Fesseha Krestos (lit: The joy of Christ) was an Ethiopian commander of the royal guard regiment under Iyasu I, he was one of the closest confidants of the Emperor.[1]

Biography

Fesseha is mentioned for the first time in the chronicle of Emperor Yohannes I with the title of Fitawrari in October 1677.[1] On 15th of July[note 1] 1682, the ailing Emperor Yohannes I made Iyasu his successor. Fesseha Krestos was among the dignitaries witnessing Yohannes I final proclamation, other notables were Kanafero and Za-Wald (both Azzaz[note 2]), basha Lesana Krestos, blattengeta Akala Krestos, and the dejazmach's Anestasyos and Delba Iyasus.[2]

Emperor Yohannes died on 19 July 1682, and the new monarch Iyasu I, appointed Fesseha Krestos as the regent of Gojjam. He had a brief tenure, as he was summoned to return to Gondar where he was made commander of one the royal guard regiments.[1]

In 1689, angered by the massacre of Christians by the northerly Shankellas in the Shire desert, Iyasu I despatched Fesseha, who unleashed his wrath on the Shankellas, and castrated many of them, before returning to Gondar with the trophies for his master's inspection.[4]

In December 1692, Fesseha Krestos joined his majesty's campaign across the Mareb in modern day Eritrea against the northern Shankella tribes, and after falling into a dangerous predicament fighting the Shankellas near Batkom and Leyda, the commander escaped with his life.[5]

In 1693, he was rewarded with the title of Dejazmach.[1]

In March 1706, Iyasu I took a sudden decision to abdicate in favour of his elder son Tekle Haymanot I, who at the moment was in rebellion and had proclaimed himself emperor, it was precisely to Fesseha that Iyasu I entrusted his other sons to be handed to Tekle Haymanot for further confinement at the royal prison of Wehni. The fate of Fesseha, on when and which circumstances he died is not known.[1]

Notes

  1. ↑ Source say 15th of Hamle[2] which is 15th of July, see Ethiopian calendar for more information.
  2. ↑ Azzaz is a common term for civil administrator. During the 17th century Gondarine era, the term was a common one for officials whose duties were to supervise the execution of daily affairs in the various departments of the royal court. All such chiefs were called Azzaz, with some addition to this title to indicate their special function.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Uhlig, Siegbert; Bausi, Alessandro; Yimam, Baye, eds. (2003). Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: D-Ha. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. p. 533. ISBN 9783447052382. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  2. 1 2 Alāf Sagad, Zenahu la negus negast (1955). Annales Iohannis I, Iyāsu I, Bakāffā. Louvain L. Durbecq. p. 60. OCLC 1244212657. Le 15 de hamlë, le roi se reposa des afflictions de ce monde passager, a la pointe du jour, un dimanche — evangéliste Marc — lian du monde 7:75. Ce meme jour les fonctionnaires qui etaient presents la-bas, a savoir le blattsengeta Akala Krestos, le da-Baz mas Anestasyos, 1 azai Za-Wald, l'azäz Kanäfero, le graz- mag Tequre; le fitawräri Fesseha Krestos (B Giyorgis), le dagazmaäë Dilba Iyasus, le basa Lesäna Krestos, avec les aza et les liq de droite et de gauche, proclamèrent roi son fils Iyäsu, comme porte l'usage des dispositions de la loi du règne. [On the 15th of Hamle, the king rested from the afflictions of this passing world, at daybreak, on a Sunday — Evangelist Mark — lian du monde 7:75. That same day the officials who were present there, namely the blattsengeta Akala Krestos, the da-Baz mas Anestasyos, 1 azai Za-Wald, the azäz Kanäfero, the graz-mag Tequre; the fitawräri Fesseha Krestos (B: Giyorgis), the dagazmaäë Dilba Iyasus, the basa Lesäna Krestos, with the aza and the liq of right and left, proclaimed his son Iyäsu king, as carries the use of the provisions of the law of the reign.]
  3. ↑ Uhlig, Siegbert; Bausi, Alessandro; Yimam, Baye; Crummey, Donald; Goldenberg, Gideon, eds. (2003). Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: A-C. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. p. 422. ISBN 9783447047463. OCLC 722894586. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ↑ Pankhurst, Richard (1997). The Ethiopian Borderlands: Essays in Regional History from Ancient Times to the End of the 18th Century. The Red Sea Press. pp. 357–358. ISBN 9780932415196.
  5. ↑ Budge, Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis (1966). A history of Ethiopia, Nubia & Abyssinia. According to the hieroglyphic inscriptions of Egypt and Nubia, and the Ethiopian chronicles. London, Oosterhout: Methuen (1928), N.B. Anthropological Publications (1966). p. 413. OCLC 874381390.
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