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Debre Berhan University School of Graduate Studies Department of History and Heritage Management A POLITICAL HISTORY OF KING SUSƎNYOS (1607-1632) IN ETHIOPIA BY ABDO MUBARIK Debre Berhan August, 2017 Debre Berhan University School of Graduate Studies Department of History and Heritage Management A POLITICAL HISTORY OF KING SUSƎNYOS (1607-1632) IN ETHIOPIA BY ABDO MUBARIK Advisor: Margaux Herman, Ph.D. A thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in the Partial fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters of Arts in History and Heritage Management 1 Debre Berhan University School of Graduate Studies This is to certify that the thesis prepared by Abdo Mubarik, entitled: A Political History of king Susǝnyos (1607-1632)and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Arts in History and Heritage Management compiles with the regulations of the University and meets the accepted standards with respect to originality and quality. Signed by the Examining Committee Examiner________________________________ Signature______________ Date__________ Examiner________________________________ Signature______________ Date__________ Advisor_________________________________ Signature______________ Date__________ August, 2017 2 Table of contents Contents page Acknowledgments…………………………………………………………....................................I Key to transliteration ………………………………………………………….……………….....II Abstract…………….…………………………………………………………….........................III Introduction………………………………………………………………………..........................1 Review of Related Literature……………………………………………………………………..5 CHAPTER ONE Power Sucession between the Monarchs and the War lords after the death of Śärśä Dǝngǝl……………………………………………………………………………..............13 1.1 Rise to Power of Susǝnyos……...……………………………………………………....20 1.2 Pretenders to Susǝnyos Power and their Defeat early in his Reign……………………..26 1.3The Rise of Susǝnyos against Ya‟ǝqob and Zä-Dǝngǝl………………………………….28 1.4 Place of King Susǝnyos (Royal Residences) and its Description………........................30 1.4.1 Dänqäz, an early Seventeenth Century Capital of King Susǝnyos...………………....33 CHAPTER TWO The Role of king Susǝnyos in the Christian kingdom of Ethiopia during his early Reign………35 2.1 Susǝnyos Campaign and its Objective in the early 17th century……………………..41 2.2 Susǝnyos, and the Oromo………………………….……...…………………............44 3 CHAPTER THREE The Intervention of Jesuits in the Christian Court of Ethiopia and the Consequences …………51 3.1 Motives behind the Jesuit Presence in Ethiopian……………………………………54 3.1.1 Requests for Millitary and a Technical Assistance in the Post Medieval Ethiopia…54 3.2 The Role of Pedro Paez and the Jesuit Success in Ethiopia during the Reign of King Susǝnyos…………………………………..…..............................................................................58 3.3 The Missionary Methods of Jesuits to Spread Catholicism in Ethiopia...............................61 3.4The Conversion of King Susǝnyos in to Catholicism………………..……………………..63 3.5 Consequences of the Declaration of Catholicism as Official State Religion in Ethiopia early in the 17thc ………….66 3.6 Chronological order of events in the Chronicle of king Susǝnyos…………………..75 Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………...81 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………….82 4 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS From the beginning of the preparation of this thesis, until its completion several individual and institutions have assisted me. I am particularly very great full to my advisor, Dr. Margaux Herman, for her genuine and professional advice and putting the materials together with critical comments and corrections. The French Center for Ethiopian Studies (Centre Francais des Études Éthiopiennes, CFEE), and the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, (IES), should be acknowledged and I would like to thanks them for their material supports. Especially, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my mother, Zuriash Shukro for her indispensable helps. Last, but not least, my deepest gratitude goes to my friends who favored my success in one way or another. I KEY TO TRANSLITERATION The study adopted the transliteration system of Encyclopedia Ӕthiopica II III ABSTRACT This thesis reconstructs a Political History of king Susǝnyos, (1607-1632) in the post medieval Ethiopia. Since ancient times Ethiopia had never been governed or ruled by foreign powers, but insteade by its native and legitimate kings, their roles in maintaining the sovereignty of the country make it unique. Hence, king Susǝnyos (1607-1632) was the one who played an important role in the history of the country during the early 17th century. However the history of a reign of king Susǝnyos is not yet well studied and the