Social and Political History of Wollo Province in Ethiopia: 1769-1916
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Social and Political History of Wollo Province in Ethiopia: 1769-1916 By Misganaw Tadesse Melaku A Dissertation Submitted in the fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History University of the Western Cape Principal Supervisor: Prof. Suren Pillay Co-Supervisor: Prof. Teshale Tibebu 6 September 2019 https://etd.uwc.ac.za/ DECLARATION I, Misganaw Tadesse Melaku, hereby declare that Social and Political History of Wollo Province in Ethiopia: 1769-1916 is my own work and has not been submitted for any degree or examination in any other university, and that all the sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by complete references. Misganaw Tadesse Melaku Date: 06 September 2019 i https://etd.uwc.ac.za/ Dedication This Thesis is dedicated to Bete Abreham ii https://etd.uwc.ac.za/ Acknowledgment Foremost, I would like to recognize the praiseworthy God from the bottom of my heart who deserves the credit for everything in my life. Thanks for giving me the strength and wisdom in my study. This research has been made possible by the generous support of the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS). However, it must be noted that the opinions expressed, and conclusions arrived at are those of the author and are not necessarily to be attributed to the aforementioned organization. My gratitude goes to Dr. Nthabiseng Motsemme and her NIHSS staff for their kind help in critical moments. I am extremely grateful to my principal supervisor Prof. Suren Pillay and co-supervisor Prof. Teshale Tibebu for their invaluable advice and supervision starting from the stage of proposal writing to the final draft of this thesis. I have enormously benefited from their critical comments. Their guidance helped me in all the time of research and writing of this thesis. A special thanks goes to Prof. Abebe Zegeye, a father and a mentor, who paved the way for me towards this PhD opportunity. I also want to extend my special thanks to Rachel Browne for her generous support in the ups, and downs to join UWC. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to my family members for their continuous support and prayers throughout my study. My special gratitude goes to my sisters Roman, Muluemebet and Wubayehu together with their husbands and children. Next in line are my intimate friends whose encouragement helped me throughout my study. Though I could not list all of them, a few deserve special mention Ale, Assefa, Dagnachew, Anteneh, Tesfaye, Iyasu, Alemeu, and Denekew. I would also like to extend my special thanks to Awugchew Amare, Dr. Beza Desalegn and Emeshaw Worke for their advice, comments, and sharing experiences. With a special mention to Dr. Tedros, Dr. Fikre-Yohannes, Firewoyini, Yohanan, Tesfaye (Quatri), Fikrewold, Mwayi, Brightman, Meuz, Mulat, my friends without your support the journey would not have been enjoyable. Thank you! iii https://etd.uwc.ac.za/ Abstract Wollo, formerly referred to as ―Bete Amhara,‖ refers to a region of Amharic-speaking Christians. It was one of the oldest provinces of Ethiopia; located in the north-eastern part of Ethiopia at the cross- roads of the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Sudan, and central and Southern Ethiopia. Its geostrategic central position has made it a historical focal point of historical dynamics in Ethiopia. Due to its geostrategic position, many writers of the medieval period referred to Wollo as the ―center and the heartland of the Abyssinian Empire.‖1 On account of these, major historical battles among political, social, and religious forces occurred in this region leaving their own mark on it and the nature of the Ethiopian state. Before the sixteenth century, Wollo had been a center of history, political administration, religion, and religious education. As a result, numerous historical events have taken place in this province. Due to such factors, it was part of the historically dominant regions in Ethiopia. However, after the sixteenth century we see a decline in the position of Wollo. A province which was part of the center, afterwards the sixteenth century, had been downgraded to the periphery following its domination by Islam and Oromo, which were two subjects of marginalization in Ethiopian historiography. Thereafter, the province was relegated from the country‘s political ground and historical narration due to ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds. In the earliest recordings of the historically dominant groups of Ethiopia, Wollo was not properly represented as it was regarded as a Muslim and Oromo province. In much of the recently 1 Manoel de Almeida, The History of High Ethiopia or Abyssinia, Extracts in some Records of Ethiopia: 1593 – 1646. Nendeln: Kraus Reprint Limited, (1967), p. 100 iv https://etd.uwc.ac.za/ recorded literature on the subaltern groups in the post-1991 period, the internal events of Wollo have been ignored. Therefore, both in the past and recently, the socio-political history of Wollo province has never been given due regard. Despite the fact that Wollo bears elements of both the historically dominant and historical subaltern of Ethiopia, it has not been provided proper representation by the narrative of the historically dominant groups, as it is not given proper place in the emergent history of the subaltern in Post-1991 Ethiopia. This paradox of Wollo belonging to both but not given due attention and representation is the corridor leading to explore the dark sides of Ethiopian historiography. Thus, this study attempts to examine why, how and in what way Wollo has been neglected from the country‘s political ground and historical narration. It will also try to reconstruct the social and political history of the province in the period under study. v https://etd.uwc.ac.za/ Table of Contents DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. i Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgment ........................................................................................................................... iii Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix List of Maps .................................................................................................................................... x Glossary of Terms .......................................................................................................................... xi Chapter I.......................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 General Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Conceptual and Theoretical Frame Work ........................................................................ 9 1.2. Wollo in Ethiopian Historiography ................................................................................ 21 Chapter II ...................................................................................................................................... 36 Geographical and Historical Background ..................................................................................... 36 2.1. Geographical Background .................................................................................................. 36 2.2. Historical Background........................................................................................................ 45 2.2.1 Bete Amhara: Wollo Prior to the Oromo settlement .................................................... 45 2.2.2 Major Socio-Political and Religious backdrops ........................................................... 55 2.2.2.1 Christianity in Wollo ................................................................................................. 55 2.2.2.2 The expansion of Islam .............................................................................................. 62 2.2.2.3 The Oromo Population Movement ............................................................................ 73 2.2.2.4 Demographic and Cultural Changes in the province ................................................. 77 Chapter Three................................................................................................................................ 91 Wollo during the Zemene Mesafint (1769-1855) .......................................................................... 91 vi https://etd.uwc.ac.za/ Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 91 3.1 The Rise of Local Dynasties in Wollo ................................................................................ 93 3.1.1 The Mammedoch Ruling Family of Wollo ................................................................... 93 3.1.2 The Wereseh ruling dynasty of Yejju ........................................................................... 98 3.2 Strength of Wollo