GEDEWON
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Gedewon (15?-1624) was ruler of the Falasha (Ethiopians of Jewish faith) for almost 40 years, from 1586-1624. He was the kinsman of Gushan or Gwashan, who preceded him as ruler.
Gedewon’s name first appears in the Royal Chronicle in January 1586 during the reign of Emperor Sartsa-Dengel [ruled 1563-97]. This was at the time of Gushan’s defeat and death, when the Falasha stronghold of Warq Amba (Gold Mountain) in the Semen mountains of Bagemder fell to Sartsa-Dengel’s army, and hundreds of Falasha died or committed suicide to avoid capture. Gedewon fled to safety with a few men, and replaced Gushan, who was perhaps his elder brother, as leader of his people.
During the reign of Emperor Susneyos [ruled 1607-32], Gedewon pursued a policy of supporting with armed rebellion the claims of various pretenders – a line of action which inevitably provoked severe reprisals. In June 1615 he gave refuge to one of these impostors, a certain Takeluy. The two allies rebelled, and raided Shewada and Tsalamt in northeastern Bagemder, and Angot in Tegré.
Susneyos appointed his son-in-law Yolyos as governor of the whole area with orders to subdue the rebels. But the combined forces of Gedewon and Takeluy, operating in difficult country, proved too formidable for Yolyos, who was obliged to ask the emperor himself to take command. Susneyos succeeded, despite stiff resistance, in capturing the mountain fortresses of Meseraba and Za-Hanekase in the Semen mountains, where both Gedewon and Takeluy were resisting.
In a two-month siege, Gedewon’s men suffered such losses and hardship that, fearing their total extermination, he decided to betray his ally, Takeluy, and sue for peace. Takeluy was handed over to the emperor and executed early in 1616, while Gedewon retired to lick his wounds. He did not reappear until the end of 1624, when he supported the claim of yet another pretender, a great-grandson of Emperor Minas. He was killed in a surprise attack by the cousin of Susneyos, Malekea Kerestos, and his head was sent in triumph to Susneyos at Gannata-Iyasus, near Azazo, just south of Gondar.
BELAYNESH MICHAEL
