List of emperors of Ethiopia

Imperial Flag of Ethiopia
Imperial Coat of Arms of Ethiopia

This article lists the emperors of Ethiopia, from the founding of the Ethiopian Empire and the Solomonic dynasty in 1270 by Yekuno Amlak, until the Ethiopian Revolution of 1974 when the last emperor was deposed.

Earlier kings of the Dʿmt, Axum and Zagwe kingdoms are listed separately due to numerous gaps and large flexibility in chronology.

For legendary and archeologically unverified rulers of Ethiopian tradition, see Regnal lists of Ethiopia and 1922 regnal list of Ethiopia.

Names in italics indicate rulers who were usurpers or not widely recognized.

Solomonic dynasty

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Yekuno Amlak
  • ይኩኖ አምላክ
Died 19 June 128510 August 127019 June 1285Descendant of Dil Na'odSolomonicYekuno Amlak of Ethiopia
Yagbe'u Seyon
  • ይግብአ ጽዮን
Died 129419 June 12851294Son of Yekuno AmlakSolomonicYagbe'u Seyon of Ethiopia
Senfa Ared IV
  • ሰይፈ አርድ አርብእቱ
12941295Son of Yagbe'u SeyonSolomonic
Hezba Asgad
  • ሕዝበ አስግድ
12951296Son of Yagbe'u SeyonSolomonic
Qedma Asgad
  • ቅድመ አስግድ
12961297Son of Yagbe'u SeyonSolomonic
Jan Asgad
  • ጃን አሰግድ
12971298Son of Yagbe'u SeyonSolomonic
Saba Asgad
  • ሳባ አሰገድ
12981299Son of Yagbe'u SeyonSolomonic
Wedem Arad
  • ወደም አራድ
Died 131412991314Brother of Yagbe'u SeyonSolomonic
Amda Seyon I
  • ዐምደ ጽዮን ቀዳማዊ
Died 134413141344Son of Wedem AradSolomonicAmda Seyon I of Ethiopia
Newaya Krestos
  • ንዋየ ክርስቶስ
Died 137213441372Son of Amda Seyon ISolomonic
Newaya Maryam
  • ንዋየ ማርያም
Died 138213721382Son of Newaya KrestosSolomonic
Dawit I
  • ዳዊት ቀዳማዊ
Died 6 October 141313826 October 1413Son of Newaya KrestosSolomonic
Tewodros I
  • ቴዎድሮስ ቀዳማዊ
Died 141412 October 141323 June 1414Son of Dawit ISolomonic
Yeshaq I
  • ይሥሓቅ ቀዳማዊ
Died 14291414September 1429Son of Dawit ISolomonic
Andreyas
  • እንድርያስ
Died March 1430September 1429March 1430Son of Yeshaq ISolomonic
Takla Maryam
  • ተክለ ማርያም
Died 1433March 1430June 1433Son of Dawit ISolomonic
Sarwe Iyasus
  • ሥርወ ኢየሱስ
Died 1433June 1433November 1433Son of Takla MaryamSolomonic
Amda Iyasus
  • ዐምደ ኢየሱስ
Died June 1434November 1433June 1434Son of Takla MaryamSolomonic
Zara Yaqob
  • ዘርዐ ያዕቆብ
1399 – 26 August 1468
(aged 69)		19/20 June 143426 August 1468Son of Dawit ISolomonicZara Yaqob of Ethiopia
Baeda Maryam I
  • በእደ ማርያም ቀዳማዊ
1448 – 8 November 1478
(aged 30)		26 August 14688 November 1478Son of Zara YaqobSolomonic
Eskender
  • እስክንድር
(1471-07-15)15 July 1471 – 7 May 1494(1494-05-07) (aged 22)14787 May 1494Son of Baeda Maryam ISolomonic
Amda Seyon II
  • ዐምደ ጽዮን
c. 1487 – 26 October 1494
(aged ≈ 7)		149426 October 1494Son of EskenderSolomonic
Na'od
  • ናዖድ
Died 31 July 1508149431 July 1508Son of Baeda Maryam ISolomonic
Dawit II or Libne Dengel
  • ዳዊት ዳግማዊ or ልብነ ድንግል
1501 – 2 September 1540
(aged 39)		15082 September 1540Son of Na'odSolomonicDawit II of Ethiopia
Gelawdewos
  • ገላውዴዎስ
1521/1522 – 23 March 1559
(aged 38–37)		3 September 154023 March 1559Son of Dawit IISolomonicGelawdewos of Ethiopia
Menas
  • ሚናስ
Died 1 February 156315591 February 1563Son of Dawit IISolomonicMinas of Ethiopia
Sarsa Dengel
  • ሠርጸ ድንግል
1550 – 4 October 1597
(aged 47)		15634 October 1597Son of MenasSolomonicSarsa Dengel of Ethiopia
Yaqob
  • ያዕቆብ
c. 1590 – 10 March 16061597
1604		September 1603
10 March 1606		Son of Sarsa DengelSolomonic
Za Dengel
  • ዘድንግል
Died 24 October 1604September 160324 October 1604Nephew of Sarsa DengelSolomonic
Susenyos I
  • Susenyos the Catholic
  • ሱስንዮስ ቀዳማዊ
1572 – 17 September 1632
(aged 60)		160617 September 1632Grandson of Dawit IISolomonicSusenyos I of Ethiopia

