The following article is taken from Richard Pankhurst's book, The Ethiopian Borderlands: Essays in Regional History from Ancient Times to the End of the 18th Century. In the introduction to this book, Pankhurst states that, "Historical studies of Ethiopia, like those of other countries, often tend to concentrate on events at or near the center of political power, and devote far too little attention to other areas." I aggree with Pankhurst's assertion as studies regarding the Wolqait-Tegede provinces are almost non-existent. It seems that the TPLF regime has taken this to its advantage by trying to fabricate fictitious history in order to legitimize its illegal incorporation of the Wolqait-Tegede provinces into the Tigray region. This is a clear evidence to those of us who are naive about our history and to those that have knowingly or unknowingly tried to redirect history.
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The Establishment of Gondar
Contacts between the country of the Bahr Nagash and the interior became closer after the establishment of Gondar as the imperial capital in 1636. The city rapidly emerged as a major political, commercial and religious center, and because of its location in the north-west of the empire, and difficulties of communication with the Sudan, had particularly close ties with the coast.
The metropolis was visited over the years by many personalities from the Land of Bahr Nagash, as well as by merchants and others who passed through the latter while traveling between the coast and the rich countries south of the Blue Nile. Gondar was at the same time heavily dependent on the trade route via Hamasen to the coast, and it was through it that most of the capital’s imports, including fire-arms, had to pass.
Hamasen Local Traditions: Fasiladas, Emmha and Hab Sellus
Evidence of contacts between the land of the Bahr Nagash and the Gondarine monarchy, that is to say between the northern periphery and the central state, is preserved in the oral traditions of Hamasen, recorded in the early twentieth century by the Swedish scholar Johannes Kolmodin. They represent an amalgam of fact and fantasy, but are nonetheless historically revealing. They show that the Gondar monarch’s sovereignty extended as far as Hamasen, whose local chiefs they appointed, and from whom they received tribute, as well as military, guard or other service. The traditions, though concerned primarily with Hamasen, are of much wider relevance. They illustrate the traditional manner in which local rulers and dynasties of the periphery were often in personal relationship with, as well as Emperors and their families. The story applies to the north, but, as notably in Adal, Hadeya, Enaraya, and on at least one well documented occasion among the Afars.
The earliest Hamasen traditions about Gondar deal with the time of the first of the city’s rulers, Emperor Fasiladas. They tell the story of Gara Krestos Samson, a Kantiba, or governor, of the town of Sa’azzaga, who sent his son Emmha to “the country of Amhara” to hand over his tribute. The young man traveled to Gondar, where he presented himself to the monarch, and was given the duty of guarding the royal gate and serving in various other ways, for which he was rewarded with the title of Kantiba. The appointment was unusual in that Emmha’s father was still alive, and held the same title. However, the young man, on returning home, dutifully declared that it was improper for him to assume the post during the lifetime of his sire, to whom he accordingly transferred the title.
On Gara Krestos’s death, however, the rank of Kantiba reverted to Emmha, who unfortunately proved an arrogant and harsh ruler. Soon after assuming his office he was visited by his cousin, Gara Sellase, and the latter’s son Hab Sellus, who came to bring him a gift of a fattened goat and some honey. The proud Emmha refused either to receive the visitors or to accept their presents. Father and son waited three days, after which they left in a dejected mood. On the journey home Hab Sellus declared that he would like to have a nagarit, or drum (a traditional symbol of authority), but his father replied that there was little hope of this since those who had the power to appoint him, i.e. Emmha and his clique, obviously hated their sight. Hab Sellus, who was latter to emerge as a Hamasen folk hero, relied that it was “better to perish” than remain with such people. He accordingly left for Gondar, and, to show that he was a knight, took with him a fine iron bridle.
On arriving at the capital he made his way to the place, where he reputedly lived a life of poverty and humiliation for seven full years. During this period he spent his days and nights where he could, and was often obliged to sleep in the stables. He was in consequence soon covered with scabs, and became known as Hab Sellus “the mangy.”
Emmha meanwhile, having learnt that Hab Sellus was living at the capital, and fearing that he might establish contact with the Emperor, made his way once more to Gondar. As Kantiba he had the freedom of the palace, while the unfortunate Hab Sellus was obliged to sleep outside, and eat only with servants.
Some time later, however, an incident occurred which brought the young man to the monarch’s attention. Fasiladas had fierce horse which none of his soldiers dared mount. One day, while talking with Emmha – and perhaps recalling that Hamasen was renowned source of horses, he asked him whether anyone among the Hamasen people was expert at horse-riding. The wily chief, hoping to bring about Hab Sellus’s death, or disgrace, replied that his young cousin could ride admirably. Fasiladas, who had no idea of the Kantiba’s real motive, asked Emmha to summon his relative without delay.
