Wagshum Gobeze rose from the governorship of Wag province in 1862 to command an army estimated at 60,000 soldiers by British General Napier. Following the death of Emperor Tewodros II, he was proclaimed Emperor Tekle Giyorgis II in August 1868 at Soqota, later receiving his formal coronation at Debre Zebit to secure his imperial authority.
Ascension and Legitimacy
The new emperor sought to ground his rule in historical tradition. By adopting the regnal name Tekle Giyorgis, he consciously mirrored the 18th-century Gondar dynasty rulers. His claim rested on a dual heritage: his father, Wagshum Gebre Medhin, provided ties to the Zagwe throne, while his mother, Princess Ayichesh Tedla, connected him to Emperor Iyasu I. To solidify his standing with the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, he restored Gondar church lands and commemorated Abuna Salama.
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Tekle Giyorgis attempted to stabilize his empire through strategic marriages and appointments. He married Dinquinesh Mercha, sister of his rival Dejazmach Kassai, and installed his favored princeling, Ras Adal, in Gojjam. He also attempted to facilitate international recognition, reaching out to Napoleon III in 1870 via a Catholic missionary to negotiate the presence of French merchants and a consul in Ethiopia.
Defeat at Adwa
Regional rivalries prevented the consolidation of his power. In June 1871, he led his forces across the Takazze River to confront Kassai. After an inconclusive initial engagement at Maikol'u, the armies met again at Adwa on 11 July. During a cavalry charge, the emperor was wounded and captured alongside his generals. His rival subsequently proclaimed himself Emperor Yohannes IV, while the defeated monarch was imprisoned at the Abba Garima Monastery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1836
- Died: 1873
- Imperial Reign: 1868–1871
- Place of Death: Abba Garima Monastery
- Religion: Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
- Regnal Name: Tekle Giyorgis II
- Birth Name: Wagshum Gobeze
Questions readers ask
How did Tekle Giyorgis II justify his rule?
He claimed legitimacy through his descent from the Gondar branch of the Solomonic dynasty via his mother and the ancient Zagwe line via his father.
Why was he deposed?
He was defeated and captured in battle by his rival Dejazmach Kassai at Adwa in 1871, leading to his imprisonment.
