294:. Additionally, he had inherited a considerable number of armaments and soldiers that had long bolstered the power of Yohannes IV. However, historians cast doubts on Mengesha Yohanens's basic military prowess and leadership skills to mobilize the available resources and prevail over rivals, in contrast to his predecessor Yohannes. Mengesha Yohannes's strong political ambition once nearly pushed him to ally with the Italians, as demonstrated by the Mereb Convention of 1891. By 1890, the Italians had taken control of the Mereb Mellash, and aimed at the control of entire Tigray. In the meanwhile, Mengesha Yohannes and his Tigrayan vassals had revolted against
67:
195:. He hoped that the Italians would support his rebellion against Emperor Menelik. However, encroachments by the Italians into his native Tigray, their previous enmity to his father Yohannes, and recognition that the ultimate goal of the Italians was to conquer Ethiopia themselves, led Mengesha Yohannes to finally submit to Menelik II. On 2 June 1894, he and his three major lieutenants went to the new capital at
199:. Within the newly constructed reception hall of the Grand Palace, the Emperor awaited them. He was seated on his throne with a large crown on his head. Mengesha Yohannes and his lieutenants each carried a rock of submission on his shoulder. They approached, prostrated themselves, and asked for forgiveness. Menelik simply declared them pardoned.
457:
of 1884 and later, soon after the Battle of Adwa of 1896, contends that
Mengesha was indisputably the actual son Yohannes. Bairu Tefla, on the other hand, although he is aware of the various sources, which assert that Mengesha was the natural son of Yohannes, has placed him as the son of Gugsa on the
319:
During the first phase, in the years 1894–95, the
Italians made a number of incursions into northern Ethiopia. Mengersha Yohannes was then responsible for defending the northern borders. He was beaten in the two battles of Kweatit (1894), Senafe (Eritrea) and Debre Hayle (1895): in early 1896 he even
438:
Since Gugsa had the same father and mother as
Yohannes, the legitimacy of Mengesha would not have been affected if Yohannes had declared that he had chosen Mengesha, his nephew, as his heir. Mengesha, through his mother, had also additional claim to the Imperial lineage. The only reason for claiming
338:
Despite
Mengesha Yohannes's retention of "Tigray proper", Eritrea remained in the hands of the Italians. His proposal to sustain the war to push the Italians out of Eritrea was played down by the Emperor, who focused on the control of his own realm. Menelik officially rewarded Mengesha Yohannes with
334:
Alula, he was largely responsible for organizing and running the intelligence of
Menelik II. He exploited his local connections, gathered intelligence and rendered a fairly outstanding command of the Tigrayan army. All these inputs had a crucial role in deciding the outcome of the battle of Adwa in
315:
Menelik II, ostensibly in expectation of the title of negus of Tigray. Menelik, in turn, appointed him governor, not negus of Tigray. For a while, Mengesha
Yohannes demonstrated his loyalty. The conflict subsequently developing between the Italians and Menelik, gave him the opportunity to prove his
273:
Mengesha
Yohannes was designated by the Emperor as his heir-to-the-throne, and allegedly crowned still on the battlefield of Metemma, but Mengesha Yohannes was not able to claim the throne. In the aftermath of the disastrous battle of Metemma, the Tigrayan ruling families found themselves embroiled
430:
and the important dignitaries present that
Mengesha was not the son of his brother Gugsa, but his. He thus acknowledged him as his son and declared him as his heir. Immediately after this announcement, close relatives of Yohannes, such as Fitawrari Meshesha, son of Maru, Yohannes's brother, and
298:
Menelik II. Italian attempts to instigate them were, nonetheless, short-lived. The
Italians' non-committed stance, coupled with Mengesha Yohannes's hesitant attitude finally convinced him to end his rebellion, even against the opposition of his counsellors and his military supporters, such as
346:
niece. The marriage was meant to cement further the bonds between the houses of Tigray, Shewa, and Yejju. It was obtained at the cost of divorcing his loving wife. Still, Mengesha
Yohannes's long expectations of promotion to negus of Tigray were shattered for the second time.
378:
were able to gain the governorship of Tigray, each at different stages of the history of this region (sometimes also partitioned among several governors, relatives of Mengesha Yohannes), until the 1974 Revolution. Mengesha Seyoum played then a role as the leader of an
466:
Even after the submission of Mengesha Yohannes, familial rivalry between the two lines of descent from Emperor Yohannes IV proved to be a difficult issue for Emperor Menelik II and his successors. Yohannes IV was survived by his elder
169:, Mengesha Yohannes was considered to be a nephew of Emperor Yohannes IV. During the battle, the Emperor was mortally wounded and it was on his deathbed that Mengesha Yohannes was acknowledged as his "
269:, recognized him as his son, from a side-relation with his brother Gugsa's wife. Therefore, some informants still claim that Mengesha Yohannes was strongly attached to Yohannes throughout his life.
