Notable legendary Ethiopian monarchs include:
- Arwe– Mythical serpent king who ruled for 400 years before being killed by the father of the Queen of Sheba.
- Makeda– The biblical queen of Sheba who, according to Ethiopian tradition, is believed to be the mother of Menelik I.
- Menelik I– Son of the queen of Sheba and king Solomonof Israeland founder of the Solomonic dynastyin the 10th century BC. ...
When did the Solomonic dynasty rule Ethiopia?
The Solomonic dynasty was a bastion of Judaism and later of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. It is claimed that this dynasty ruled Ethiopia as early as the 10th century BC, although there is no historical evidence to support this claim.
Is Menelik of Ethiopia related to King Solomon?
Its members claim lineal descent from the biblical King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Tradition asserts that the queen gave birth to Menelik I after her biblically described visit to Solomon in Jerusalem. In 1270, the Zagwe dynasty was overthrown by Yekuno Amlak, who claimed descent from Solomon and founded the Solomonic era of Ethiopia.
Where did the Solomonic dynasty come from?
Makonnen The Solomonic dynasty, also known as the House of Solomon, was a dynasty of the Ethiopian Empire formed in the thirteenth century. Its members claim lineal descent from the biblical King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.
How did the Solomonic dynasty end?
Solomonic dynasty. In 1270, the Zagwe dynasty of Ethiopia was overthrown by Yekuno Amlak, who claimed descent from Solomon and reinitiated the Solomonic era of Ethiopia. The dynasty would last until 1974, ended by a coup d'état and deposition of the emperor Haile Selassie .
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Who was the first Solomonic King?
Menelik IAccording to legend, Menelik I founded the Solomonic dynasty of Ethiopia that ruled Ethiopia with few interruptions for close to three thousand years.
Who was the first ruler of Ethiopia?
Emperor of EthiopiaFirst monarchYekuno AmlakLast monarchHaile SelassieFormation1270 ADAbolition21 March 197512 more rows
Who are the Solomonic kings?
The Solomonic Dynasty ruled Ethiopia from the 1270s to the 1970s, and the 14th-century work, the Kebra Nagast (The Glory of the Kings) famously tells of how the dynasty of Ethiopian kings descended from King Solomon himself.
What are the Solomonic dynasties according to Ethiopian?
Solomonid Dynasty, also called Solomonic Dynasty, line of Ethiopian emperors who, according to tradition, were descended from Menilek I, the son of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (Makeda).
Who was the greatest emperor of Ethiopia?
Haile Selassie was one of the most famous leaders in Ethiopian history. As the emperor, he was exiled during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia due to the status he held.
Who ruled Ethiopia for 6 hours?
Menelik IIMenelik II ዳግማዊ ምኒልክPredecessorYohannes IVSuccessorLij Iyasu (designated but uncrowned Emperor of Ethiopia)Born17 August 1844 Angolalla, Shewa, Ethiopian EmpireDied12 December 1913 (aged 69) Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Empire14 more rows
What does the word Solomonic mean?
notable wisdom, reasonablenessDefinition of Solomonic : marked by notable wisdom, reasonableness, or discretion especially under trying circumstances.
Who is the current king of Ethiopia?
Zera Yacob Amha SelassieZera Yacob Amha SelassieHead of the Imperial House of EthiopiaTenure17 February 1997 – presentPredecessorHaile Selassie I as Emperor of Ethiopia Amha Selassie as Emperor-in-exile of EthiopiaHeir-PresumptivePrince Pawlus Wossen Seged, Duke of Harar8 more rows
How many kings are there in Ethiopia?
The king list includes 312 monarchs divided into eight dynasties: Tribe of Aram (4530–3244 BC) (21 monarchs)
Why was the Solomonic dynasty important?
Ethiopia's Solomonic Dynasty is perhaps most important as one of the earliest and longest bastions of Christianity in East Africa. According to historians, most of Ethiopia had been a Judaic area until the 4th century C.E., when its rulers converted to Christianity.
What is the difference between Aksum and zagwe dynasty?
