Yekouno Amlak

Yekouno Amlak King or Négus of Ethiopia (1270 - 1285)

In 1270, the capacity in Ethiopia passes from the Zagues to the Salomonides. A prince Amhara, Yékouno-Amlak, originating in area of Borou-Miéda, close to the lake Haïk, causes a rebellion of the Choa. The king Zagoué is pursued and killed in the Gaïnt. Part of the population of the Lasta flees in North where it forms separate groups still today. New prince Zagoué raises then the populations of the Chimézana against Yékouno-Amlak, assisted monks of the Debra-Libanos of Ham. But it is overcome, the convent is taken and the monastery of Debra-Damo takes again the top.

Later legends emphasize the role of the saint Yasous-Moa, monk of Debra-Damo, which would have establishes a community close to the Debra-Eziabehèr of the lake Haïk and guided the ambition of Yékouno-Amlak, going down from the legitimate dynasty. Other account put in scene Taklat-Haïmanot, monk of Debra-Libanos of the Choa, friend of Yasous-Moa, which would have made accept with the king of Lasta Naakouéto-la-Ab a pact yielding the kingdom to Yékouno-Amlak. the EC-last would have agreed to yield a third of the kingdom to the monastery of the Debra-Libanos, and the right would have recognized to him to indicate the Etchégué, superior of the monastic communities of all Ethiopia, consequently confirming the prerogatives of the Church Copte of Alexandria on the nomination of the métropolite and the nomination of the Ethiopian bishops.

These late accounts attest that the descendants of the king of Lasta would have preserved the prerogatives on their province, which will be confirmed in 1779 by the traveller Bruce, which will bring back an incident caused by the murder of a downward kinglet of Lalibela.

Yékouno-Amlak makes recognize its authority on the provinces close to the Amhara where it installed its new capital Tégoulet.

In 1274, it requires via the sovereign of the Yemen a new bishop of the sultan of the Cairo, but this last refuses to give him satisfaction, because the Ethiopian sovereign makes the war with the Moslem princes establishes in the east of his kingdom, in particular the sultan of Ifat, which threatens the province of Choa.

His/her son Yagbéa-Syon succeeds to him (1285 - 1294).

With Salomonides one fast period of growth opens during two centuries during which, under warlike sovereigns and well-read men, the territorial unit of Ethiopia continues, its civil and religious institutions codify themselves, arts and the literature are renewed.

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