274:
in a power struggle that led to a regional civil war. This state of anarchy sapped the energy of Mengesha Yohannes's camp to unite the region under his authority. Quickly, instead
176:
Fighting between various relatives of the slain Emperor split his camp and prevented Mengesha from making a viable bid for the Imperial throne. Instead, the throne was assumed by
400:
439:
Mengesha as his own son was simply to reveal the truth, which hitherto was kept secret due to the close association that had existed between Yoahannes's elder brother
210:, where his force was rebuffed. Another skirmish led by Fitawrari Gebeyehu, the vanguard commander of Menelik forces on the way to Adwa, annihilated the Italians at
435:, maternal uncle of Yohannes, refused to accept Mengesha as the son and heir of Yohannes, claiming that they were equally entitled to succeed the deceased Emperor.
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427:
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361:) in 1898 ended with his captivity and confinement at Addis Ababa, starting from 1899, and then in Ankober where he died as a prisoner in 1906.
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745:
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214:. The war culminated in 1896, as Mengesha Yohannes and the forces of Tigray fought at the side of Menelik against the Italians at the pivotal
155:
621:
652:
877:
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Mengesha Yohannes's controversial political career, however, left a legacy of Tigrayan identity and autonomy. Indeed, his son
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Before 1889, Mengesha Yohannes was considered the Emperor's nephew, but on 9 March 1889 the Emperor on his deathbed, in
17:
458:
ground that "Most of the old people agree that Mengesha was the son of Gugsa, the eldest brother of the sovereign."
857:
311:
In June 1894, Mengesha Yohannes ultimately dropped his claims to the imperial throne and officially submitted to
287:
Mengesha Yohannes, however, had the strong military and political backing of Yohannes's chief military general
605:"A Glimpse of History Power, Treachery, Diplomacy and War in Ethiopia 1889-1906 RP Vol. IX No. XXVII, MMXVI"
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211:
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was transferred under his command. It was only on his deathbed, at Metemma, that Yohannes declared to
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Mengesha Yohannes played an even more important role in the next phase of the conflict. Together with
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initiated the rebellion against the Italians. Mengesha then led his army against the Italians at the
882:
703:
Ethiopia and Eritrea during the Scramble for Africa: a Political Biography of Ras Alula, 1875-1897
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450:
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218:. In 1899, Mengesha Yohannes rebelled again against Menelik when he was denied the title of
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8:
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324:, but kept the Italians busy until a united Ethiopian army was gathered to face them.
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554:
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133:
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Mengesha is regarded as the founder of one of the two senior cadet branches of the
523:. In 1935, Haile Selassie Gugsa joined forces with the Italian invaders when they
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173:" son and designated as his heir. This created something of a succession problem.
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91:
764:
The Political History of Tigray: Shewan Centralization versus Tigrayan Regionalism
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Mengesha refused to submit to Menelik and later even flirted with joining the new
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226:
141:
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31:
851:
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of all Tigray in succession to his father after the death of his cousin
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Following their allegiance with Menelik, they returned to Tigray, where
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66:
35:
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300,000 silver dollars and married him to Kafay Wele Batul of Yejju,
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604:
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Mengesha Yohannes's final and desperate rebellion (in concert with
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39:
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of Zion (his descendants would be outraged decades later when
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245:
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151:(r. 1872–89). His mother was Welette Tekle Haymanot wife of
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461:
516:
Gugsa Araya and after the treason of Gugsa Araya's son,
42:; this person is referred to by the given name Mengesha.
796:. Paris: Cahiers D'Etudes Africaines. pp. 491–505.
415:
Arya Sellassie, son and heir of Yohannes, the title of
399:
Mengesh's parentage is due to the fact that his mother
335:
1896, which ended up as a grim loss to the Italians.
766:. Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa University. pp. 75f.
781:. Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa University. p. 165.
616:
614:
493:would for a time divide Tigray between them, with
443:Gugsa and Woizero Tekle, the mother of Mengesha.
849:
611:
599:
597:
453:, who had been in Ethiopia as a member of the
478:and by his younger "natural" son Mengesha.
316:indispensability to the central government.
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165:was his younger half brother. Prior to the
821:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
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419:was conferred on Mengesha and the army of
65:
281:was proclaimed emperor in November 1889.
497:Gugsa Araya ruling the eastern half and
449:, a correspondent of the British paper,
794:Quatre généalogies royales éthiopiennes
791:
761:
732:A History of Modern Ethiopia, 1855-1974
462:Familial rivalry and division of Tigray
14:
850:
700:
651:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
390:
806:
776:
729:
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387:, which dates back to the mid-1970s.