The Zagwe kings were further distinguished from the Aksumite kings in that they did not belong to the same ethnic and linguistic group as the Aksumites. The Zagwe kings were, therefore, described in Ethiopian traditional historical documents as usurpers and their dynasty as illegitimate.
What was king Ezana known for?
Ezana (active early to middle 4th century) was an Ethiopian king during the Axumite period. His reign marked a turning point in Ethiopian history because Christianity became the state religion when he became the first Christian king.
What is the full name of the first Ethiopian king?
Haile Selassie I, original name Tafari Makonnen, (born July 23, 1892, near Harer, Ethiopia—died August 27, 1975, Addis Ababa), emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974 who sought to modernize his country and who steered it into the mainstream of post-World War II African politics.
When Was Ethiopia founded?
August 21, 1995Ethiopia / Founded
Who is the king of Ethiopia today?
Zera Yacob Amha Selassie (/ˈzɪərə jæˈkoʊb/; Ge'ez: ዘርዐ ያዕቆብ አምሃ ሥላሴ; born 17 August 1953) is the grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie and son of Amha Selassie of the Ethiopian Empire. He has been head of the Imperial House of Ethiopia since 17 February 1997 as recognized by the Crown Council of Ethiopia.
What means Negus?
Negus is a noun derived from the Ethiopian Semitic root ngś, meaning "to reign". The title has subsequently been used to translate the word "king" or "emperor" in Biblical and other literature.
When did the Solomonic dynasty rule Ethiopia?
The Solomonic Dynasty ruled Ethiopia from the 1270s to the 1970s, and the 14th-century work, the Kebra Nagast ( The Glory of the Kings) famously tells of how the dynasty of Ethiopian kings descended from King Solomon himself. The descent from Solomon meant very different things at different times, but the Solomonic succession has remained in the Ethiopian cultural landscape for centuries.
What was the name of the city that the Solomonic kings built?
The Solomonic kings consolidated from the mid-1600s and built the great citadel of Gondar, which has been dubbed the 'Camelot of Africa'. Still, they could not return to their old strength, and even that renaissance proved short-lived. Historians of Ethiopia call the 1700s the Zamana Masafent, the Age of Princes, in which the monarchy was little more than a figurehead to whom Abysinnian warlords gave lip-service fealty while raiding and fighting each other. In this age, the aristocracy intermarried extensively, so almost any Abysinnian noble could claim descent from Solomon if they chose. Rivals and pretenders did just that, arguing among themselves for the priority of different lines of descent.
What was Menelik's role in the Kebra Nagast?
Both of these men needed to legitimise their rule, both to their own nobility and to the outside world. Menelik in particular had to compete for power with a pretender with a clearer line of descent from Yekuno Amlak and had to persuade European powers that his was not a country that ought to be conquered. Solomonic descent provided a solution to both problems. Menelik pushed the story in the Kebra Nagast to the forefront of his propaganda. Knowing that Europeans would put little credence on the idea of Ethiopia as the spiritual successor of Israel, this time he placed himself as the literal, genealogical successor of King Solomon. He even changed his name to Menelik – he was baptised Sahle Maryam.
Why did Menelik fund archaeological digs?
He funded archaeological digs of Aksumite sites – especially by the Germans, with whom he hoped to ally as a foil against more immediate Italian, French, and British threats – to demonstrate the longevity of Ethiopia's civilisation to the world. This was at a time when most Europeans saw Africa as a primitive tabula rasa which they could settle and 'improve'. Further, Menelik used archaeological expeditions to medieval sites beyond the Amhara heartland to justify his conquests. He argued he was just reconquering what was taken and the remnants of churches proved it.
What was the significance of the Aksumite Empire?
While the Aksumite Empire fell and was nothing more than a memory by the Middle Ages, it was a cherished one for Ethiopian Christians. Monasteries founded in Aksumite times by the Nine Saints – like the famous Debra Damo on its inaccessible plateau – were powerful symbols of identity and continuity of Christian culture. Stories of and links with Aksum were consequently very important.
Was Abysinnia destroyed?
