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In the history of Ethiopian leaders, over the past 1000 years, Empress Zewditu, the first female monarch, passed away on this day in 1930.
Empress Zewditu was the first female leader of Ethiopia since Yodit Gudit, who is said to have been a leader in the 10th century.
Empress Zewditu ascended to the Ethiopian throne not through inheritance or warfare, as her predecessors had, but through the choice of the military commanders, regional governors, nobles, and palace guards of the time.
Military officers sent from the Addis Ababa palace, along with nobles, the people, and the army, unanimously agreed to proclaim Empress Zewditu as monarch. They declared, “We have chosen her,” in the Adaberga area near Fale, while she was in exile with her husband, Ras Gugsa Welle, who was her guardian at the time.
Empress Zewditu is said to have been born in 1868. In her youth, she was married to Ras Aria Yohannes, the son of Emperor Yohannes IV, in what was a political marriage.
After Ras Aria’s death, she married Dejazmach Wube in Shewa. Her father, Emperor Menelik II, married her to Ras Gugsa Welle, the nephew of Empress Taytu. Until her father fell ill, she lived in Debre Tabor, the region governed by her husband.
When Emperor Menelik II became ill, she said, “I will care for my father,” and left her marriage to stay in Addis Ababa.
After her father’s death, Lij Iyasu, her nephew, saw her as a rival for power and expelled her not only from the palace but also from Addis Ababa.
When military commanders declared, “Lij Iyasu is unfit to lead,” and planned to remove him from power, they stated that the throne should belong to Menelik’s lineage. At that time, Zewditu was the only living child of Menelik, and thus, she became the unanimous choice.
Two days after the Ethiopian government proclaimed her Empress, Empress Zewditu learned of her coronation. Her reign was celebrated with a grand ceremony attended by foreign filmmakers.
Her reign was peaceful, except for the Battle of Segale at the beginning and the Battle of Kwana in the final year of her rule. She led Ethiopia for 13 years and six months.
During her reign, new advancements in civilization were initiated. She also contributed, albeit modestly, to projects started during her father’s time.
As Ras Tafari (later Emperor Haile Selassie), chosen as regent and heir, gradually consolidated power, she patiently navigated challenges to prevent conflicts, ensuring stability.
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