The Making of Modern Ethiopian State

Context: The Closing Years of Zemene Mesafint

Central theme = imperial power declined during the Zermene- Mesafint
Zemene-Mesafint (Era of the Lords”) was a period in Ethiopia history that
stretched from 1769 – 1855.
endless (recurring) civil wars emanated from rivalry and struggle for power and
territory;
- regionalism was rampant ; overshadowing central authority;
-fragmentation in administration and the army.
-fragmentation of revenue. Rasses and Dej. of the regions kept revenue for
themselves.
-The “king of kings” at Gonder were puppets and tools of the most powerful lord,
that is, the king maker, or the Gurdian or the Ras Bitwaded (favorite Duke) = the
highest title below the king assumed by a successful lord
-The Werra – Sheh and their predecessor Ras Bitwodeds ruled not in their own
names, but indirectly in the name of the puppet king of kings at Gonder.
-The church ceased to be a unifying institution as it used to be. division over the
nature of Christ (Soset Ledet versus Hulet Ledet) was the underlying reason.

End of the Z/ Mesafint and Rise to power

The rise of Kasa Hailu of Quara ( later became Emperor Tewodros II) to the
imperial throne in 1855 brought and end to Z/M.
Kassa’s background is essential for better understanding of the later Tewodros II.
was Born at about 1820 in the district of Qwara.
Kassa Hailu was the son of Dej. Hailu Wolde Giorgis and Weyzero Atetegebe.
was a member of the Balabats of Quara on his father’s side, although there are
reports of a Kosso-vendor parentage on his maternal line.
attended church education at the convent of Chunker for a considerable time.

Political career
Kasa Hailu started his career by assisting his half-brother, Dej. Kinfu defeating
the Egyptians at Wad Kaltabu (in present-day eastern Sudan) in 1837.
As he acquired military and political strength and experiences, he started
mobilizing his own army in the area and fought battles in his own right in defense
of Eth frontiers.
In 1848, Kasa fought against the Egyptians at a place called Dabarki (again in
present Sudan).
His army demonstarted extraordinary courage, Kasa's forces lost the battle owing
to the Egyptians' superior military organization, discipline, and better arms.
Kasa drew lessons pertaining to the importance of a modem army and
descipline.
- Kasa's fame was spreading in the region and became a major concern to the
Warra-Sheh (Yejju) ruling house.
As a result, they decided to pacify Kasa through marriage arrangement and given
the hand of Tewabech ( not Mentwab ) , the daughter of Ras Ali II
He was also appointed the governor of Quara.
However, Kasa felt that he was not well treated by Ras Ali and his mother, Etege
Menen, and resumed his Shiftnet.
In addition to his well known natural qualities of “faithfulness” and “ truthfulness”
[Merid] other enduring virtues were “simplicity and disdain for pomp” - qualities
he developed in his Shifta days.
It is reported that he lived the life of his followers. Equally praiseworthy was his
sense of social justice, or “Robin Hood character” [Bahru]. For example he used to
distribute robbed money to peasants of his locality.
Series of battles
Tewodros’s dream for the imperial crown came true only after eliminating and
subduing the contemporary threats and impediments
- Kasa defeated Dejjach Goshu Zewde of Gojjam at Gur Aruba on November 27,
1852
-Birru Aligaz, Aben, Yazew and Belew, the four dejjazrnachs sent by Ras Ali, at
Taqusa (Gorgora Bichen) on April 12, 1853;
- Ras Ali himself defeated at Ayshal on 29 June 1853- Important in that this
marked the end of Wara Sheh Hegemony.
Finally, the remaining obstacle in the north who could possibly hold back Kassa
from the imperial throne was Wube Hailemariam of Semien and Tigray.
On 8 February 1855, at the battle of Deresge, to the northwest of Gondar, Kassa
defeated Ras Wube.
Without much ado on 11 February1855, in the same church Wube constructed
for his anticipated coronation and in the hands of the same Abun (Abuna Salama)
he brought for his coronation , Kassa Hailu was crowned Tewodros II, king of
kings of Ethiopia.
 Why the Throne name Tewodros ? Millenarianism
There was a widely circulating millenarian belief in Ethiopia even before the
Zemene Mesafint Millenarianism = Messianic belief – - It refers to the expectation
of the savor who is believe to set free people and lead in righteousness and
restore order.
In Arabic Moslem Middle East there was the expectation of 12th Imam, the
coming of a Mahadi
In Ethiopia there was a prophecy incorporated on a small book named |Fekare
Iyasus - was composed of Mathew 24:3, Revelation to John and local traditions
The central idea is bout the coming of a savor by the name Tewodros who is
suppose to restore peace and order.
Many rose claiming to be the anticipated Tewodros during the Z/M and even
before.
As a part of this society there is no doubt that Kassa Hailu knew about this
millenarianism belief. Thus the throne name Tewodros II was used by Kassa Hailu
to get legitimacy and acceptance on the basis of the prophecy

