1723 d 1755
Princess (Woizero) Walatta Takla Haymanot, married 1730, Ras Ilyas
by prince Iyasu Milmal:
Woizero Walatta Israel. m. (first) Dejazmatch Yosadiq Wolde Habib (d. 28th July 1759), sometime Governor of Gojjam, son of Dejazmatch Wolde Habib bin Ibido, sometime Governor of Gojjam. m. (second) Ras Goshu Wodago, sometime Governor of Amhara and Viceroy of the Empire, son of Ras Wodago, sometime Governor of Amhara, Walaqa, Begameder, and Gojjam, by his wife, Woizero Surantiya, of Ambassel, a descendant of Abeto Yitbarek, son of Emperor Na'od and brother of Emperor Libne Dingel.
Woizero Aster. m. (first) ca. 1755, Dejazmatch Natcho (d. before 1760), of Chirkin, by whom she had issue, one son. m. (second) 1760, Ras Ya Mariam Bariaw (k. before 9th December 1769), Viceroy of the Empire, and Governor of Lasta and Begameder 1764-1768, son of Dejazmatch Ayo, sometime Governor of Begameder. m. (third) 1769, Mikael Sehul Isqias, Prince (Mesfin) of Tigray (b. c. 1691; d. at Adowa, 23rd June 1779), sometime Viceroy of the Empire, son of Abeto Hezeqeyas [Isqias] Wolde Hawaryot, by his wife, Woizero Ishate Mariam, daughter of Azzaz Yakub.
Woizero Altash (Eleni), married 1755 Wolde Hawaryot (d 1760), son of Mikael Sehul Isqias, Prince of Tigray and Viceroy of the Empire.
