Goshu Zewde of Gojjam (1783 or 1788-1852) was the governor of Damot, Metcha and Ybaba; most of Gojjam was, indeed, under the government of his son Birru Goshu.

He was elevated to the personal titles of Dejazmach in 1825 and Ras by Emperor Sahle Dengel in 1848.

Goshu Zewde belonged through his mother, Woizero Dinnkénech to the imperial family: she was the granddaughter of Walata Israel, daughter of Empress Mentewab by her first husband and half-sister of Emperor Iyasu II.^[1] His father, the Dejazmach Zewde, Governor of Damot, had died captive of Ras Gugsa, against whom he had fought for several years. The Dejazmach Goshu, although reduced to the government of Damot, Metcha and Ybaba, was still formidable. Princes, churchmen and farmers all held him in high esteem, as much for his high birth as for the goodness of his character.

Ethiopian warriors during the Zemene Mesafint

Lik Atskoum, a scholarly high dignitary who was one of the four great imperial judges of Ethiopia, describes Goshu as a great ruler:^[2]

This prince is an honest Christian, intelligent, generous. Imagine that you have seen only bandits up to now; you will see in him a real prince. This house of Gugsa is a cave of usurpers, of renegades; that of Goshu Zewde is built on tradition, law, justice.

The French explorer Arnaud d'Abbadie, who was a close friend of the Goshu described him thus:^[3]

Dejazmach Goshu,about fifty years old, was tall and handsome, fat without obesity, but the lower part of his body seemed slender compared to his powerful bust. He had fine attachments and a feminine elegance of hand, a copper-brown complexion, a voluminous head, gracefully set on a long neck and of a beauty of outline rare in a man, a broad, high and rounded forehead, delicately drawn temples, a small nose with mobile wings, and large eyes flush with the head. The upper lip was shaded by a light down, the teeth were small and pearly and the chin was short and fine with dimples, and the cheeks were flat, broad and without beard.

His head carriage and his slightest movements were gently dominating; his reserved gaze hinted at a certain complacency for himself. Although his intelligent physiognomy was veiled by that impassiveness which befits the exercise of high power, one discovered a great kindness, shy rather than active, finesse, playfulness, a lack of decision coupled with stubbornness, the spirit of adventure, fearlessness and that melancholy doubt which often wins over those who are responsible for events and men.

His carefully draped toga revealed three long necklaces made of periaptes or talismans covered in red morocco or vermeil, interspersed with grains of coral, amber or rare glassware. He wore a gold ring on his little finger, made up of three interlocking rings, each decorated with an emerald; this beautifully crafted antique jewel came from India. A long gold pin, ending in a filigree ball, was passed through his black, bushy, wavy and corymb hair; as a Waïzoro, he wore perisceles made of small threaded gold cones on his ankles. ...

Dejazmach Goshu was a governor loyal to Ras Ali; he actively participated in many battles during the "Zemene Mesafint". However, he found death during the Battle of Gur Amba against the troops of Kassa Hailu future Tewodros II.^[4]

Family

Dejazmach Goshu had three sons: Lij Dori, Dejazmach Birru Goshu; and Dejazmach Tessemma Goshu, who was the father of Adal, who later took the name of Negus Tekle Haymanot.^[5]

References