Unification and Reforms

Two of the most important political entities in the last days of the Zemene
Mesafint, Wallo and Shoa were still out of the imperial Orbit.
- The Wallo campaign started in March 1885, just the next month after his
coronation. It was a protracted campaign from March up to September.
Only after he captured Magdala, 12 September1855, Tewodros terminated the
Wallo campaign without effectively pacifying it.
In Wallo Tewodros encountered a fierce resistance to which he reacted by a
ruthless policy of terror expressed by several amputation of limbs and arms, and
plundering.
The question of Shoa was settled later on November 19, 1855 at the battle of
Bereket. Of course, Hailemelekot,negus of Shoa, died in the course of the
campaign before he met Tewodros at a battle field.
Menilik, son of Hailemelekot, suspected as center of any future Shoan resistance,
made captive at Bereket and taken to Magdala where he stayed for the coming
ten years.
 It was only in 1865 Menilik escaped from Meqdala. Mered Azmach Hailemichael,
H/Melekot’s brother, appointed as governor of Shoa and Tewodros’s vassal.
The Shoan campaign was thus the height of Tewodros’s success and perhaps the
last of his triumphant campaigns over his rivals and contenders.
Reforms and Modernization
He wanted to create a strong central government by appointing individuals (both
hereditary and non-hereditary- Hailemichael and Kassa Subagadis (in Gojjam and
Magdala that Tewodros appointed his two trusted followers and brave
commanders.
ARMY : concentrated on Organization, discipline and Cannon – making.
Regarding organization, Tewodros attempted to form a united national army
under one supreme commander (himself) by replacing the regional armies which
were loyal to their respective lords.
He also tried to make this national army a salaried one – paid by the state
introduced a new hierarchy of command much of which is still in use in the
Ethiopian army. The military title, Yaser – Aleqa (commander of 10), Ya Hamsa –
Aleqa (commander of 50), Yashi – Aleqa (commander of the thousand) are said to
be his contributions.
Cannon Making:
The Debariqi Experience of 1848
Samuel Gobat, the Angelican Bishop of Jerusalem in 1855 sent a group of
missionary craftsmen from Basle – Switzerland to Ethiopia.
This missionaries, as one writer put it “came to Ethiopia to teach the Gosple of
love but ended up gunsmiths.” Tewodros forced his guests settled at Gafat (near
Debre Tabor) to engage in cannon making.
The final result was the production of few poorly made mortars including
“Sevastopol” the biggest of all, which did not save Tewodros from the far more
superior weapons of the British at the Erogee encounter. The Gafat venture was
rather a source of estrangement with the missionaries which in a way hastened
the downfall of Tewodros.
The Church and Land Reform
It was his reform on land and the consequent collusion with the church which
contributed significantly to Tewodros’s troubles and ultimately to his down fall.
given the inherent character of Tewodros and his government / note that Bahru
refers to him as a jealous husband/ the church was practically precluded from
political and secular matters and made to concentrate on ecclesiastical issues.
The issue of the Temtem, adultury, polygamy, dishonesty, drunkardness were just
a few of the subjects around which the mutual accusation revolve.
the vital question of land which embittered the clergy against Tewodros.
in 1860 when Tewodros confiscated church lands which he believed were excess
and distributed it the tribute paying peasants.
To exacerbate the discord further, he also reduced the number of service men in
each church to be two priests and three deacons, totally five. (Only rarely
the number was raised to seven)
Tewodros, the Road Builder- road network to link Debre Tabor with Gondar,
Gojjarn, and Maqdela.
- Tewodros the Abolitionist- attempted to put an end to the slave trade, albeit the
method was harsh
- Tewodros the Librarian -a traditional library was established at Magdala
Other reform attempts include banning of polygamy.
The use of Amharic writing became more developed
The end of Tewodros
- Internally, Resistance and the revival of power contenders in Gojjam, Simen,
Wag and Lasta, Shewa, Wollo, and Tigray.
- Externally, he was involved in a serious diplomatic crisis that led to the coming
of the British expeditionary force in 1868
(The denial of a timely reply to a letter Tewodros wrote to Queen Victoria of
England in October 1862 could be said the origin of discord. This was a reason
enough to frustrate and infuriate the emperor who could easily view this as
insolence.
- Tewodros reacted by imprisoning all foreign national around him. Including
Captain Cameroon, the then British consul whom Tewodros thought to be
responsible for the negligence on the part of Britain, was made to join the rest of
the prisoners in 1864.
All diplomatic efforts to get the prisoners released, including the belated arrival of
a reply in 1865, did not work. Hormuzud Rasam, an intimate friend of Tewodros
and British envoy, was sent from the government of Great Britain. But he was put
to jail by Tewodros in April 1866.
- As a result, Expeditionary Force under Sir Robert Napier from India in 1868
- April 10, 1868, up to 8,000 Tewodros' soldiers including his general Gebriye were
defeated by the British at the battle of Erogee.
on April 13, 1868 at Maqdela, Emperor Tewodros committed suicide.
The Interregnum ( 1968- January 1872)
Following the death of Emperor Tewodros, three contenders to the throne
emerged; namely, Wagshum Gobeze of Lasta, Kasa Mircha of Tigray and Menilik
of Shewa.
Gobeze took state power immediately after Tewodros as Emperor Tekle-Giorgis II
(1868-71)
Although attempts were made to create a smooth relation between the Tekle-
Giorgis and Kasa Mircha, the quest for state power put them at loggerhead.
(from his base Temben; ensured the submission of all other rivals in Tigray and
established his authority over a vast territory. Although initially recognized the
suzerainty of Gobezie of Last, the stock of weapons he acquired from Napier (6
cannons, 850 rifles and ammunition) made him a favorite candidate to the
throne.)

Given the political culture of the day, the outcome of the power struggle would
be decided not by a ballot box but by war, or a military showdown.
The power struggle between Gobezie and Kassa went unabated all the way
through to be settled only after the campaigns of June – July 1871 .
It was only wrapped at the battle of Assam on 11 July 1871 in the victory of Kassa
Mircha.
Although Tekle Giorgis’s force far outnumbered that of Kassa Mircha in a 5 to 1
ratio (60,000: 12,000), Napier’s weapons played a decisive role.
Six months later, on 21 January 1872, Kassa Mircha of Tembien was crowned as
“King of Kings Yohannis IV” of Ethiopia.