Mikael of Wollo

Mikael was a strong leader in Ethiopia.

He led a powerful army of riders. These riders were famous in the land.

Mikael was born a Muslim. Later, he became a Christian. He even changed his name to Mikael. He built many churches for his people.

He was a father to a king. He was also a grandfather to a queen. His family was very important to the empire.

He fought in a big battle to protect his land. He worked with other great leaders. Mikael was a very busy man.

He is buried in a special stone building.

People still visit his tomb today.

Mikael of Wollo was a powerful leader in Ethiopia.

He was born as Mohammed Ali. His father was an Oromo leader. His mother was a Christian noblewoman. This meant Mikael came from many different groups of people.

Later, Mikael became a Christian. He changed his name to Mikael. He became a Ras, which is like a Duke. He also built many churches. Mikael founded a town called Dessie. It became a new capital.

Mikael led a famous group of riders called the Wollo cavalry. He fought in the Battle of Adwa to protect his land. He worked with Emperor Menelik II. Mikael was also the father of a leader named Iyasu.

In 1916, a big fight broke out. Mikael led a large army to help his son. But his army lost the Battle of Segale. Mikael was captured and kept on an island. He later lived under house arrest. He died in 1918. He is buried in a special tomb.

His family members are buried there too.

Negus Mikael of Wollo was a very important leader in the Ethiopian Empire.

He was born in 1850 with the name Mohammed Ali. His father was an Oromo man from a powerful family. His mother was a Christian noblewoman of Amhara descent. This meant his family came from different ethnic groups. He eventually became a famous army commander and a member of the nobility. He was also the father of the leader Lij Iyasu.

Life changed for Mikael during a time of great religious shifts. Emperor Yohannes IV required many leaders in Wollo to become Christians. Because of this, Mohammed Ali converted to the Christian faith. He was baptized with the new name Mikael. He also earned the title of Ras, which is like a Duke. Mikael became a very devoted Christian and built many churches. He even founded the town of Dessie to be a new capital.

Mikael was known for leading the powerful Wollo cavalry. These riders were famous throughout the whole empire. He fought alongside Emperor Yohannes IV in the Battle of Gallabat. Later, he fought in the Battle of Adwa in 1896. During this war, he worked with Emperor Menelik II to defend Ethiopia. His cavalry played a major role during the fighting against the Italian army. He was a key part of many big moments in history.

After Emperor Menelik II died in 1913, things became difficult for Mikael's family. His son, Lij Iyasu, became a leader but was not formally crowned. In 1916, a group of nobles removed Iyasu from power. Mikael wanted to help his son get his position back. He led a huge army of 80,000 men to fight for him. This led to the Battle of Segale in October 1916. Sadly, Mikael's army lost the battle and he was captured.

Mikael spent his final years under supervision in different places. He was first kept on an island in Lake Chabo. Later, he lived under house arrest at a home called Holeta Genet. He died on September 8, 1918.

He was buried in a special church in Tenta.

A beautiful dome-shaped tomb holds him and his family members today. His granddaughter, Menen, later became the wife of Emperor Haile Selassie I.

Negus Mikael of Wollo was a central figure in the history of the Ethiopian Empire. Born in 1850 as Mohammed Ali, he eventually rose to become a powerful army commander and a member of the nobility. He held the title of Ras, which is a rank similar to a Duke. Mikael was also a king, known by the title Negus. His life connected many different parts of Ethiopia through his family and his military leadership. He was the father of the leader Lij Iyasu and the grandfather of Empress Menen. Empress Menen became the wife of Emperor Haile Selassie I, linking Mikael's lineage to the imperial throne.

Mikael's early life reflected the diverse culture of the Wollo region. His father, Imam Ali Abba Bula, was an ethnic Oromo from the Mammedoch dynasty. His mother, Woizero Geyiti, was a Christian noblewoman of Amhara descent. This multiethnic background meant Mikael grew up with both Oromo and Amharic influences. His life changed significantly during the Council of Boru Meda. During this event, Emperor Yohannes IV required Muslim aristocrats in Wollo to convert to Christianity within three months. If they refused, they would lose their positions. Following this mandate, Mohammed Ali converted and was baptized with the name Mikael.

As a leader, Mikael was famous for his military strength. He commanded the Wollo army, which was one of the most powerful in Northern Ethiopia. His cavalry, a group of soldiers on horseback, was renowned throughout the entire empire. Mikael fought alongside Emperor Yohannes IV in the Battle of Gallabat against the Mahdist Sudanese. He remained loyal to the Emperor even during the battle's end. Later, in 1896, Mikael played a vital role in the First Italo-Ethiopian War. He led his cavalry during the Battle of Adwa to fight alongside Emperor Menelik II. During this battle, his cavalry engaged an Italian brigade in a narrow valley.

Following the death of Emperor Menelik II in 1913, a period of political change began. Menelik's grandson, Lij Iyasu, became a leader but was never formally crowned as Emperor. On the instructions of Iyasu, Mikael was anointed Negus of Wollo and Tigray. This position made Mikael a powerful figure behind the throne. However, concerns arose during World War I regarding Iyasu's political ties and religious intentions. In September 1916, a council of nobles and clergy deposed Iyasu. They named Zewditu I as the Empress and appointed Ras Tafari Makonnen as Regent. Ras Tafari would later become the famous Emperor Haile Selassie I.

Mikael responded quickly to the removal of his son from power. On October 7, 1916, he led an army of 80,000 men to attempt to reinstate Iyasu. This movement led to the Battle of Segale on October 27, 1916. Mikael's forces attacked first, but they faced significant technical difficulties. His machine gun ammunition ran out early, and his artillery was quickly silenced. The enemy forces were prepared and used heavy fire against his troops. Iyasu arrived too late to assist his father on the battlefield. Consequently, Mikael was defeated and captured by the opposing forces.

Mikael's final years were spent under various forms of supervision. He was initially confined to an island in Lake Chabo in Gurageland. After two and a half years, he successfully petitioned Empress Zewditu for a change in his status. He was moved to Holeta Genet, which was a former country home of Emperor Menelik II. There, he lived under house arrest until his death on September 8, 1918. Despite his defeat, the royal court gave him full mourning because of his family connections to the new leadership. His granddaughter, Menen, remained a key member of the imperial family.

Today, the legacy of Negus Mikael is preserved in Tenta. His body was carried from Holeta to Tenta for his final burial. He was laid to rest in the St. Mikael Church. A specific mausoleum with a dome-shaped roof stands in the church compound. This tomb serves as a resting place for Mikael and several of his family members. These include his sons, Gebrehiwot Mikael and Ali Mikael, as well as his sister, Yetemegn Mere'ed.