List of rulers of Shewa
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This article lists the rulers of Shewa, a historical region of Ethiopia.
| Ruler of Shewa | |
|---|---|
Provincial | |
Family tree of the Shewan rulers | |
| Details | |
| Style | His Majesty |
| First monarch | Abeto Nagasi Krestos |
| Last monarch | Sahle Mariam |
| Formation | c. 1682 |
| Abolition | 10 March 1889 |
| Residence | Ankober Debre Birhan Qundi (1808–1813) Doqaqit (1745–1805) Yifat |
| Appointer | Hereditary |
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c. 960–1270
According to tradition, the Solomonic dynasty (1270–1974) was descended from king Solomon and queen Makeda via the kings of Axum. Long before the fall of Aksum, pre-existing Christian communities had already established deep roots in Shewa, creating cultural and religious bridge with Aksum. After Axum was destroyed by Gudit in the 10th century, the surviving royal family led by son of Dil Na'od and his people, fled to Shewa and reigned there for 330 years before the accession of Yekuno Amlak.[1] A line of kings ruled at Shewa during the time of the Zagwe dynasty and claimed descent from Dil Na'od, the last king of Axum.[2] The 1922 regnal list of Ethiopia includes eight unnumbered kings described as "8 generations of an Israelitish dynasty" who "did not mount the throne".[3] These kings did not mount the throne in Aksum, although they went on to form the Kingdom of Shewa.[4]
During Aksumite era, Shewa was an important remote frontier.[4] The historical region of Shewa served as the primary strategic sanctuary for the Aksumite royal line during one of the most tumultuous periods in Ethiopian history.[4] According to Kebra Negest and local histories, the Israelitish (Solomonic) dynasty sought refuge in the central highlands following the collapse of the Aksumite Empire around 960 CE.[4] When Queen Gudit (Yodit) led a campaign that destabilized the northern power centers, the Aksumite royal family fled south to Shewa.[4] This migration was possible because a Christian polity had already been established in the region during the Aksumite era, serving as a cultural and religious extension of the northern empire. Washa Michael Rock-Hewn church is one of the testimonies for this.
Washa Michael Rock-Hewn Church is an ancient, semi-monolithic church located in the Yeka district of Addis Ababa. Carved entirely out of a single volcanic rock slab, the historic site dates back to 320 AD. It was built by the Aksumite brother kings, Ezana and Sayzana (later named Abreha and Atsebeha).
For approximately 330 years, these royals maintained a "kingdom in exile" in Shewa rugged highlands, preserving their lineage and administrative traditions while the Zagwe dynasty ruled from Lasta.[4] This period of endurance concluded in 1270, when Yekuno Amlak, basing his uprising in the Shewan enclave, successfully overthrew the last Zagwe monarch to restore the Solomonic Empire.[4]
The name "Shewa" itself is deeply entwined with this narrative of preservation. In Amharic, the term is derived from a root meaning "rescue" or "to save," commemorating the province's historical role as a safe haven for the imperial lineage.
| Portrait | Ruler[3] | Reign | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahbara Wedem | c. 960 | ||
| Agbea Tseyon | |||
| Tsenfa Arad | |||
| Nagash Zare | |||
| Asfeh | |||
| Yakob | |||
| Bahr Asagad | |||
| Asgud | Additional name found on one regnal list quoted by Egyptologist Henry Salt.[5] | ||
| Edem Asagad | c. 1210–1255[6] | ||
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Yekuno Amlak | c. 1255–1270 | Defeated the last Zagwe king and became Emperor of Ethiopia (r. 1270–1285). |
Parallel to the highland Christian kingdom, the Makhzumi Dynasty established a Muslim sultanate that operated primarily as a commercial power. The 13th-century Makhzumi Chronicles and historical records place their administrative capital at Walale in northern Hararghe, deep inside Harla country.[7][8] The modern Harari ethnic group is widely considered a direct product of the mixing between the native Harla people and the Argobba-Makhzumi factions.[8] The Makhuzmi did not govern the central highland core of Shewa; rather, they controlled the vital Zeila trade routes that ran along the outskirts and eastern frontiers of the region.[8] Their influence was concentrated in the lowlands and the eastern Rift Valley, where they managed the movement of goods between the African interior and the coast.[8] Their archeological footprint and political center remained firmly in the east until they were deposed by the Walashma dynasty of Ifat in 1285.[8] When the Walashma dynasty of Ifat overthrew the Makhzumi kings in 1285 AD, the geopolitical center of the sultanate was pushed further west.
1682–1889
Claiming Solomonic descent, Nagasi Krestos established Shewa as an autonomous region of the weakening Ethiopian Empire in the 17th century before requesting the title of Meridazmatch, which would be adopted by his successors, and beginning a southern expansion of his realm that would culminate in the conquests of his descendant Menelik II.
| Portrait | Ruler | Reign | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nagasi Krestos | c. 1682 – c. 1703 | Abeto | |
| Sebestyanos | c. 1703 – c. 1718 | Merid Azmach | |
| Kidane Kale (Abuye) | c. 1718 – c. 1744 | Merid Azmach | |
| Amha Iyasus (Amhayes) | c. 1744 – c. 1775 | Merid Azmach | |
| Asfaw Wossen | c. 1775 – c. 1808 | Merid Azmach | |
| Wossen Seged | c. 1808 – June 1813 | Merid Azmach and Ras | |
 | Sahle Selassie | 12 June 1813 – 22 October 1847 | Merid Azmach, after 1839 Negus |
 | Haile Melekot | 22 October 1847 – 9 November 1855 | Negus |
 | Sahle Mariam | 9 November 1855 – 1856 | First reign as Negus |
| Haile Mikael | 1856 to 1859 | Son of Sahle Selassie, appointed Meridazmach by Emperor Tewodros II | |
| Bezabeh | 1859 | First reign, appointed by Emperor Tewodros II | |
| Seyfe | 1859 – 1860 | Son of Sahle Selassie, self-appointed Merid Azmach against Emperor Tewodros II | |
| Bezabeh | 1860 – 1865 | Second reign, restored by Emperor Tewodros II | |
| Sahle Mariam | August 1865 – 10 March 1889 | Second reign as Negus, became Emperor Menelik II |