Wolde Selassie

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Wolde Selassie (c.1745[1] - 28 May 1816) was a Ras of Ethiopia and warlord of Tigray. He was the son of Dejazmach Kefla Iyasus, and his wives included Mentewab (died 1812 from smallpox), the sister of Emperor Egwale Seyon; and Sahin, the daughter of Emperor Tekle Giyorgis I.[2]

He emerged as the ruler of Tigray after years of fighting; Nathaniel Pearce describes an encounter where he made a name for himself by single-handedly slaying the brothers Abel and Cail, "two of Ras Michael's choice men". Despite the fact Ras Mikael Sehul was so impressed at this act of bravery that he offered the younger man the governorship of Enderta, Wolde Selassie remembered how the older man had his father killed, and spent the years until the old Ras died in exile amongst the Wallo Oromo and in Gojjam.[3]

Wolde Gabriel, grandson of Ras Mikael, attempted to crush Wolde Selassie when the later was in Wagart, but according to Pearce after besieging Wolde Selassie for 20 days Welda Gabriel came off the worse, and made peace by proclaiming him Balgadda, or governor of the salt-making districts.[4] After Welda Gabriel's death in battle against Ras Aligaz of Yejju, Wolde Selassie petitioned Emperor Tekle Giyorgis for the governorship of Enderta, but the Emperor "according to his usual bad faith" made another warlord, Gerazmach Gebre Masqal, governor of Enderta instead. Wolde Selassie then quickly marched forth with a smaller army against the Gerazmach, defeated his army then entered Gebre Masqal's camp and took the Gerazmach prisoner. Shortly afterwards he marched on Gondar, where he took the title of Ras of Enderta for himself (about 1790).[5]

Wolde made his headquarters in Chalacot. He played a role in the politics of the Imperial Throne, in part by providing shelter to Emperor Tekle Giyorgis I in 1799 and 1800, and was visited by the former Emperor Baeda Maryam in 1813.[6] Although at first he cooperated with Ras Aligaz, the Imperial Regent, after his power grew, Wolde Selassie came to challenge Aligaz for that office prior to Aligaz's death in 1803.[7]

According to Paul Henze, Ras Wolde was the first ruler of this period to have close contact with Europeans, hosting three British visitors, George Annesley, Viscount Valentia, his secretary Henry Salt, and Pearce. Pearce lived with Ras Wolde from about 1808 and the warlord's death. Pearce's diary of his stay is not only valuable for the history of this period, but also provides enormous detail about daily life in Ethiopia.[8] Pearce also notes that Ras Wolde was an avid chess player, "which he would play at from morning till night".[9]

When he died of natural causes in 1816, civil war broke out in his former territories. In the fighting, his nephew Wolde Rufa'el sacked Chalacot.[10]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Henry Salt estimated his age at 64 when he visited him in 1809. Salt, Henry [1814] (1958). A Voyage to Abyssinia and Travels into the Interior of that Country. London: Frank Cass. 
  2. ^ Pankhurst, Richard K. P. (1982). History of Ethiopian Towns. Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag. 
  3. ^ Pearce, Nathaniel (1831). in J.J. Halls: The Life and Adventures of Nathaniel Pearce. 
  4. ^ Pearce, The Adventures, vol. 2 p. 88
  5. ^ Pearce, The Adventures, vol. 2 pp.89-91
  6. ^ Pankhurst, pp. 201f.
  7. ^ Abir, Mordechai (1968). Ethiopia: The Era of the Princes; The Challenge of Islam and the Re-unification of the Christian Empire (1769-1855). London: Longmans. 
  8. ^ Henze, Paul B. (2000). Layers of Time, A History of Ethiopia. New York: Palgrave. ISBN 0-312-22719-1. 
  9. ^ Pearce, The Adventures, vol. 2 p. 92
  10. ^ Pankhurst, pp. 207f.