TAKLA HAYMANOT, NEGUS
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Negus Takla Haymanot (1847-January 10, 1901) was the ruler of Gojam from 1870 to 1901.
PHOTO CAPTION: Negus Takla Haymanot. SOURCE: EA Library
He was the son of Dajazmach Tassama Goshu, and his original name was Adal. His father died during Adal’s minority, and Dajazmach Dasta, a rival, took over the goverment of Gojam. Dasta imprisoned Adal, but Adal escaped to the inaccessible lowlands and rallied troops around him to fight his enemy.
Dasta was defeated and fled to Dajazmach Kassa of Tegré — later to become Yohannes IV [reigned 1872-89] – who was then gaining power. Adal took over the government, but surrendered to Emperor Takla Giyorgis [reigned 1868-71] in order to be confirmed as governor. Takla Giorgis appointed him as Dajazmach and gave him a daughter in marriage.
He was later made Ras when Takla Giyorgis was defeated by Kassa, who proclaimed himself Yohannes IV, Dasta was reinstated, and Adal had to leave the region. He retreated to a stronghold, and remained there until Yohannes had left Gojam. He then killed Dasta and became the ruler. Since the emperor had several other problems to deal with elsewhere, he was obliged to confirm Adal’s position. In January 1881, Yohannes therefore crowned Adal as Negus Takla Haymanot of Gojam and Kaffa.
Takla Haymanot extended his rule to the southwest by sending his able general Ras Derese across the Blue Nile. Derese subdued the Galla tribes living around the territory of Menilek – who was to become Emperor Menilek II [reigned 1889-1913] – who had his own plans for expansion. The conflict of interests resulted in a battle between Takla Haymanot and Menilek on June 6, 1882 at Embabo. Takla Haymanot was wounded, defeated, and taken prisoner. Emperor Yohannes summoned Menilek and Haymanot to Warayelu, in Wallo province. In August, at this meeting, Takla Haymanot was freed and recovered his captured weapons, but lost all the conquered territories, including Agaw Meder in the north, to Menilek and Yohannes.
After his defeat, Takla Haymanot concentrated on peaceful activities, including the building of churches and bridges. In the late 1880s, the Mahdists (members of a messianic Islamic community in the Sudan) encroached upon his territory, and the emperor ordered him to defend also the neighboring province of Bagemder. Haymanot met a large Mahdist force on the plains of Sarwaha in Dembea, southwest of Gondar, on January 18, 1888, and was defeated, and two of his daughters captured. He returned home humiliated.
Later, he was suspected of intriguing with Menilek against the emperor. Yohannes therefore marched on Gojam and devastated it, but did not capture Takla Haymanot. The population of the territory was reduced by disease after this, and Takla Haymanot abandoned all hope of becoming emperor of Ethiopia.
When Yohannes died at Matamma in 1889, as a result of wounds received in fighting the Mahdists, Menilek was crowned emperor and Takla Haymanot submitted to him. Menilek decorated him, and made him his counsellor. He participated in the 1896 campaign of Adwa, in which the Ethiopians defeated an invading Italian army, as well as in some other expeditions. He died in 1901.
BAIRU TAFLA