Hab Sellus, dressed in tatters, but carrying his fine bridle concealed under them, appeared before the monarch, who, seeing the young man’s rags and scabs, looked on him with contempt. Astonished that such creature had been brought to him, he asked, “Can you really tide a horse?” “Certainly, my lord,” Hab Sellus replied, “and since you have commanded me to do so I will try.” The steed was then saddled, and brought to the young man. He jumped on it, released the rope tying it, and immediately disappeared on it.
As soon as he was out of sight he dismounted, removed the horse’s bridle, and replaced it with the one he had brought from Hamasen. He then rode the animal all day until, its spirit broken, it trembled with sweat and fatigue, after which, having once more changed bridles, he reappeared at the palace on horseback. The courtiers had spent the day discussing where the young man would be hurled to the ground, and Emmha had observed, in a seemingly disheartened tone, that his cousin had “without doubt been killed.” It was then that Hab Sellus, to everyone’s amazement, arrived triumphantly at a gallop.
Emmha, we are told, soon afterwards had resort to a further trick against Hab Sellus. Another Hamasen nobleman, Zamat Kefla of Ad-Takkle-zan, whom Fasiladas had invested with the title of Kantiba, was due to return to his village, and the monarch enquired whether there was due to return to his village, and the monarch enquired whether there was anyone brave enough to accompany the chief home and then return back. Emmha ingeniously asked the Emperor whether anyone was more capable than Hab Sellus. Fasiladas had the young man once again summoned, and asked him whether he felt able to carry out the mission. Hab Sellus answered, more or less as before, “Yes, since Your Majesty commands me to do it.” The monarch then presented Zamat with a golden ring, and told him that after Hab Sellus had conducted him to his village he should hand it to the latter. “If he returns with the ring,” he declared, “I would know you have reached your village; but, if he comes without it, I will not receive him anymore.”
The crafty Emmha then sent a message to the people of Sa’azzaga ordering them to kill Hab Sellus. However, the young man, suspecting his cousin’s wickedness, avoided the usual route through Seraye and Akala Guzay where his enemies were lying in wait, and passed instead further south by way of Wolqait and the country of the Bareya. The two men therefore arrived safely at Ad-Takle-Zan. When the people who were to kill him learnt this they planned to catch him on his return journey. They waited for him in the dessert passes, but he made his way back by the coastal route, and Agame, and thus arrived at the court without incident.
On the young man’s return Fasiladas interrogated him closely, asking him if he had really conducted the Kantiba to his village. Hab Sellus replied, “Yes, Sire, I have done as you ordered me.” The monarch then inquired whether he had brought proof of this, to which the messenger responded, “I have none.” The king, irritated by this response, demanded whether Zamat had not given him anything. He answered, “Nothing, except this ring,” which then he handed to Fasiladas. The Emperor, on hearing this, was much impressed. He presented the young man with many decorations, including a ceremonial shirt, and later gave him his daughter’s hand in marriage, nominated him a governor, and gave him permission to return to his country.
Fasiladas subsequently elevated his son-in-law to the rank of Abeto, a status normally reserved for princes of royal blood, and gave him control of Bambolo-Mellash, a term which covered not only the country of the Bahr Nagash, but also a large stretch of Tegray up to the Bambolo river. On the journey home it transpired that Hab Sellus’s wife despised him, and refused to accept him as her husband. Deeply angered by this he abused her so violently that she died, after which he made his way back to Gondar. On arriving at the Palace he paid his respects to the Emperor, and holding in his hand a sword and a rope, two symbols of punishment, addressed him, saying, “Your Majesty, in your great magnanimity, gave me your daughter, and appointed me; but when I wished to approach my wife in accordance with nature and the law, saying, ‘She is my wife’, she rejected my approach; whereupon I, incited by Satan, raised my hand and struck her; and she died as a result of my blow. Because of this misfortune I stand here before Your Majesty.” So saying he threw his sword and the rope before him.
Fasiladas, having heard all this, questioned one of his daughter’s slaves, who spoke up for her late mistress’s husband, declaring, “Everything Hab Sellus says is true.” The monarch, who, we may assume, had no wish to alienate the people of Hamasen, thereupon asked the opinion of the theologians at his court, inquiring, “If I pardon him would I be guilty?” To this they replied in the negative. He accordingly forgave his son-in-law, saying “You did to her what she deserved,” after which he allowed Hab Sellus to leave. However, he deprived him of the government of Bambolo-Mellash, and left him only with that of Marab-Mellash, i.e. a smaller fiefdom covering only land north of the Marab river. Further, declaring that the title of Abeto was appropriate only to members of the royal house, he demoted him from that rank, but declared that he, and his descendants, should bear the rank of Dajazmach.
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Trivia Q: Who is
Nayzgi? The answer coming up in part two of this article. Stay tuned!
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