757:
755:
696:
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664:
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539:Ethiopian Imperial Solomonic Dynasty
24:
838:A Chronicle of Emperor Yohannes IV
25:
894:
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752:
691:
659:
431:Dejach Bogale Araya, son of Ras
240:Mengesha captured and put under
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229:was crowned with this title by
140:; 1868 – 1906) was governor of
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673:. Wiesbaden. pp. 555–566.
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320:retreated from his stronghold
27:Ethiopian governor (1868–1906)
13:
1:
878:19th-century Ethiopian people
779:A History of Agame, 1822-1914
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811:. London. pp. 179, 315.
401:Wolete Tekle Haymanot Tomcho
255:
7:
544:
10:
899:
762:Berhane, Mekonnen (1994).
671:Between the Jaws of Hyenas
504:Eventually Mengesha's son
385:Ethiopian Democratic Union
29:
501:Seyoum the western half.
486:, and Ras Mengesha's son
137:
98:
73:
64:
57:
47:
792:Tubiana, Joseph (1967).
561:
407:Tekle) was betrothed to
383:oppositional party, the
236:). Emperor Menelik had
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701:Erlich, Haggai (1982).
669:Caulk, Richard (2002).
476:Araya Selassie Yohannes
451:The Manchester Guardian
411:Gugsa. On the death of
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163:Araya Selassie Yohannes
858:Ethiopian Royal Family
777:Berhe, Tsegay (1996).
730:Zewde, Bahru (1991).
589:A History of Ethiopia
576:A History of Ethiopia
34:. The last name is a
807:Wylde, A.B. (1901).
529:occupied the country
521:Haile Selassie Gugsa
553:(also known as the
395:The confusion over
391:Succession problems
551:Battle of Gallabat
525:conquered Ethiopia
371:and his grandson,
863:Ethiopian princes
555:Battle of Metemma
167:Battle of Metemma
130:Mengesha Yohannes
124:
123:
106:(aged 37–38)
52:Mengesha Yohannes
18:Mengesha Yohannes
16:(Redirected from
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883:Sons of emperors
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627:. Archived from
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508:Seyoum was made
447:Augusus B. Wylde
428:Etchege Tewoflos
248:royal palace at
208:Battle of Coatit
181:Menelik of Shewa
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118:Ethiopian Empire
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92:Ethiopian Empire
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705:. East Lansing.
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369:Seyoum Mengesha
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227:Mikael of Wollo
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634:on 2017-01-07
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636:. Retrieved
629:the original
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482:Araya's son
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433:Araya Dimtsu
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292:Alula Engada
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242:house arrest
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231:
223:
219:
201:
184:
177:
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156:Gugsa Mercha
152:
129:
126:
125:
104:(1906-00-00)
873:1906 deaths
868:1868 births
484:Gugsa Araya
244:at the old
204:Bahta Hagos
197:Addis Ababa
149:Yohannes IV
40:family name
30:This is an
852:Categories
638:2017-01-06
518:Dejazmatch
469:legitimate
441:Dejazmatch
409:Dejazmatch
279:Menelik II
261:Early life
212:Amba Alagi
191:colony of
36:patronymic
817:cite book
740:cite book
734:. London.
711:cite book
679:cite book
271:Dejazmach
256:Biography
153:dejazmach
138:መንገሻ ዮሓንስ
59:መንገሻ ዮሓንስ
647:cite web
587:Marcus,
574:Marcus,
545:See also
373:leul ras
366:leul ras
134:Tigrinya
38:, not a
591:, pg.95
578:, pg.89
405:Woizero
344:Taytu's
322:Mekelle
303:Alula.
267:Metemma
250:Ankober
193:Eritrea
189:Italian
171:natural
146:Emperor
110:Ankober
79: (
491:Seyoum
471:" son
355:Sebhat
246:Shewan
142:Tigray
88:Tigray
632:(PDF)
625:(PDF)
562:Notes
379:anti-
359:Agame
341:atege
234:Iyasu
220:Negus
178:Negus
114:Shewa
823:link
746:link
717:link
685:link
653:link
527:and
510:Leul
381:Derg
313:atse
307:Rule
296:atse
276:atse
102:1906
99:Died
81:1868
77:1868
74:Born
535:Ras
514:Ras
506:Ras
499:Ras
495:Ras
488:Ras
480:Ras
473:Ras
421:Ras
417:Ras
413:Ras
397:Ras
357:of
352:ras
332:ras
328:Ras
301:ras
289:ras
285:Ras
238:Ras
232:Lij
224:Ras
185:Ras
160:Ras
127:Ras
49:Ras
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840:.
825:)
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403:(
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83:)
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