Darwin Correspondence Project

King of Ethiopia from 1855. Born with the name of Kassa. Not of royal ancestry. Educated in monasteries. Around 1845, began serving as governor of Qwara, and married Tawabach. In 1847, became governor of all lands west and north of Lake Tana. Beginning in 1852, started a series of battles to gain supreme power. As king, efforts to unify and modernize Ethiopia not fully realised due to various conflicts within the country. When Britain did not respond to efforts to achieve a productive relationship, some missionaries and the British consul were imprisoned; committed suicide when the British invaded in 1868.