Gondarine period

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Fasilides
  • ፋሲለደስ
(1603-11-20)20 November 1603 – 18 October 1667(1667-10-18) (aged 63)163218 October 1667Son of Susenyos ISolomonicFasilides of Ethiopia
Yohannes I
  • ዮሐንስ ቀዳማዊ
c. 1640 – 19 July 1682
(aged ≈ 42)		18 October 166719 July 1682Son of FasilidesSolomonicYohannes I of Ethiopia
Iyasu I
  • Iyasu the Great
  • ኢያሱ ቀዳማዊ
1654 – 13 October 1706
(aged 52)		19 July 168213 October 1706Son of Yohannes ISolomonicIyasu I of Ethiopia
Yeshaq IyasuDied 168516851685Claimed to be grandson of Susenyos IClaimed Solomonic
Tekle Haymanot I
  • Tekle Haymanot the Cursed
  • ተክለ ሃይማኖት ቀዳማዊ
(1684-03-28)28 March 1684 – 30 June 1708(1708-06-30) (aged 24)27 March 170630 June 1708Son of Iyasu ISolomonic
Amda SeyonDied September 1707September 1707September 1707Non-dynastic
Tewoflos
  • ቴዎፍሎስ
Died 14 October 17111 July 170814 October 1711Son of FasilidesSolomonic
Nebahne Yohannes1709July 1710Non-dynastic
Yostos
  • ዮስጦስ
Died 171614 October 171119 February 1716Grandson of Iyasu ISolomonic
Dawit III
  • Dawit the Singer
  • ዳዊት ሣልሳዊ
1695 – 18 May 1721
(aged 26)		8 February 171618 May 1721Son of Iyasu ISolomonic
Bakaffa
  • በካፋ
Died 19 September 173018 May 172119 September 1730Son of Iyasu ISolomonicBakaffa of Ethiopia
Iyasu II
  • ኢያሱ ዳግማዊ
(1723-10-21)21 October 1723 – 27 June 1755(1755-06-27) (aged 31)19 September 173027 June 1755Son of BakaffaSolomonicIyasu II of Ethiopia
Hezqeyas17361737Solomonic
Iyoas I
  • ኢዮአስ ቀዳማዊ
c. 1740 – 14 May 1769
(aged ≈ 29)		27 June 17557 May 1769Son of Iyasu IISolomonicIyoas I of Ethiopia

