TEWODROS II

Téwodros II, or Theodore, (circa 1820-April 13, 1868), reigned as emperor from 1866-68. He reunified Ethiopia’s kingdom into a single empire, and was the first emperor to seek to modernize the country. Internal opposition, and the sending of a British punitive expedition against him, led to his downfall.

PHOTO CAPTION: Téwodros II. SOURCE: EA Library.

Born as Kassa, son of Haylu Walda Giyorgis, a governor of Qwara province, he grew up with his mother, Wayzaro Ategat, and with powerful relatives of the Fenja family in the Gondar area. Not being of royal ancestry, Téwodros stressed his unique position as the “Elect of God,” whom God had raised “out of the dust” to reunify his people and save them from Muslim domination.

Kassa was educated in monasteries, where he studied the Holy Scriptures and Ethiopian history, law, and traditions. Though competent in Arabic, he was probably not acquainted with any European language, although he acquired a considerable knowledge of European history and government, and of contemporary international politics. Participation in the campaigns of his older half-brother, Dajazmach Kenfu, gave him thorough training in the techniques of small-scale Ethiopian warfare of that period.

Soon after Kenfu’s death in 1839, his lands and governorship were given to members of other families, finally falling into the hands of Empress Manan Liben-Amdié, mother of Ras Ali Alula. Kassa spent the following years serving various chiefs in the Tana region, and living the life of Shefta, or outlaw, in the Ethiopian-Sudanese borderlands.

About 1845, a reconciliation took place between and Kassa, as a result of which Kassa received the governorship of Qwara, as well as Ali’s daughter, Tawabach, in marriage. But relations with Manan remained strained, and in 1846 Kassa rebelled. The empress marched against Kassa in person, only to be defeated and captured by the young rebel in June 1847. Kassa now became governor of all the Ethiopian lands west and north of Lake Tana.

In 1852, after five years of peace, Kassa began his last struggle for supreme power in Ethiopia. In the battles of Gur Amba (November 27. 1852) Ayshal (June 29, 1853), and Derasge (February 9, 1855) he eliminated the power of the three most important princes of central and northern Ethiopia – Dajazmach Goshu of Gojam, Ras Ali Alula, and Dajazmach Webé of Semén-Tegré. He was afterwards crowned King of Kings Téwodros II on February 11, 1855.

By his coronation, Téwodros (as he was now called) became not only the nominal head of state, but also the most dominant political figure to appear in Ethiopia for more than 50 years. The new ruler, by choosing the name “Téwodros,” was, in Ethiopian tradition, destined to end corruption, immorality, lawlessness, war, and famine, and was also destined to introduce a new era of peace and justice. Moreover, his physical and mental qualities fitted him to play such a role.

He attempted many governmental, administrative, and social reforms, He tried to break the feudal pattern of government, and to create a unitary state with a national army and an administration led by paid officers and governors who were personally responsible to him. He decreed a reduction in the size of church land holdings in order to be able to finance his central administration. Important judicial reforms, such as limiting the collective responsibility for crimes, were introduced, and steps were taken to discredit polygamy and the slave trade.

Téwodros also introduced innovations in military organization and armament, and with the help of Europeans engaged in road construction and ship-building. The gun foundry near his capital at Dabra Tabor was his outstanding technical achievement. In foreign affairs, Téwodros regarded the Egyptian expansion in the Sudan and advance into the borderlands of Ethiopia as the main threat to his country.

He considered the Christian nations of Europe to be Ethiopia’s natural allies, and even dreamed of obtaining sufficient support to be able to defeat the Turks and to establish Christian rule in Jerusalem. But he opposed any limitations upon his sovereignty. He would deal with nations on equal terms only, and would sign no agreement with the British consul, Walter C. Plowden, until he had an opportunity to send his own mission to Europe.

He could not complete his policies of unification and modernization, firstly because of the peculiar difficulties they encountered, and secondly because of his own limitations as a politician. He completed the conquest of the country with the occupation of the southern province of Shawa in 1855. Because of constant rebellions in all provinces, however, he sought to consolidate his rule by showing himself to be ruthless to rivals and rebels, but without much success.

Furthermore, the Ethiopian Church refused to accept the diminution of its authority that he envisaged. The people supported their clergy, and the burning of 41 churches at Gondar and the imprisonment of its bishop increased the opposition against the emperor. Téwodros’ relations with the foreigners in his country also began to deteriorate towards the end of his reign.

In 1862, he had written to Queen Victoria (reigned 1837-1901), proposing an alliance between Ethiopia and Britain, but the letter was left unanswered. This angered him, and in 1864 he imprisoned some of the European missionaries, as well as the British consul, V.L. Cameron, who had failed to take a letter direct to Queen Victoria and bring back a reply. When a special ambassador was sent to obtain the captives’ release, he too was imprisoned. The British then sent a military expedition to Ethiopia, under the command of Sir Robert (later Lord) Napier.

Téwodros, encircled by rebels in his own country, did nothing to hinder the British-Indian army from reaching his fortress-stronghold of Maqdala. This was not surprising, for by 1866 he had completely lost control of about four-fifths of his kingdom, and finally his army had begun to desert him. In a short battle below Magdala, the last remnants of Téwodros’ army were defeated on Good Friday, April 10, 1868. His stronghold was then stormed, and on April 13 he committed suicide rather than surrender.

Téwodros’ reputation has varied. In Ethiopian tradition he is seen both as the usurper-tyrant and as the popular hero. European writers have generally stressed the negative traits of his character – his cruelty, his unpredictability, and even his insanity. But his downfall was essentially due not to the British expedition, but to internal political conditions in general, and his failure to come to terms with his own people in particular. But his claim to fame as the first Ethiopian ruler to seek to modernize Ethiopia nevertheless remains unchallenged.

SVEN RUBENSON