Sela Dingay

Infobox Settlement
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pushpin_label_position =bottom
pushpin_mapsize = 300
pushpin_map_caption =Location in Ethiopia
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = Region
subdivision_name =‎ Ethiopia
subdivision_name1 = Amhara Region
subdivision_type2 = Zone
subdivision_name2 = Semien Shewa Zone
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population_as_of= 2005
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population_total = 2707 (est)
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timezone = EAT
utc_offset = +3
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latd=9|latm=58|lats=|latNS=N
longd=39|longm=38|longs=|longEW=E
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elevation_m = 2880
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Sela Dingay is a town in central Ethiopia. Located on the southern rim of the gorge of the Mofar River, in the Semien Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of coord|09|58|N|39|38|E|region:ET-AM_type:city(2707)|display=inline,title with elevations variously given as 2880 and 2915 meters above sea level. It is the administrative center of Mafud Mezezo Mojana woreda.

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Sela Dingay has an estimated total population of 2,707 of whom 1,435 were males and 1,272 were females. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Table B.4] The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 1,482 of whom 721 were males and 761 were females.

History

According to Antonio Cecchi, Sela Dingay was founded by Wossen Seged in 1804, naming the town after the historic district of Sela Dingay, although the local Debre Mitmaq church had been founded by Emperor Zara Yaqob, where he convened the Council of Debre Mitmaq in 1450 which resolved a rift in the Ethiopian Church over the observance of the Sabbath. In any case, Negus Wossen Seged built a second church for the town. [http://130.238.24.99/library/resources/dossiers/local_history_of_ethiopia/s/ORTSEK.pdf "Local History in Ethiopia"] (pdf) The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 25 February 2008)] Following the conquest of Shewa by the newly-crowned Emperor Tewodros II and the death of Negus Haile Melekot in 1855, the dowager queens retired to Sela Dingay, where Bezabish died around 1870 or 1871. [Chris Prouty, "Empress Taytu and Menilek II: Ethiopia 1883-1910" (Trenton: The Red Sea Press, 1986), pp. 4f]

One of the military maneuvers that led to the Battle of Segale in 1916 was Negus Mikael's occupation of Sela Dingay 14 October. This threatened Ras Leul Seged's left flank, forcing him to withdraw to Ankober. Despite his action, the Ras's army was annihilated four days later. [Harold Marcus, "Haile Sellassie I: The Formative Years" (Lawrenceville: Red Sea Press, 1996), p. 22]

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