List of rulers of Shewa

Location of Shewa province (red) within the Ethiopian Empire.

This article lists the rulers of Shewa, a historical region of Ethiopia.

c. 960–1270

According to tradition, the Solomonic dynasty (1270–1974) was descended from king Solomon and queen Makeda via the kings of Axum. After Axum was destroyed by Gudit in the 10th century, the royal family fled to Shewa and reigned there for 330 years before the accession of Yekuno Amlak.<ref name="Salt-472">Template:Cite book</ref> A line of kings ruled at Shewa during the time of the Zagwe dynasty and claimed descent from Dil Na'od, the last king of Axum.<ref name="Budge-218">Template:Cite book</ref> The 1922 regnal list of Ethiopia includes eight unnumbered kings described as "8 generations of an Israelitish dynasty" who "did not mount the throne".<ref name="Rey-271">Template:Cite book</ref>

Portrait	Ruler<ref name="Rey-271" />	Reign	Notes
	Mahbara Wedem	c. 960
	Agbea Tseyon
	Tsenfa Arad
	Nagash Zare
	Asfeh
	Yakob
	Bahr Asagad
	Asgud		Additional name found on one regnal list quoted by Egyptologist Henry Salt.<ref name="Salt-473">Template:Cite book</ref>
	Edem Asagad	c. 1210–1255<ref name="Truhart-103">Template:Cite book</ref>
	Yekuno Amlak	c. 1255–1270	Defeated the last Zagwe king and became Emperor of Ethiopia (r. 1270–1285).

1682–1889

Claiming Solomonic descent, Nagasi Krestos established Shewa as an autonomous region of the weakening Ethiopian Empire in the 17th century before requesting the title of Meridazmatch, which would be adopted by his successors, and beginning a southern expansion of his realm that would culminate in the conquests of his descendant Menelik II.

Portrait	Ruler	Reign	Notes
	Nagasi Krestos	Template:Circa 1682 – Template:Circa 1703	Abeto
	Sebestyanos	Template:Circa 1703 – Template:Circa 1718	Merid Azmach
	Kidane Kale (Abuye)	Template:Circa 1718 – Template:Circa 1744	Merid Azmach
	Amha Iyasus (Amhayes)	Template:Circa 1744 – Template:Circa 1775	Merid Azmach
	Asfaw Wossen	Template:Circa 1775 – Template:Circa 1808	Merid Azmach
	Wossen Seged	Template:Circa 1808 – June 1813	Merid Azmach and Ras
	Sahle Selassie	12 June 1813 – 22 October 1847	Merid Azmach, after 1839 Negus
	Haile Melekot	22 October 1847 – 9 November 1855	Negus
	Sahle Mariam	9 November 1855 – 1856	First reign as Negus
	Haile Mikael	1856 to 1859	Son of Sahle Selassie, appointed Meridazmach by Emperor Tewodros II
	Bezabeh	1859	First reign, appointed by Emperor Tewodros II
	Seyfe	1859 – 1860	Son of Sahle Selassie, self-appointed Merid Azmach against Emperor Tewodros II
	Bezabeh	1860 – 1865	Second reign, restored by Emperor Tewodros II
	Sahle Mariam	August 1865 – 10 March 1889	Second reign as Negus, became Emperor Menelik II

See also

• Zemene Mesafint

External links

• World Statesmen – Ethiopia (Shewa/Shoa)
• Rulers.org – Ethiopia (Shewa)