Tewoflos of Ethiopia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tewoflos or Theophilus (Ge'ez ቴዎፍሎስ, throne name Walda Ambasa, Ge'ez ወልደ አምበሳ, "son of the lion") was nəgusä nägäst (1 July 1708 – 14 October 1711) of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the brother of Iyasu I.

Tewoflos became king following the murder of his nephew Tekle Haymanot I, and sought to punish all involved in the death of his brother Iyasu I. He accused his late nephew Emperor Tekle Haymanot of regicide and patricide, and Tekle Haymanot has been known as Irgum ("Cursed") ever since. Empress Malakotawit and one of her brothers were publicly hanged, while another brother and a conspirator were speared to death; Richard Pankhurst cites James Bruce as stating that in one afternoon a total of 37 persons were executed.^[1] Tewoflos also initiated the canonization of his brother Iyasus I.

His reign was an unquiet one. In 1709, Nebahne Yohannes was proclaimed nəgusä nägäst in a revolt that lasted until July of 1710.

Tewflos died under suspicious circumstances.

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Richard P.K. Pankhurst, History of Ethiopian Towns (Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1982), pp. 143f.

Preceded by Tekle Haymanot I

Emperor of Ethiopia {{{years}}}

Succeeded by Yostos