Marye of Yejju
Encyclopedia
Marye of Yejju was a Ras of Begemder
and Enderase (regent) of the Emperor of Ethiopia
. He was the brother of his predecessor Ras Yimam
.
The missionary Samuel Gobat
had a low opinion of Marye. He wrote in his journal, "A character worse then is attributed to Mariam [Marye], cannot be well given to a prince. He does justice to none. Far from punishing a soldier for robbing or killing his companion, he publicly commends him, as a man of courage. It is said that he has ordered all of his soldiers, on entering Oubea's territories, to kill every human being they meet, without distinction of age or sex; threatening with death the soldier, known to have spared a single person in his power." However Gobat's opinion may have been influenced by a raid Marye's men made on Gondar
14 May 1830, which he described immediately before this passage.
, Marye challenged his father's authority with an open rebellion; Marye was defeated in battle. After Gugsa's death Marye also challenged the succession of his own brother Yimam
by rebelling.
Marye had his capital in Debre Tabor
, from 1828 to 1831. Upon Meru of Dembiya's death, he was given that warlord's territories in Dembiya
, Wegera and Belessa to rule, but he had not held them for very long before Meru's relations came forward with their own claims; the immediate claimants included Dejazmach Walde Tekle, who claimed the lands for himself, and Welette Tekle, who claimed them for her son Kinfu. The struggle over control of these territories continued long after Marye's death, eventually involving Empress Menen Liben Amede.
Marye's final military campaign was against Ras Sabagadis
of Agame
, who had succeeded Wolda Selassie as the dominant warlord of Tigray
. Supported by Wube Haile Maryam of Semien
and Goshu of Gojjam
, Marye led his army across the Takazze River and defeated Sebagadis at the Battle of Debre Abbay
(14 February 1831). However, Ras Marye was killed in the battle, and Sebagadis surrendered to Wube. Wube handed the defeated warlord to Ras Marye's Oromo
troops, who killed their defeated foe, and ravaged Tigray in revenge for their leader's death.
Begemder
Begemder was a province in the northwestern part of Ethiopia. There are several proposed etymologies for this name...
and Enderase (regent) of the Emperor of Ethiopia
Emperor of Ethiopia
The Emperor of Ethiopia was the hereditary ruler of Ethiopia until the abolition of the monarchy in 1974. The Emperor was the head of state and head of government, with ultimate executive, judicial and legislative power in that country...
. He was the brother of his predecessor Ras Yimam
Yimam of Yejju
Yimam of Yejju was a Ras of Begemder and Enderase of the Emperor of Ethiopia. He was the son of Gugsa of Yejju....
.
The missionary Samuel Gobat
Samuel Gobat
Samuel Gobat , was a Swiss Lutheran who became an Anglican missionary in Africa and was the Protestant Bishop of Jerusalem from 1846 until his death....
had a low opinion of Marye. He wrote in his journal, "A character worse then is attributed to Mariam [Marye], cannot be well given to a prince. He does justice to none. Far from punishing a soldier for robbing or killing his companion, he publicly commends him, as a man of courage. It is said that he has ordered all of his soldiers, on entering Oubea's territories, to kill every human being they meet, without distinction of age or sex; threatening with death the soldier, known to have spared a single person in his power." However Gobat's opinion may have been influenced by a raid Marye's men made on Gondar
Gondar
Gondar or Gonder is a city in Ethiopia, which was once the old imperial capital and capital of the historic Begemder Province. As a result, the old province of Begemder is sometimes referred to as Gondar...
14 May 1830, which he described immediately before this passage.
Life
During the rule of his father, Ras YejjuGugsa of Yejju
Gugsa of Yejju was a Ras of Begemder , and Inderase of the Emperor of Ethiopia. According to Nathaniel Pearce, he took the Christian name of Wolde Mikael. He was the son of Mersu Barentu and Kefey, the sister of Ras Aligaz. Both Bahru Zewde and Paul B...
, Marye challenged his father's authority with an open rebellion; Marye was defeated in battle. After Gugsa's death Marye also challenged the succession of his own brother Yimam
Yimam of Yejju
Yimam of Yejju was a Ras of Begemder and Enderase of the Emperor of Ethiopia. He was the son of Gugsa of Yejju....
by rebelling.
Marye had his capital in Debre Tabor
Debre Tabor
Debre Tabor is a town and a woreda in north-central Ethiopia. Located in the Debub Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region of Ethiopia, about 100 kilometers southeast of Gondar and 50 kilometers east of Lake Tana, this historic town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 2706 meters above...
, from 1828 to 1831. Upon Meru of Dembiya's death, he was given that warlord's territories in Dembiya
Dembiya
Dembiya is a historic region of Ethiopia, intimately linked with Lake Tana. According to the account of Manuel de Almeida, Dembiya was "bounded on East by Begemder, on South by Gojjam, on West by Agaws of Achefer and Tangha...
, Wegera and Belessa to rule, but he had not held them for very long before Meru's relations came forward with their own claims; the immediate claimants included Dejazmach Walde Tekle, who claimed the lands for himself, and Welette Tekle, who claimed them for her son Kinfu. The struggle over control of these territories continued long after Marye's death, eventually involving Empress Menen Liben Amede.
Marye's final military campaign was against Ras Sabagadis
Sabagadis
Sabagadis was a Dejazmach or governor of Tigray, a province in northern Ethiopia. He was the son of Shum Waldu of Agame, and a member of the Irob people.- Life :...
of Agame
Agame
The Agame is a former province in northern Ethiopia, now part of the Tigray Region. Its inhabitants include the Irob people, a region where tradition states the legendary Makeda was born and raised...
, who had succeeded Wolda Selassie as the dominant warlord of Tigray
Tigray Province
Tigray was a province of Ethiopia. The Tigray Region superseded the province with the adoption of the new constitution in 1995. The province of Tigre merged with its neighboring provinces, including Semien, Tembien, Agame and the prominent Enderta province and towards the end of 19th century it...
. Supported by Wube Haile Maryam of Semien
Semien province
Semien Province was a historical province of northwest Ethiopia, often called Gondar. It was located south and west of the Tekezé River, and north of Lake Tsana. It was south west of Enderta Province, west of Tembien Province, and east of the Sudan. To some extent it covered the territory of the...
and Goshu of Gojjam
Gojjam
Gojjam was a kingdom in the north-western part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Debre Marqos. This region is distinctive for lying entirely within the bend of the Abbay River from its outflow from Lake Tana to the Sudan...
, Marye led his army across the Takazze River and defeated Sebagadis at the Battle of Debre Abbay
Battle of Debre Abbay
The Battle of Debre Abbay was a conflict between Ras Marye of Yejju, Regent of the Emperor of Ethiopia, and his rival from Tigray, Dejazmach Sabagadis of Agame...
(14 February 1831). However, Ras Marye was killed in the battle, and Sebagadis surrendered to Wube. Wube handed the defeated warlord to Ras Marye's Oromo
Oromo people
The Oromo are an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, .and parts of Somalia. With 30 million members, they constitute the single largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and approximately 34.49% of the population according to the 2007 census...
troops, who killed their defeated foe, and ravaged Tigray in revenge for their leader's death.