Ethiopian History
| Who was Yohannes IV? | This essay has specific details on how he came to power and what his Castle in Mekele contains. | | | |
After Emperor Tewodros, Emperor Yohannes IV is another great visionary who is characterized by unparalleled selflessness, incomparable sense of justice and humanist principle at its core. By his utmost commitment( like our late prime minister) to his people and his country and his patriotism, Yohannes was truly the king of kings!
Before Yohannes became emperor, his name was Kassa Mircha. Kassa was born on July 12, 1837 at Mai Beha, Tembien to his father Shum Tembien Mirach and his mother Weizero Weleteslassie (Silas). Kassa traces his descent to the great lords of the Era of Princes, namely Ras Michael Sihul, Ras Woldeslassie, and Dejach Subagadis Woldu. His mother, Weizero Silas is the daughter of Dejach Dimtsu of Tembien and Weizero Tabotu of Agame. Embeytey Tabotu is the sister of Dejach Subagadis; and Ras Woldeslassie who is the brother of Debeb, the grandfather of Kassa, would make Kassa’s rightfulness to power much easier given the complicated post-Era of Princes Ethiopian politics.
When Kassa Mircha was born, Kassa Hailu (Emperor Tewodros) was a fourteen-year old lad, but during that period of time the solitary foretellers, in the Gonder and Tigray areas, had made predictions (as has always been the case in the Ethiopian tradition) that a certain Kassa will ascend to power and the parents of both Kassas apparently adopt the political preadiction of the times and adopted the name of Kassa to their respective sons. On top of the name giving, Shum Tembien Mircha, prepared his son by teaching him royal etiquette and skills to combat potential enemies while his mother is believed to have fed her son a special food with some ingredients of several bitter herbs, so that he become a strong and courageous man. Legend has it that Weizero Silas deliberately prepared special diet for Kassa but this is more of
After Emperor Tewodros, Emperor Yohannes IV is another great visionary who is characterized by unparalleled selflessness, incomparable sense of justice and humanist principle at its core. By his utmost commitment( like our late prime minister) to his people and his country and his patriotism, Yohannes was truly the king of kings!
Before Yohannes became emperor, his name was Kassa Mircha. Kassa was born on July 12, 1837 at Mai Beha, Tembien to his father Shum Tembien Mirach and his mother Weizero Weleteslassie (Silas). Kassa traces his descent to the great lords of the Era of Princes, namely Ras Michael Sihul, Ras Woldeslassie, and Dejach Subagadis Woldu. His mother, Weizero Silas is the daughter of Dejach Dimtsu of Tembien and Weizero Tabotu of Agame. Embeytey Tabotu is the sister of Dejach Subagadis; and Ras Woldeslassie who is the brother of Debeb, the grandfather of Kassa, would make Kassa’s rightfulness to power much easier given the complicated post-Era of Princes Ethiopian politics.
When Kassa Mircha was born, Kassa Hailu (Emperor Tewodros) was a fourteen-year old lad, but during that period of time the solitary foretellers, in the Gonder and Tigray areas, had made predictions (as has always been the case in the Ethiopian tradition) that a certain Kassa will ascend to power and the parents of both Kassas apparently adopt the political preadiction of the times and adopted the name of Kassa to their respective sons. On top of the name giving, Shum Tembien Mircha, prepared his son by teaching him royal etiquette and skills to combat potential enemies while his mother is believed to have fed her son a special food with some ingredients of several bitter herbs, so that he become a strong and courageous man. Legend has it that Weizero Silas deliberately prepared special diet for Kassa but this is more of