documents produced on the issue not complete. So researchers are expected to dig out more about a history of the reign of king Susǝnyos in particular and Ethiopian history in general. To accomplish this study researcher uses both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources consisted of travellers account, and royal chronicles. Secondary sources mainly of books, journals and articles were covered to work on the primary sources. Oral traditions are the other sources which were amalgamated with the written documents. The main reason, which inspired me to work on the topic, is the interest that I have on the subject and to fill the gap in reconstructing a history of the reign of king Susǝnyos. Three chapters are contained in the study. The first chapter deal with power contention, rise to power of king Susǝnyos, pretenders to his power and place of the king. The role of king Susǝnyos, his campaign to wards different areas, its objective as well Susǝnyos and the Oromo are discussed in the second chapter. The intervention of the Jesuits and the consequences that followed the declaration of Catholicism as state official religion is the subject of the third chapter. The Study also propose a good understanding on a history of the reign of king Susǝnyos and his conversion to Catholicism as well as the consequences followed the declaration of Catholicism as state official state religion early in the17 century. But I have faced many problems: this is due to lack of sources, shortage of time and language barrier. Key Words: History Power Sucession, King Susǝnyos, Jesuits. IV Glossary Abunä (ge‟ez)–the leading clerics or head of monastery, reserved primarily for the head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahǝdo Church. abeto-the title given to the male descent of Solomonic dynasty. Amba(Amh.)-Table land aśe(Amh.)- The title given to the monarch of Solomonic ruler. Azzäz (Amh.)- Commander in chief Bǝthwädäd (Amh.)-Court title means (the beloved one) Čəffera(Amh.)- The war tactics of the 17th century Oromo Dağğazmäč(Amh.)The Commander of the Imperial Gate Gadaa (Oro.)- An Oromo Socio-Religious Organization. Itege (Amh.)- Title given for the Women who were reigning Qwerban- One of the Contengents of Śärsä Dǝngǝl‟s army ras- The Highest Military Title Shifta (Amh.)-Bandit Timket (Amh.)-Epiphany Wäyyzäro (Amh.)-Official title V Introduction This thesis reconstructs a Political history of king Susǝnyos (1607-1632) in the post medieval Ethiopia. The end of 16th century became the starting point of this research because following the death of Śärsä Dǝngǝl in 1597, there had been power contention between the Monarch and the lords. This gave the lords to acquire a full authority to appoint and dismiss their officiers at will. To exercise monarchical power in the name of young king and make their governorship life long, the war lords and the nobility preferred to appoint Ya‟ǝqob, While Susǝnyos and Zä-Dǝngǝl was seriously disliked by them due to their political and legal maters and sensibility against injustice and oppression. Therefore Zä-Dǝngǝl was kept in chain on the island, while Susǝnyos turned himselfs in to a ruthless bandit. Hence For a long period, the country went in turmoil, disorder, and the power of Solomonic rule became weakened. However the accession of power by king Susǝnyos(1607-1632) in the early seventeenth century after as serious of battle, peace and order comparatively maintained under the Solomonic rule in the kingdom. Unfortunately king Susǝnyos inherited the kingdom that was weak and in turmoil, while due to various reason the king followed the official overthrow of the Orthodox basement and declared Catholicism as state official religion in 1622. This inturn brought uprising, civil war, political instability in the kingdom and in last the over throw of the king and the expulsion of the Jesuits made by king Fasilädäs (1632-1667). Unfortunately during early period of his reign king Susǝnyos inherited the kingdom that was weak and a full of trouble. Therefore to maintain the unity of the kingdom, to secure his power and to modernize the society under European model as well as the frequent threat made by the internal and external power forced the king to request technical and military aid from European powers and also the king agreed that Catholicism as instrument to brought changes in the country.1This leads to the conversion of the king and establishment of Catholicism as state official religion in the kingdom in 1632. However attempt to force fully impose Catholicism up 1 አ ሇ ሙ፡ ሀ ይላ፣ ት ር ጉ ም፣ የ ኢት ዮ ጵ ያ ፡ ታሪ ክ ፡ የ አ ፄ ፡ ሱሰ ን ዮ ስ : ዜ ና ፡ መዋ እ ሌ ፡ (አ ደስ አ በ ባ ፡ ሲራክ ፡ አ ሳ ታሚ) (Alemu Haile, (Tran.)(Ethiopia’s History, the Chronicle of ase Susnǝyos), (Addis Ababa: Sirak Printing, 2005), p.16. 1 on the Society brought bloody civil war, uprising, political instability