Page 50 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 18

History

and his family and join the Italians tor and was even given the title of
in the hopes of gaining the throne. Afe-Qesar (the fascist equivalent to
When Italy invaded Ethiopia and Afenegus as the King of Italy used
brought Gugsa with them, Afework Qesar or Caesar instead of Negus
accompanied him as his aide de as his claimed title as Emperor of
camp. However, after the Ethiopian Ethiopia). Upon the liberation of
victory Afework abandoned Gugsa Ethiopia from occupation Afework
to his own devices and managed to Gebreyesus was convicted of trea-
squeeze his way back into favor by son and sentenced to life imprison-
exploiting familial ties to Empress ment. He died under house arrest
Taitu via her mother. Taitu how- in Jimma a few years later.
ever soon developed a distaste for
him (she did not particularly respect The second Italian-Ethiopian War
Ethiopians who became overly and the fascist occupation was a
westernized in their clothing and time of multiple betrayals. Most
lifestyles) and his refusal to marry a prominent among them of course
bride she had suggested and instead was the most famous of traitors,
Sultan Abba Jobir Abba Jiffar of marrying an Italian woman further Dejazmatch Haile Selassie Gug-
Jimma with Benito Mussolini. alienated her from him. The final sa. Dejazmatch Haile Selassie was
straw was when she entrusted him the great-grandson of Emperor
side and that they would place him with a significant sum of money to Yohannes IV, an Emperor who
on the Imperial throne. purchase religious paintings in Italy had laid down his life in defense
for St. Mary’s Church at Entoto. of Ethiopia. His father Leul Ras
However, the senior prince of the When the paintings arrived, they Gugsa Araya was well known as the
House of Shewa was not what the were far below the quality that the person who captured Lij Iyasu and
Italians thought he would be. Ras Empress expected and she was had handed him over to the state in
Darge not only remained loyal to his convinced that he had purchased service to the crown, but was court-
Emperor and his country, he also cheap paintings in order to pocket ly enough to bow and kiss Lij Iyasu’s
disowned his son and had his name the rest of her money. There was feet before placing him in custody.
blotted from the family genealogy. a terrible scene and Taitu is said to Yet, Dejazmatch Haile Selassie’s
The Italians were crushed at Adwa have cursed him saying she wished life was defined by his resentment
and Lij Gugsa lost everything, his he would be crucified. towards and antipathy against the
family, his country, and every shred other branch of the House of
of respect he could have once ex- He left Ethiopia vowing never to Tigray headed by his cousin Leul
pected as a member of the Imperial return while she lived. Ironically, he Ras Seyoum Mengesha. Emperor
dynasty. He is barely a footnote in wrote a poem extolling her virtues Haile Selassie had tried to balance
most histories of the era. He died when she died in order to play up favor between the two branches of
an exile, forgotten and unmourned. his blood ties to her in his efforts the House of Tigray. When Crown
Afe-Qesar Afework Gebreyesus to be rehabilitated. He had already Prince Asfaw Wossen married Ras
whom I’ve mentioned above was written praises of Lij Iyasu in that Seyoum’s daughter Princess Wolete
another figure of betrayal. His effort, and then when Lij Iyasu fell, Israel, the Emperor balanced that by
betrayal was repeated. Sent to Italy he wrote even more fulsome praises marrying his daughter Princess Zen-
in his youth for higher education he of Empress Zewditu and the Regent ebework to Dejazmatch Haile Selas-
became deeply enamored with that Ras Tafari. He was rehabilitated by sie Gugsa. However, Dejazmatch
land to the point that his loyalties to Ras Tafari (Emperor Haile Selas- Haile Selassie seethed that his cousin
his homeland were compromised. sie) who was eager to use the few Seyoum Mengesha was a Leul and
western educated Ethiopians in his a Ras enjoying princely status while
While he is well known for his modernization drive. However, a he remained a Dejazmatch. Rumors
formidable contribution to Amharic leopard doesn’t change its spots. that his bride suffered ill treatment
literature, all that is stained by his Afework Gebreyesus still loved at his hands may have poisoned
repeated disloyalty. His first act as Italy and eagerly latched onto the his relationship with the Emperor
stated was helping to persuade Lij fascists when they invaded in 1935. further, and when the Princess died
Gugsa Darge to betray his country He became a devoted collabora- suddenly and the Emperor ordered

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