- Tewodros I of Ethiopia
Tewodros I (Ge'ez ቴዎድሮስ "tēwōdrōs" "Theodore," throne name Walda Ambasa ወልደ አምበሳ "son of the lion" ) was "IPA|nəgusä nägäst" (1413 - 1414) of
Ethiopia , and a member of theSolomonic dynasty . He was the son of Dawit I by Queen Seyon Mangasha.Despite the fact it only lasted nine months, [Budge however states Tewodros ruled 3 years ("A History of Ethiopia: Nubia and Abyssinia", 1928 [Oosterhout, the Netherlands: Anthropological Publications, 1970] , p. 301).] Tewodros's period of rule acquired a connotation of being a
golden age of Ethiopia. The explorerJames Bruce later commented,:There must have been something very brilliant that happened under this prince, for though the reign is so short, it is before all others the most favourite epoch in Abyssinia. It is even confidently believed, that he is to rise again, and reign in Abyssinia for a thousand years, and in this period all war is to cease and everyone, in fulness, to enjoy happiness, plenty and peace.James Bruce, "Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile" (1805 edition), vol. 3, p. 96.]
E. A. Wallis Budge repeats the account of the "Synaxarium" that Emperor Tewodros was "a very religious man, and a great lover of religious literature". Budge adds that Tewodros wished to make a pilgrimage toJerusalem , but was convinced not to make the journey by theAbuna Mark, "who feared for his safety." Despite this, Budge notes that he annulled the agreement of his ancestorYekuno Amlak that granted a third of the country to theEthiopian Church . [Budge, "A History of Ethiopia", p. 301.]Tewodros was killed beyond the
Awash River fightingMuslims , although this is not explicitly stated by the Ethiopian chroniclers. Taddesse Tamrat notes that "in the royal chronicles and other traditions for the period, one can detect a deliberate attempt to suppress the violent ends of Ethiopian kings at the hands of their enemies." [Taddesse Tamrat, "Church and State in Ethiopia" (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972), p. 153n.5] He was first buried at the church ofTadbaba Maryam , but his descendant Emperor Baeda Maryam had his body re-interred atAtronsa Maryam . [ [http://130.238.24.99/library/resources/dossiers/local_history_of_ethiopia/A/ORTAST.pdf "Local History in Ethiopia"] (pdf) The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 28 January 2008)]References
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