Era of the Princes

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Yohannes II
  • ዮሐንስ ዳግማዊ
1699 – 18 October 1769
(aged 70)		7 May 176918 October 1769Son of Iyasu ISolomonic
Tekle Haymanot II
  • ተክለ ሃይማኖት ዳግማዊ
1754 – 7 September 1777
(aged 23)		18 October 1769
December 1770		August 1770
13 April 1777		Son of Yohannes IISolomonic
Susenyos II
  • ሱስንዮስ ዳግማዊ
Died c. 1771August 1770December 1770Possibly the illegitimate son of Iyasu IISolomonic
Salomon II
  • ሰሎሞን ዳግማዊ
Died 178213 April 177720 July 1779Son of Abeto AdigoSolomonic
Tekle Giyorgis I
  • ተክለ ጊዮርጊስ ቀዳማዊ
c. 1751 – 12 December 1817
(aged ≈ 66)		20 July 1779
24 April 1788
January 1794
December 1795
4 January 1798
24 March 1800		8 February 1784
26 July 1789
15 April 1795
20 May 1796
20 May 1799
June 1800		Son of Yohannes IISolomonic
Iyasu III
  • እያሱ ሣልሳዊ
Died by 181016 February 178424 April 1788Grandson of Iyasu IISolomonic
IyasuDied May 181317871788In opposition to Iyasu IIINon-dynastic
Baeda Maryam17871788In opposition to Iyasu IIINon-dynastic
Tekle HaymanotDied before 1810February 17881789In opposition to Iyasu IIINon-dynastic
Hezqeyas
  • ሕዝቅያስ
Died 13 September 181326 July 1789January 1794Son of Iyasu IIISolomonic
Baeda Maryam II
  • በእደ ማርያም ዳግማዊ
1749 – 1833
(aged 84)		15 April 1795December 1795Possibly son of Salomon IIPossibly Solomonic
Salomon III
  • ሰሎሞን ሣልሳዊ
20 May 1796
20 May 1799		15 July 1797
15 July 1799		Son of Tekle Haymanot IISolomonic
Yonas
  • ዮናስ
Died May 181318 August 17974 January 1798Grandson of FasilidesSolomonic
Demetros
  • ድሜጥሮስ
Died 180225 July 1799
June 1800		24 March 1800
June 1801		Son of ArqedewosNon-dynastic
Egwale Seyon
  • እጓለ ጽዮን
Died 12 June 1818June 180112 June 1818Son of HezqeyasSolomonic
Iyoas II
  • ኢዮአስ ዳግማዊ
Died 3 June 182114 June 18183 June 1821Son of HezqeyasSolomonic
Gigar
  • ጊጋር
c. 1745 – 26 November 1832
(aged ≈ 87)		3 June 1821
April 1826		April 1826
18 June 1830		Possibly son of Iyasu IIPossibly Solomonic
Baeda Maryam IIIApril 1826April 1826Non-dynastic
Iyasu IV
  • ኢያሱ አርባእዊ
18 June 183018 March 1832Son of Salomon IIISolomonic
Gebre Krestos
  • ገብረ ክሪስቶስ
18 March 1832
1832		1832
8 June 1832		Allegedly a descendant of FasilidesAllegedly Solomonic
Sahle Dengel
  • ሣህለ ድንግል
1778 – 11 February 1855
(aged 77)		1832
October 1832
October 1841
1845
1851		1832
29 August 1840
1845
1850
11 February 1855		Brother of Gebre KrestosSolomonic
Egwale Anbesa18321832Non-dynastic
Yohannes III
  • ዮሐንስ ሣልሳዊ
c. 1797 – c. 1873
(aged ≈ 76)		30 August 1840
1845
1850		October 1841
1845
1851		Son of Tekle Giyorgis ISolomonic

Modern Era

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Tewodros II
  • ቴዎድሮስ
c. 1818 – 13 April 1868
(aged ≈ 50)		11 February 185513 April 1868[a]Son of Haile Giorgis Wolde GiorgisSolomonicTewodros II of Ethiopia
Tekle Giyorgis II
  • ተክለ ጊዮርጊስ ዳግማዊ
1836 – 21 June 1873
(aged 36–37)		11 June 186811 July 1871Son of Wagshum Gebre MedhinSolomonic[b]Tekle Giyorgis II of Ethiopia

Tigrayan line

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Yohannes IV
  • ዮሓንስ አርባእዊ
(1837-07-11)11 July 1837 – 10 March 1889(1889-03-10) (aged 51)11 July 187110 March 1889[c]Son of Dejazmatch Mercha Wolde KidanSolomonicYohannes IV of Ethiopia

Shewan line

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Menelik II[d]
  • ምኒልክ ዳግማዊ
(1844-08-17)17 August 1844 – 12 December 1913(1913-12-12) (aged 69)10 March 188912 December 1913Son of Negus Haile MelekotSolomonicMenelik II of Ethiopia
Lij Iyasu[e]
  • Iyasu V[f]
  • ልጅ ኢያሱ
(1895-02-04)4 February 1895 – 25 November 1935(1935-11-25) (aged 40)12 December 191327 September 1916Grandson of Menelik IISolomonicLij Iyasu of Ethiopia
Zewditu[g]
  • ዘውዲቱ
(1876-04-29)29 April 1876 – 2 April 1930(1930-04-02) (aged 53)27 September 19162 April 1930[h]Daughter of Menelik IISolomonicZewditu of Ethiopia
Haile Selassie[i][j][k]
  • ኀይለ ሥላሴ ቀዳማዊ
(1892-07-23)23 July 1892 – 27 August 1975(1975-08-27) (aged 83)[1][2]2 April 1930[l]12 September 1974[m]Son of Ras Makonnen Wolde MikaelSolomonicHaile Selassie of Ethiopia
Amha Selassie[n][o]
  • Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen
  • አምሃ ሥላሴ
(1916-07-27)27 July 1916 – 17 January 1997(1997-01-17) (aged 80)[7]12 September 197421 March 1975[8]Son of Haile SelassieSolomonicAmha Selassie of Ethiopia

