GIYORGIS, ATSME
ATSME GIYORGIS Atsme Giyorgis (1821-1914) a historian of the Galla or Oromo people, was one of the few Ethiopian authors during the reign of Emperor Menilek (q.v.). (1889-1914). Atsme was born at Harramba in Shawa. His father was Gabra Masih and his mother was Walatta Gabriel. He was educated in monastic schools. He also learned […]
ALULA, ALI
ALI ALULA Ali Alula (1818-1866) was Ras (High Commander) and ruler of most of central and northern Ethiopia from 1831-1853. He belonged to an originally Muslim Galla family from Yaju in Wallo province, who dominated political life for about 70 years during the so-called Zamana masafent (“Era of the judges”) which lasted from around 1769 […]
IYASUS, AFAWARQ GABRA
AFAWARQ GABRA IYASUS Afararq Gabra Iyasus (July 10, 1868-September 25, 1947), writer, poet and diplomat, was the author of Lebb wallad Tarik (“story Born out of Fantasy”) (1908), which may be regarded as the first modern Amharic novel. Born on the Zage peninsula of Lake Tana, a center of traditional learning. Afawarq was related to […]
JEFAR II, ABA
ABA JEFAR II Aba Jefar II (1861-1932) was the fifth and most important King of Jimma, A Muslim state in south-western Ethiopia, which he ruled from 1878 to 1932. During his rule, Jimma extended its borders at the expense of the neighbouring kingdom of Janjero to the east, became prosperous through expanded trade, and remained […]
