Kidane Kale (reigned c. 1718 - c. 1744; literal meaning: "Beginning, Word"), better known as Abuye or 'Abbiye, was a

Meridazmach Until the end of the Ethiopian monarchy in 1974, there were two categories of nobility in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Mesafint ( , modern transcription , singular መስፍን , modern , "prince"), the hereditary royal nobility, formed the upper ...

Shewa Shewa (; ; Somali: Shawa; , ), formerly romanized as Shua, Shoa, Showa, Shuwa, is a historical region of Ethiopia which was formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire. The modern Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa is located at it ...

, an important Amhara noble 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 ...

. He was the son of

Sebestyanos Sebestyanos (reigned c. 1703 - c. 1718) was a ruler of Shewa, an important Amhara noble of Ethiopia. He was one of the sons of Negasi Krestos. Abir states that he ruled for 15 years, although noting that William Cornwallis claims states that he ru ...

. Harold G. Marcus is less definite on this, calling him Sebestyanos' "brother or his son". Marcus, ''The Life and Times of Menelik II: Ethiopia 1844-1913'' (Lawrenceville: Red Sea Press, 1995), p. 8 Abir states that he ruled for 25 years, although noting that

William Cornwallis Harris Major Sir William Cornwallis Harris (baptised 2 April 1807 – died 9 October 1848) was an English military engineer, artist and hunter. Life and career Early life The son of James Harris of Wittersham, Kent, he entered Addiscombe Milita ...

claims he ruled for 15 years, Coulbeaux for 25 (from 1725 to 1750), and Rochet d'Hericourt for 60. His wife was Woizero Tagunestiya, daughter of Mama Rufa'el, Governor of Mamameder. Abuye succeeded on the death of his father, and made his capital at

Har Amba Har or HAR may refer to: People * Har Bilas Sarda (1867-1955), Indian academic, judge and politician * Har Sharma (1922–1992), Indian cricket umpire Mythology * Hár and Hárr, among the many names of Odin in Norse mythology * Horus, an Eg ...

. Sebestyanos had died "by a curious accident", according to Levine. Abuye had been rebuilding some of the churches destroyed by

Ahmad Gragn Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi (, Harari: አሕመድ ኢብራሂም አል-ጋዚ, ; 21 July 1506 – 10 February 1543) was the Imam of the Adal Sultanate from 1527 to 1543. Commonly named Ahmed ''Gragn'' in Amharic and ''Gurey'' in Somali, ...

, one of which was in Doqaqit dedicated to St. Michael. Part of the ceremony required the

tabot ''Tabot'' (, sometimes spelled ''tabout'') is a replica of the Ark of the Covenant, and represents the presence of God, in Ethiopian Orthodox and Eritrean Orthodox Churches. ''Tabot'' may variously refer to an inscribed altar tablet (''tsel ...

in the church in 'Ayne, where his father was living, and it was secretly removed to Doqaqit. Sebestyanos saw this as an act of rebellion, and set forth to capture and discipline his son; however, in the ensuing battle one of Qedami Qal's servants accidentally killed the Meridazmach. Because his father

refused to give homage to the

Emperor of Ethiopia The emperor of Ethiopia (, "King of Kings"), also known as the Atse (, "emperor"), was the hereditary monarchy, hereditary ruler of the Ethiopian Empire, from at least the 13th century until the abolition of the monarchy in 1975. The emperor w ...

, shortly after Abuye came to power he was confronted with an attack by the army of Emperor Iyasus II. Although Abuye survived this threat unharmed, sources differ on the details. Abir reports one version, that intermediaries arranged an agreement where in exchange for tribute Abuye was officially invested with the title of Meridazmach;Abir, p. 147. Marcus elaborates on this version, adding that Emperor Iyasu was more concerned about suppressing the

Wollo Oromo The Wollo people are a group inhabiting the historic Wollo Province of northern Ethiopia. Language The Wollo Oromo speak an Oromo dialect. However, linguistic descriptions of the Wollo and nearby Raya Oromo areas are still lacking. Alleged ...

"closer to his center of power. Levine notes that a second version claims that Abuye met the Imperial army and defeated it. Abuye continued the military consolidation of the

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

principalities around him, and battling the

Oromo Oromo may refer to: * Oromo people, an ethnic group of Ethiopia and Kenya * Oromo language, an Afroasiatic language See also * *Orma (clan), Oromo tribe *Oromia Oromia (, ) is a Regions of Ethiopia, regional state in Ethiopia and the homelan ...

invaders. According to

Johann Ludwig Krapf Johann Ludwig Krapf (11 January 1810 – 26 November 1881) was a German missionary in East Africa, as well as an explorer, linguist, and traveler. Krapf played an important role in exploring East Africa with Johannes Rebmann. They were the firs ...

, Abuye defeated the ruler of

Menz Menz or Manz (, romanized: ''Mänz'') is a former Subdivisions of Ethiopia, subdivision of Ethiopia, located inside the boundaries of the modern Semien Shewa Zone (Amhara), Semien Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region. William Cornwallis Harris describe ...

, Gole, and annexed that district to Shewa.''Journals of the Rev. Messrs. Isenberg and Krapf, Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, Detailing their proceedings in the kingdom of Shoa, and journeys in other parts of Abyssinia, in the years 1839, 1840, 1841 and 1842''
(London, 1843), p. 299 He died fighting the

Karayu Oromo The ''Karrayyu'' are an Oromo people clan inhabiting the Awash Valley banks of Abadir and Merti area in central Ethiopia. They are pastoralists. Karrayyu neighbor the Afar and Argobba people. It is believed the extinct Harla ethnicity were assimi ...

south of

Yifat Yifat (, more accurately romanized as "Yif'at") is a kibbutz in Galilee, northern Israel. Located adjacent to the town Migdal HaEmek and short distances from the cities of Afula and Nazareth. It falls under the jurisdiction of Jezreel Valley Re ...

, and was buried in his capital Doqaqit.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Qal, Qedami Rulers of Shewa 18th-century Ethiopian people 1744 deaths Year of birth uncertain 1710s births