| Hezqeyas | |
|---|---|
| Emperor of Ethiopia | |
| Reign | 26 July 1789 – January 1794 |
| Predecessor | Tekle Giyorgis I |
| Successor | Tekle Giyorgis I |
| Died | (1813-09-13)13 September 1813 |
| Dynasty | House of Solomon |
| Father | Iyasu III |
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Hezqeyas (died 13 September 1813)[1] wasEmperor of Ethiopia from 26 July 1789 to January 1794, and a member of theSolomonic dynasty. He was the son ofIyasu III.
Hezqeyas was brought down from the Royal prison onWehni byAzaj Dagale andKantibaAyadar, who made him Emperor, while the reigning Emperor,Tekle Giyorgis, was in the field campaigning against several revolts. Tekle Giyorgis started fromAringo to suppress this threat, but theDejazmaches Amade and Ali Borshe, with detachments ofRasAligaz's followers, met him at the village of Salam, and tried to encircle his army; Tekle Giyorgis managed to escape and crossed over theAbay to find refuge inGojjam.[2] Meanwhile, one of the first acts of Hezqeyas made as emperor was to appointRasHaile Yosadiq governor ofGojjam andFitawrariIkonyanDejazmach ofDamot.[3]
According toE. A. Wallis Budge, in the early years of his reign Hezqeyas provided a refuge for Selasse, who had raidedTigray. Hezqeyas made raids towards the frontier withSennar, which he plundered and lay waste to.[4] However theRoyal Chronicle provides a different narrative. Shortly after his elevation Emperor Tekle Giyorgis marched on Gondar, and upon learning of his advance Hezqeyas fled from the city. When Hezqeyas reachedKemekem, he was joined there byDejazmachHailu Eshte,Fitawrari Ikonyan,DejazmachHailu Terbenos, and others; reinforced, Hezqeyas marched back to Gondar and Tekle Giyorgis abandoned the city, proceeding to Gojjam by way ofDengel Ber, where he was joined byRas Haile Yosadiq, and together they marched on Gondar. But once there, at the last moment Tekle Giyorgis declined to engage Hezqeyas in battle and instead proceeded to MountWehni, where he released his relatives from the Royal prison.[5] Hezqeyas' supporters attempted to restore him to Gondar, but foundQegnazmachGualej had occupied it; they defeated Gualej who fled toSar Weha.[6]
For much of the first year of Hezqeyas' rule theRas BetwoddedAligaz could not directly intervene to support this emperor because he had his hands full consolidating his own position: he faced armed resistance to succeeding his brotherRasAli, including members of his own family such asDejazmach Alula, theFitawrari Sadiq, and theJantirar Yasufe.[7] When he was able to resolve these challenges, he supported the Emperor Hezqeyas by sending theMaqet AzmachWolde Mikael to assist him.[8] Despite this, although the majority of the great lords supported Hezqeyas, Tekle Haymanot made his own appointments from his refuge in Gojjam, undermining Hezqeyas' authority, "for the Kingdom was split in two."[9]
The following year Tekle Giyorgis had a falling out with his primary supporterRas Tekle Yosadiq; Tekle Giyorgis fled Gojjam, seeking the support of another noble,DejazmachGadlu, who refused to receive him; Tekle Giyorgis then turned toRas Aligaz for help who responded positively, but once Tekle Haymanot arrived at Aligaz's palace atFilakit Gereger he was imprisoned atEmakina.[10] Hezqeyas then spent therainy season of 1790 at Filakit Gereger before returning to Gondar.[11] The only action emperor Hezqeyas took that the chronicler felt was worth recording in 1791 was to send a general's robe toRas Aligaz and spend the rainy season in Gondar.[12]
It appears that in 1792 Emperor Hezqeyas acted against his primary supporter,Ras Aligaz: that year Hezqeyas,AbunaYosab andIchegeWolde Iyasus held a council where they declared that they will "not submit to theGalla"—a clear reference to either Aligaz or his family; theRoyal Chronicle records that later that year a battle was fought near Gondar where the Emperor and the two leaders of theEthiopian church were defeated. "And on the coming of the Galla all that was what was done."[13] Not long after this,Haile Wand Bewossen went to Emakina and freed Tekle Giyorgis; they proceeded toLalibela where the Emperor resided for a while, apparently mustering his supporters. When Hezqeyas heard that his rival had left Emakina, he advanced at the head of an army from Gondar, first to Tsenjana, then to the house ofDejazmach Haile Eshte where they were joined byRas Aligaz, where they "took counsel together."[14]
Several battles then followed, ending with Hezqeyas fleeing to Dengel Ber. The restored Emperor Tekle Giyorgis then met with his supporters to decide on their next step, but a lack of consensus led to Tekle Giyorgis going toWegera andDejazmach Gabriel going toBegemder late in 1793.[15] TheRoyal Chronicle records that towards the end of his reign one of the warlords,DejazmachWolde Gabriel, entered Gondar and "made appointments and dismissals without leave of the Negus [Hezqeyas]." A few months later the disgruntledBalambarasAsserat entered the capital city to expel theDejazmach, and in the fighting his men set fire to the Gan Takal, part of theRoyal Enclosure.[16]
Hezqeyas made one last attempt to retain the throne, before the end of 1793, entering Gondar with the support ofQegnazmachMare'ed,DejazmachGugsa, andDejazmachAklog. However, Hezqeyas immediately returned toRas Aligaz's camp, while Mar'ed and Aklog remained in Gondar for one more month before leaving for their provinces.[17]
TheRoyal chronicle notes Hezqeyas met his son the EmperorEgwale Seyon in 1802, as he was travelling fromZage to Gondar. His son then escorted him for the rest of his journey and conducted him to the house of the Ichege.[18] The travelerHenry Salt notes that Hezqeyas was still alive at the time of his visit to northern Ethiopia in 1809/1810.[19]
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Emperor of Ethiopia 1789–1794 | Succeeded by |
