Dejazmach Birru Goshu (1814-1869) of Gojjam was a significant Ethiopian noble who held considerable sway over the political landscape of

Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...

during the latter period of the

Zemene Mesafint The Zemene Mesafint ( Ge'ez: ) variously translated "Era of Judges", "Era of the Princes," "Age of Princes," etc.; taken from the biblical Book of Judges) was a period in Ethiopian history between the mid-18th and mid-19th centuries when the cou ...

, a time of intense regional competition among ruling dynasties. According to the British diplomat

Walter Plowden Walter Charles Metcalf Chichele Plowden (3 August 1820 – 13 March 1860) was a British diplomat, consul at Massawa Massawa or Mitsiwa ( ) is a port city in the Northern Red Sea Region, Northern Red Sea region of Eritrea, located on the ...

, Birru Goshu was "the most remarkable man in Abyssinia" before the rise of

Tewodros II Tewodros II (, once referred to by the English cognate Theodore; baptized as Kassa, – 13 April 1868) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1855 until his death in 1868. His rule is often placed as the beginning of modern Ethiopia and brought an end to ...

Appearance and personality

Walter Plowden who was a guest at Birru's court in the 1840s described him thus: The French traveler Arnaud d'Abbadie also gives a long description of the character of Birru Goshu:

Career

The illegitimate son of Ras

Goshu Zewde Goshu Zewde of Gojjam (1783 or 1788–1852), also known by his horse name Abba Kanno, was a prominent governor of Damot (historical region), Damot, Mecha (woreda), Mecha, and Yibaba during the first half of the 19th century. While his son Birru Go ...

, governor of

Gojjam Gojjam ( ''gōjjām'', originally ጐዛም ''gʷazzam'', later ጐዣም ''gʷažžām'', ጎዣም ''gōžžām'') is a historical provincial kingdom in northwestern Ethiopia, with its capital city at Debre Markos. During the 18th century, G ...

, Birru gained recognition for his independence and ambition as a leader in the Tana region. His early political strategy included an alliance with his father and an influential partnership with Ras Ali Alula of the prominent Yejju family, which was strengthened by his marriage to Ali's sister. As conflicts escalated, Birru eventually turned against his father, defeating him in battle. In 1842, he allied with

Wube Haile Maryam Wube Haile Maryam of Semien, (1799 – 1867), also called by his title ''Dejazmach'' Wube, Webé; his name is also given in European sources as ‘‘Ubie’’, was one of the major figures of 19th century Ethiopia, during the closing decades of ...

of Tigray in an attempt to unseat Ras Ali, at the Battle of Debra Tabor though this effort proved unsuccessful. Despite this failure, Birru managed to retain control over Gojjam, effectively resisting Ras Ali's authority throughout the 1840s. During this period, Birru also pursued diplomatic connections with Europe, fostering relationships with Belgian consul Blondeel van Ceulebrock and the French d'Abbadie brothers, who visited Gojjam. In a preserved letter addressed to the Superior of the Sacra Congregation de Propaganda Fide, he notably styled himself as “the King of Gojjam” and requested an artisan's assistance. The rise of Kassa Hailu of Qwara, the future Emperor Tewodros II, marked the end of Birru's political career. Defeated by Kassa at the

Battle of Amba Jebelli The Battle of Amba Jebelli was fought in Ethiopia in 1854 between the forces of Kassa Hailu (later known as Tewodros II), and the forces of Birru Goshu of Gojjam Gojjam ( ''gōjjām'', originally ጐዛም ''gʷazzam'', later ጐዣም ''g ...

in March 1854, Birru was captured and spent nearly fifteen years imprisoned in the fortress of Maqdala. Although released in 1868, he had lost his political influence and withdrew from public life. Later, he was detained in an

amba Amba or AMBA may refer to: Title * Amba Hor, alternative name for Abhor and Mehraela, Christian martyrs * Amba Sada, also known as Psote, Christian bishop and martyr in Upper Egypt Given name * Amba, the traditional first name given to the first ...

west of Chelga, and in 1869, Tekle Giyorgis II—Tewodros II's successor—sentenced him to death by hanging. Nonetheless, Birru Goshu's legacy holds an important place in the

history of Ethiopia Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in Africa; the emergence of Ethiopian civilization dates back thousands of years. Abyssinia or rather "Ze Etiyopia" was ruled by the Semitic Abyssinians (Habesha) composed mainly of the Amhara, Tigrayans and ...

's feudal period. He represents the aspirations and volatile alliances characteristic of the Zemene Mesafint era. His pursuit of autonomy for Gojjam reflects the broader regional resistance to centralization that marked Ethiopian politics at the time. Through strategic alliances, marriages, and diplomacy, Birru sought not only a stronger, independent Gojjam but also made an impact on the initial stages of Ethiopia's engagement with foreign powers.

References

{{reflist Ethiopian nobility 1810s births Year of death uncertain