Christian Abysinnia was not destroyed , but it was much weakened, retreating to the old heartland of Aksum and Zagwe in the north. In the south, the power vacuum facilitated the Great Oromo Migrations (especially after 1554). The Oromo are another Cushitic group, like the Agaw, and are now the largest population group in Ethiopia, but before the migrations, their homeland was further to the south. Now the Oromo states were major players, too, and kept Abysinnia from expanding again. Meanwhile, the Ottomans and Portuguese Empire had also arrived in the region to fight each other for control of the Red Sea and the wider Indian Ocean trade. Portuguese merchants even supplied weapons and soldiers to help Abyssinia against Ahmed Gragn.
Was there succession from father to eldest son?
Further, there was no established tradition of succession from father to eldest son. Scholar Sara Marzagora has argued that this descent should be understood as religious rather than literal. The Kings of Abyssinia were not so much the sons of Solomon as the heirs to his kingdom, the New Israel. That was hardly unusual at the time – Saxons, for example, claimed their descent from Isaac. It may be that Solomonic connections were just one way of proving continuity from Aksum and hence connection to the world of the Bible, rather than association with his dynasty.
When was the Solomonic dynasty?
Solomonic Dynasty. The Solomonic Dynasty (or Solomonic Restoration) is a period of history in Ethiopia between 1270 to 1636. It is so called because, in 1270 when Emperor Yekuno Amlak became emperor and he declared to be the lineal descent of Menelik I, son of King Solomon and Queen Sheba, he ended the short lived rule of the Zagwes off ...
Who wiped out the Christian Empire?
In the mid-16th century, the campaigns of Ahmad Gragn, nearly wiped out the Christian empire. It was only with the help of the Portuguese army that the monarchy was able to defeat Ahmad Gragn. By the end of the 16th century, the Christian monarchy had been greatly weakened.
How long did the Emperor stay in a tent?
The emperor, his army, nobles, and other members of the monarchy lived in tents and huts. They often did not stay in one place no more than four months at a time, moving only when they had exhausted the land or the residents, which were required to supply cattle or food or any other thing that was demanded.
When did the Solomonics rule Ethiopia?
The Solomonics continued to rule Ethiopia with few interruptions until 1974, when the last emperor, Haile Selassie, was deposed. The royal family is currently non-regnant. Members of the family in Ethiopia at the time of the 1974 revolution were imprisoned, and others were exiled.
Who was the emperor of Ethiopia?
Emperor Yagbe'u Seyon, also Yagbea-Sion (throne name Salomon) was nəgusä nägäst (18 June 1285 - 1294) of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He succeeded his father Yekuno Amlak. Yagbe'u Seyon served as co-ruler with his father Yekuno Amlak for the last few years of his reign, which eased his succession.
What were the causes of Amda Seyon's reign?
CausesThe most important primary source for his reign, The Glorious Victories, describes the extensive military campaigns Amda Seyon undertook in the plains drained by the Awash River. Beginning on 24 Yakatit (18 February), Emperor Amda Seyon led this army against a number of enemies; another document, referring to this year, states that he defeated 10 kings. [24] Rebellion in the Muslim provinces stemmed from the threat to Islam by Amda Seyon, magnified by the earlier loss of trade from his campaigns. [15] This defiance was encouraged and perhaps even instigated by religious leaders in Ifat and other Muslim provinces. The "false prophet" reported as having fled from Hadiya during the 1316/7 campaigns continued spreading propaganda against the king in Ifat, where he was one of Sabr ad-Din's advisors. The chronicle states that:
Why did the Emperor of Ethiopia expel Catholics?
Due to the violent religious controversy that Catholic missionaries had caused in Ethiopia under the reign of his grandfather Susenyos, he acted harshly towards Europeans. In 1669, he directed Gerazmach Mikael to expel all of the Catholics still living in Ethiopia; those who did not embrace the beliefs of the Ethiopian Church were exiled to Sennar. Six Franciscans sent by Pope Alexander VII to succeed in converting Ethiopia to Catholicism where the Jesuits had failed 30 years before, were executed during his reign. As a result, he favored Armenian visitors, whose beliefs also embraced Miaphysitism, and were in harmony with the Ethiopian Church. These included one Murad, who undertook a number of diplomatic missions for the Emperor; and in 1679, the Emperor Yohannes received the Armenian bishop Yohannes, bearing a relic of Ewostatewos.
