Sarsa Dengel of Ethiopia

Sarsa-Dengel (born in 1563 and died in 1597) was Négus of Ethiopia.

Biography

It succeeds Menas and takes the name Malak Sagad Ier in 1578.

Sarsa-Dengel finds a kingdom with the devastated villages, at the moving borders. Its reign is divided between ceaseless campaigns during the dry season, and the establishment of immense military camps during that of the rains, each year at a different place. The beginning of the reign is disturbed by the coalition of noble which tries to name a more malleable sovereign. But Hamalmal, Harbo, Fasilo, Yésahq, betray the ones the others. Sarsa-Dengel must, at the beginning, to flee in front of them, then eliminates them successively, and once the army in hand, it restores the interior order and fights against the enemies of the outside. Against the Official reception, it extends its authority on the provinces of the south, where it overcomes the armoured riders of the Moslem prince of the Hadya. It attacks the Adal the, which was going to be combined with the governor of Striped Yésahq, most dangerous of large. It definitively destroys on the Ouébi the reconstituted army of Harrar. The sultanate of Adal will be established in the middle of the desert of Dancalie, close to the lakes of the Aoussa, far from the attacks of the Galla, where he survives one century. The city of Harrar becomes independent.

In 1567, it pushes back temporarily the Galla towards the Harrar, then overcomes first once the Turks in 1569. In 1571, it is made build close to the Lac Tanned the castle of Gouzara, reinforced with four round towers. More in north, in Aïba, in Ouoguéra, close to future the Gondar, it is made also build a palate and builds the church of Kidané-Mehret (Pact of the Mercy).

In 1578, it conducts a campaign striking down against the governor of the Tigré Yésahq, combined with the Turks. It emerges in Tembién and beats Turks and Tigréens with Addi-Qoro. Yésahq and the Pasha is killed. The fortress of Débaroa, held by the Turks, goes without resistance. Sarsa-Dengel can celebrate with Aksoum the ceremonies of crowning, that no king had been able to achieve since Zara Yacoub, and receives the name of Malak-Sagad ( the Kings have it Adoré ).

Malak-Sagad sets out again towards the Lac Tanned. It pushes back the Galla which arrived until Démbéya, then guerroie twice against the Falacha, which resist until the death top of their escarpments ( ambas ) of Sémién, from where they precipitate rather than to go. It goes towards the Sudan and overcomes nilotic tribes of Chanqalla, up to that point unsubmissive person. It confirms its authority on the prosperous kingdom of Enarya by establishing Christianity to with it. Their king Badanço is made baptize with all his people.

A Turkish force, helped by a tigréen chief, takes again Débaroa, but is dislodged. Malak-Sagad, to expel the Othoman definitively, besieges their last base, the port of Arkiko. He does not manage to take it, but the Pasha asks for peace and sends many present to him, among which a horse saddle and harnessed of gold (1589). Malak-Sagad will carry out then forwardings against the pagan Gambo or the Galla.

In 1597, Malak-Sagad left to shift in the Damot, falls ill to have eaten, according to the chronicle, fish of the Galila river, that the monks had however said to him to be harmful. He dies on his return, leaving a reunified and pacified kingdom.

His/her son Yaqob succeeds to him.

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