Asma Sagad

Bakaffa ( Ethiop . በካፋ , throne name Asma Sagad አድባር ሰገድ , later Masih Sagad መሲህ ሰገድ ) was Negus Negest ( Emperor ) of Ethiopia from May 21, 1721 to September 1730 and a member of the Solomon dynasty . He was a son of the Emperor Jesus I and brother of Tekle Haymanot I and David III.

Bakaffa spent his childhood in captivity on Wehni . However, during early riots he fled and lived with the Oromo . When he was recaptured, part of his nose was cut off to make him unfit for the throne. Nevertheless, after the death of his brother, David III., He became his successor - against the wishes of a considerable group, the Walda Giyorgis, the son of Nagala Mammit.

His rule was largely peaceful and he tried to stimulate economic growth. Still, Paul B. Henze believes that his most valuable contribution to the capital and its country was his wife, Mentewab (“How admirable!”), Also Mentuab .

Unusually for that time, there were hardly any wars under Bakaffa and the economy flourished. He traveled across the empire in disguise to remedy injustices. According to Edward Ullendorff, these deeds have long been a part of Ethiopian folklore. It is believed that he met his second wife, Empress Mentewab, on one of his frequent masked trips. He fell ill while visiting her home in Qwara District . He was put to bed in her father's house and she cared for him during his illness. When he recovered, he married her.

A tragic mysterious story is the death of his first wife. The Emperor had just crowned her in his palace, and she had moved to the banquet room to attend the banquet for her coronation. After the meal she suddenly felt sick and died that same night. Poisoning was rumored far and wide. As the new empress, Mentewab came to Gonder at a suspicious court full of intrigues and dangers. It is most remarkable that in this environment she succeeded in making her way to power; Not to mention the influential role she would play after her husband died.

Bakaffa's reign, however, was not entirely carefree. He was afraid of riots, and so he tested the sentiments of his subjects by hiding in his palace for many days. This worried the nobles and the people. The governor of the city raised a guard around the imperial palace, whereupon the cunning ruler appeared and rode to the church of Debre Berhan. The unfortunate governor and some of his companions were executed the following day. Richard Pankhurst notes that the people shared this aversion. He quotes James Bruce that at the time rumors of Bakaffa's death were circulating, the joy was so great and omnipresent that no one tried to hide it:

“There was no opportunity to indict the guilty. The entire court and all strangers who were there in business matters fled and spread fear and terror in all the streets of Gonder. [...] It is difficult to conjecture how this riot would have continued had the king not immediately had a general pardon and amnesty announced on the palace door. "

Notwithstanding this mildness, Bakaffa is said to have noticed later that he loved the people of Gonder, although they treated him with hatred.

A miracle of his rule, which is recorded in the royal chronicles, was the building of a new type of boat on Lake Tana by two foreigners from Egypt , Demetros and Giyorgis, which, in contrast to traditional boats, was not made of reeds .

literature

1. ^ Paul B. Henze: Layers of Time, A History of Ethiopia . Palgrave (New York 2000), p. 104
2. ^ Edward Ullendorff : The Ethiopians: An Introduction to Country and People . second edition, Oxford Press (London 1965), p. 81
3. ^ Richard PK Pankhurst: History of Ethiopian Towns . Franz Steiner Verlag, Wiesbaden 1982, p. 149.
4. ↑ partly translated into English by Richard KP Pankhurst in The Ethiopian Royal Chronicles . Oxford University Press (Addis Ababa 1967).

predecessor	Office	successor
Walda Giyorgis	Emperor of Ethiopia 1721 - 1730	Jesus ii