How long did Tewodros rule?
Despite the fact it only lasted nine months, [1] Tewodros's period of rule acquired a connotation of being a golden age of Ethiopia. The explorer James Bruce later commented,
What is the Solomonic Dynasty?
The Solomonic dynasty is the traditional Imperial House of Ethiopia, claiming descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, who is said to have given birth to the traditional first king Menelik I after her Biblically described visit to Solomon in Jerusalem. The dynasty, a bastion of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, ...
Was Emperor Dawit a Christian?
The Emperor Dawit was an enthusiastic Christian. He dealt with a revolt of the Beta Israel in Tigray, and encouraged missionary work in Gojjam. According to E. A. Wallis Budge, during his reign a piece of the True Cross arrived in Ethiopia. [7] He also made endowments to the Ethiopian Church: three charters survive of grants he made of lands in Wolqayt , Serae , Adiyabo , Shire , Addi Arkay, northern Semien, the Gar'alta , Manbarta, and Karnesem which lies north of present-day Asmara. [8]
Who was the founder of the Ethiopian dynasty?
And if legend is to be believed, Menelik became the founder of the ruling Ethiopian dynasty. Haile Selassie – born Tafari Mekonnen – became emperor in 1930. In Ethiopian tradition, succession to the throne could be claimed by any male blood relative of the emperor. Selassie claimed distant descent through his father.
Who was the emperor of Ethiopia in 1930?
Haile Selassie – born Tafari Mekonnen – became emperor in 1930. In Ethiopian tradition, succession to the throne could be claimed by any male blood relative of the emperor. Selassie claimed distant descent through his father. He believed he was called to be king. In his autobiography, My Life and Ethiopia's Progress 1892-1937, written in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia, Selassie set out his claim to nobility. "Thus We Ourselves, by virtue of Our descent from the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, ever since We accepted in trust ... first the regency of the Ethiopian realm and later the Imperial dignity, right up to the present, We have set out to the best of Our ability to improve, gradually, internal administration by introducing into the country western modes of civilisation through which Our people may attain a higher level; hence Our conscience does not rebuke Us." He wrote the book while living in England, in Bath, in exile – Mussolini had invaded Ethiopia in 1935.
What is the significance of Solomon's granting of royal bounty to Sheba?
In the 14th century Ethiopian compilation of legends, the Kebra Nagast ("The Glory of Kings"), Solomon's granting of royal bounty to Sheba is interpreted to mean sexual relations. According to the Kebra Nagast, Sheba subsequently gave birth to a son who became Menelik, King of Axum. And if legend is to be believed, Menelik became the founder of the ruling Ethiopian dynasty.
The Kebra Nagast
Ancient Aksum
- Aksum was very significant to medieval Ethiopia's sense of itself. At its height, this ancient kingdom ruled over much of what is now Ethiopia and Eritrea. It may have even extended, at least in influence, over the Red Sea into southern Arabia. The 3rd-century Persian prophet Mani named Aksum one of the four great world civilisations, along with Pe...
Medieval Abyssinia
- The Christian Zagwe Dynasty emerged in the old heartland of Aksum sometime between 900 and 1137. Between the fall of Aksum and the rise of the Zagwe, Islam had arrived in force across the Red Sea and much of the Horn of Africa was now under the sway of Muslim sultans who spread trading connections with the rest of the world and got rich off the profits. Then there was the Kin…
Modern Ethiopia
- 150 years after Yekuno Amlak, his dynasty was brought to its knees. A devout Muslim noble called Ahmed ibn Ibrahim (r. 1527-1543), known to history as Gragn, the Left-Handed, split from his sultan, who he saw as decadent and too close to the Christians, to form his own sultanate. From there he ravaged Abyssinia from 1529 to 1543, destroying much of its art, architecture, ma…