House of Savoy (Italian occupation)

See also: Italian East Africa and List of governors-general of Italian East Africa
NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Victor Emmanuel III
  • Vittorio Emanuele III
    ቪቶርዮ አማኑኤል
    (Vītoriyo Āmanu’ēli)
(1869-11-11)11 November 1869 – 28 December 1947(1947-12-28) (aged 78)14 May 1936[9]De jure renounced the title in November 1943[10]
(de facto loss of control in April 1941[11])		King of Italy, proclaimed Emperor of Ethiopia after Italian victory in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War; the title was contested by Haile Selassie in exile. Italian defeat in the East African campaign of World War II, and later Italian capitulation, ended Italian pretensions of rulership over Ethiopia.SavoyVictor Emmanuel III of Italy

Timeline (post–Zemene Mesafint)

Amha SelassieVictor Emmanuel IIIHaile SelassieHaile Selassie#NameZewdituLij IyasuMenelik IIYohannes IVTekle Giyorgis IITewodros IIHouse of SavoySolomonic dynasty

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Committed suicide at the end of the Battle of Magdala.
  2. ^ Claimed the Solomonic lineage through his mother. Also claimed the Zagwe lineage through his father.
  3. ^ Killed in the Battle of Gallabat.
  4. ^ Previously King of Shewa from 1855 to 1856, and from 1865 to 1889. Ruled under the regency of Ras Betwoded Tessema Nadew from 1909 to 1911 and Lij Iyasu from 1911 to 1913.
  5. ^ Never officially crowned as Emperor. Deposed by nobility with the sanction of the Church.
  6. ^ Lij Iyasu was never referred to as "Iyasu V" or as an emperor during his rule, either by Ethiopians or by foreigners. Thus, in the treaty of commerce signed between the United States and Ethiopia in June 1914, the ruler of Ethiopia is referred to as "His Royal Highness, Prince Lidj Yassou". [1]
  7. ^ Ruled under the regency of Ras Tafari Makonnen (future Emperor Haile Selassie).
  8. ^ Died in the immediate aftermath of the Gugsa Wale's rebellion.
  9. ^ De facto ruler of the country as regent from 1916 to 1930. Crowned as King in the aftermath of the 1928 coup d'état.
  10. ^ Exiled from 2 May 1936 to 5 April 1941, during the Italian occupation. During that time, the imperial title was claimed by the King of Italy Victor Emmanuel III.
  11. ^ Briefly deposed during the 1960 coup d'état attempt.
  12. ^ Crowned on 2 November 1930, at the St. George's Cathedral in Addis Ababa.[3]
  13. ^ Deposed by the Derg during the Ethiopian Revolution of 1974.[4][5]
  14. ^ Proclaimed Emperor by the Imperial Guards during the 1960 coup d'état attempt.
  15. ^ Designated "King" (not Emperor) by the Derg while out of the country,[6] did not take throne.

References

  1. ^ Alden Whitman (28 August 1975). "Haile Selassie of Ethiopia Dies at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Death of a King". The New York Times. 28 August 1975. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  3. ^ "Emperor is Crowned in Regal Splendor at African Capital". The New York Times. 3 November 1930. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  4. ^ "REMOVAL IS QUIET". The New York Times. 13 September 1974. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  5. ^ Paul Hofmann (13 September 1974). "The Lion at Sunset". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Ethiopian Crown Prince Hears News of Succession on Radio". The New York Times. 13 September 1974. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  7. ^ David Orr (2 February 1997). "Funeral brings the royals back to Ethiopia". The Independent. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  8. ^ "Ethiopia's Military Government Abolishes Monarchy and Titles". The New York Times. 22 March 1975. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  9. ^ Arnaldo Cortesi (15 May 1936). "CHAMBER CONFIRMS EMPIRE FOR ITALY; Cheers for Army and Duce Mark Session Ratifying Ethiopia's Annexation". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  10. ^ Indro Montanelli, Mario Cervi, Storia d'italia. L'Italia della guerra civile, RCS, 2003.
  11. ^ "THE FALL OF ADDIS ABABA". The New York Times. 7 April 1941. Retrieved 18 January 2021.