Born Askala Maryam (her birth name refers to a flower) on April 29, 1876, in Harrar, Enjersa Goro, Ethiopia. Her father was, Menelik II, king of Shewa and future emperor of Ethiopia; her mother was Lady Abechi, a Shewan noblewoman. Menelik II agreed to submit to Emperor Yohanne's rule, in return for Yohanne's son and heir, Araya Selassie Yohannes to marry his daughter, Zewditu. They wed in 1882, when Araya was 9 and Zewditu was 6. Despite the arranged marriage, the rivalry between Menelik II and Yohannes continued until the death of Emperor Yohannes during the Battle of Metemma against the Mahdists of Sudan, in 1889. Menelik II was soon crowned Emperor of Ethiopia.
Upon the death of Emperor Menelik II in 1913, Lij Iyasu, the son of Zewditu's half-sister, Shewa Regga, ascended to the throne. Lij Iyasu viewed Zewditu as a threat and ordered her and her husband, Araya, be exiled to the countryside of Falle province. However, Iyasu quickly fell out of favor with the powerful nobles who helped him ascend to power. When he was accused of "flirting with Islam", Iyasu was deposed and replaced by Zewditu on September 27, 1916. Zewditu was crowed queen of kings (Empress) and her cousin, Tafari Mekonnen, was appointed as her prime minister. Empress Zewditu modelled her reign after that of Queen Victoria, whom she greatly admired; and she soon clashed with Tafari Mekonnen who wanted to modernize Ethiopia. As a conservative, she feared the civil unrest that might arise from Mekonnen's reforms. Zewditu also promoted the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and commissioned numerous new churches and temples throughout the country. However, she did gave Mekonnen leeway to abolish slavery and lead Ethiopia into the League of Nations. Due to these reforms, Mekonnen was regarded at the ruler behind the scenes, during the last years of Zewditu's reign.
Empress Zewditu's fourth husband, Gugsa Welle, led conservative supporters in a rebellion against Mekonnen which ended when they were defeated in the Battle of Anchem on March 31, 1930. Welle died in the battle. Zewditu mysteriously died in her palace 2 days later on, April 2, 1930. Zewditu having no surviving children, was succeeded by Tafari Mekonnen, who upon ascending to the throne was renamed, Haile Selassie.
Side notes:
Gugsa Welle- was an army commander and a member of the royal family of the Ethiopian Empire, he represented a ruling elite who where often at odds with the country's central government. He was Zewditu's fourth husband and the couple married 6 years before her appointment as empress.
The name Zewditu means "the crown", in Amharic.
https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/empress-zewditu-1876-1930/
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Women who Ruled
IgaztörténetThese women were rare examples of women holding power in a male-dominated world. Many went on to became beacons of hope, strength and perserverance to their respective peoples. They are remembered for their beauty, intelligence, bravery and unwaveri...
