Sebhat Aregawi (died 28 February 1914) was a ''Ras'' of

Agame Agame () is a Provinces of Ethiopia, province in northern Ethiopia. It includes the northeastern corner of Tigray Region, Tigray, borders the Eritrean province of Akele Guzai in the north, Tembien Province, Tembien, Kilte Awulaelo, Kalatta Awlalo ...

. He was appointed governor of

Emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

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 ...

in 1859, and his province was expanded by Emperor

Yohannes IV Yohannes IV ( Tigrinya: ዮሓንስ ፬ይ ''Rabaiy Yōḥānnes''; horse name Abba Bezbiz also known as Kahśsai; born ''Lij'' Kahssai Mercha; 11 July 1837 – 10 March 1889) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1871 to his death in 1889 at the ...

to include

Adigrat Adigrat ( , ''ʿaddigrat'', also called ʿAddi Grat) is a city and separate Districts of Ethiopia, woreda in Tigray Region of Ethiopia. It is located in the Misraqawi Zone at longitude and latitude , with an elevation of above sea level and below ...

. Emperor

Menelik II Menelik II ( ; horse name Aba Dagnew (Amharic: አባ ዳኘው ''abba daññäw''); 17 August 1844 – 12 December 1913), baptised as Sahle Maryam (ሣህለ ማርያም ''sahlä maryam'') was king of Shewa from 1866 to 1889 and Emperor of Et ...

invested Sebhat with the title of ''Ras'' in 1892.

Biography

''Ras'' Sebhat was the son of ''Dejazmatch'' Aregawi Sabagadis of

, and grandson of the popular governor of

Tigray The Tigray Region (or simply Tigray; officially the Tigray National Regional State) is the northernmost Regions of Ethiopia, regional state in Ethiopia. The Tigray Region is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob people, Irob and Kunama people. I ...

, ''Ras'' Sabagadis Woldu. At the time he challenged ''Ras'' Mangesha Yohannes, who had succeeded his slain father Yohannes IV and was asserting his supremacy in Tigray, Sebhat was described as "a clever and intelligent man in his early forties, an excellent administrator but not a distinguished warrior." Sebhat submitted to the overlordship of ''Ras'' Mangesha 11 September 1889, following the death of Emperor Yohannes IV ''Ras'' Mangesha's father. However, on 31 October of that year he secretly informed Eritrean governor Antonio Baldissera that he preferred Menilek's rule to Mangesha Yohannes. While fighting with Mangesha over rulership of Tigray, in June 1890 he sent his own son Dasta as a hostage, in an effort to create peace. In August of that year Dasta fled from

Adwa Adwa (; ; also spelled Adowa or Aduwa) is a town and separate woreda in Tigray Region, Ethiopia. It is best known as the community closest to the site of the 1896 Battle of Adwa, in which Ethiopian soldiers defeated Italian troops, thus being ...

and returned to his father. Sebhat refused to send him back and war seemed inevitable. In 1914 ''Lij'' Iyasu V, the uncrowned successor to Emperor Menilik II, was reported to have promised Agame to Gebre Selassie, which would have made Gebre Selassie the most powerful ruler in Tigray. Disturbed by the rumour, Sebhat used Gebre Selassie's friendship with the Italians to arouse suspicions in

Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; ,) is the capital city of Ethiopia, as well as the regional state of Oromia. With an estimated population of 2,739,551 inhabitants as of the 2007 census, it is the largest city in the country and the List of cities in Africa b ...

, claiming that Selassie was intriguing with the Italians with the intention of defying Iyasu. Without investigating the basis of the accusations, Iyasu ordered Gebre Selassie to the capital to explain his position. Gebre Selassie refused, and in desperation tried to start a war between the Italian colony of Eritrea and Ethiopia, but the Italians refused to respond. By February 16 Addis Ababa declared Selassie to be in rebellion. After much persuasion, and with promises to not be harassed by Sebhat, Gebre Selassie did travel to the capital. At the same time, it was reported that Ras Sebhat had occupied some of Selassie's territory. Sebhat and Gebre Selassie became great rivals. On 24 February, when Gebre Selassie was three days away from Adwa, he received word that Sebhat was marching there. Gebre Selassie turned back, and the next day battled with Sebhat at Zebewu, halfway between Adwa and Adigrat. Four days later Sebhat and two of his sons travelling with him were assassinated.

Popular culture

Sebhat Aregawi is remembered as a hero in eastern Tigray. The main hospital in

is named after him: Adigrat Ras Sebhat Hospital.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aregawi, Sebhat 1914 deaths Ethiopian nobility Year of birth missing Adigrat Tigray Region People from Tigray Region