TAKLA GIYORGIS
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Takla Giyorgis (circa 1836-1872), who reigned from 1868-71, was the last Ethiopian monarch to reside at Gondar.
PHOTO CAPTION: Takla Giyorgis. SOURCE: EA Library.
Born Gobaze, son of Gabra Madehen, and of Wayzaro Aitchesh, he had held the title of Wagshum (chief of Wag, in Lasta). He had rebelled against Emperor Téwodros II [reigned 1855-68] in 1864. He became very popular in the central provinces and soon commanded a much larger army than Téwodros, although he avoided a direct confrontation with the emperor on the field of battle.
When a British-Indian army, led by Lieutenant-General R.C. Napier, arrived in 1868 to obtain the release of Europeans held captive by Téwodros, Gobaze remained neutral. He had already occupied Gondar, and soon after the death of Téwodros, he proclaimed himself emperor taking the name of Takla Giyorgis, in the summer of 1868. He then began to rebuild Gondar and its destroyed churches.
But Takla Giyorgis had two powerful rivals for the imperial throne – Menilek and Kassa. With Menilek of Shawa, later to become Emperor Menilek II [reigned 1889-1913], he came to an agreement which kept Shawa outside his sphere of influence. In June 1871 he tried to subdue the northern province of Tegré, which was ruled by his brother-in-law Kassa, who became Emperor Yohannes IV [reigned 1872-89].
In the battle of Asem, fought at Adwa on July 11, his numerically superior army of about 50,000 men was defeated by Kassa. He was wounded, captured, and dethroned. Since 1866, Takla Giyorgis had been trying to establish diplomatic relations with France through Catholic missionaries, but his sudden and unexpected defeat ended these contacts.
SVEN RUBENSON
