Battle of Debre Tabor

The Battle of Debre Tabor was a conflict during the ''Zemene Mesafint'' in 1842 initiated by ''Dejazmach'' Wube Haile Maryam to overthrow ''Ras'' Ali II as Regent of the Emperor of Ethiopia and gain control of Ethiopia. This confused battle was won by Ras Ali, but at a steep price, and this victory failed to cement his position as the most powerful nobleman of his time.

''Dejazmach'' Wube's strategy against Ras Ali depended on his ability to import more firearms, which would provide him with a tactical superiority that would more than outweigh the vaunted cavalry of ''Ras'' Ali's Oromo kinsmen, and to obtain an ''Abuna'' for the Ethiopian Church, who would help unite the demoralized Christian population behind him. Wube made several appeals to obtain firearms from European governments, but did not succeed in obtaining any until the middle of 1841 when Theophile Lefebvre returned from France with a small quantity of weapons and a number of artisans who immediately began to repair a cannon Wube had obtained from ''Ras'' Wolde Selassie and manufacture war materials. About the same time, he learned that a new Abuna was on his way to Ethiopia, Abuna Salama III, who arrived in Ethiopia in the last months of 1841. With this success, the Dejazmach lost all discretion and he treated the envoys of ''Ras'' Ali with contempt, and announced that he would defeat ''Ras'' Ali, who he claimed was still a Muslim at heart, and install Tekle Giyorgis, related to the Solomonic dynasty, on the Imperial throne in Gondar.

Once ''Abuna'' Salama arrived in Wube's camp the'' Dejazmach'' marched into Begemder, where with the help of Birru Goshu he captured Gondar, then the allies continued south against ''Ras'' Ali's army. The two forces met near Debre Tabor 7 February 1842; ''Ras'' Ali had summoned nearly 30,000 soldiers to support him, amongst whom were Wube's brother ''Dejazmach'' Merso and Ali's uncle ''Dejazmach'' Birru Aligaz. Mordechai Abir observes that this "was clearly a battle between the Christian Amhara and Tigrean elements and the Oromo, fighting desperately to preserve their predominant position in northern
Ethiopia."

Although the two forces were equal in numbers, ''Dejazmach'' Wube's superiority in firearms carried the day. ''Ras'' Ali escaped the battlefield with a number of his followers, and with possession of the battlefield the ''Dejazmach'' and his ally Birru Goshu settled down to a feast to celebrate their victory. At that moment they were surprised by a small detachment under ''Dejazmach'' Birru Aligaz, who captured ''Dejazmach'' Wube and chased Birru Goshu across the Abbay River into Gojjam. Released from his imprisonment, ''Ras'' Ali grudgingly rewarded his uncle with the governorship of Daunt, a district along the border of Amhara and Wello; ''Dejazmach'' Merso was given Wube's territories in Tigray.

Despite this victory, ''Ras'' Ali was in a worse position than before the battle. His enemies were still operating in Gojjam, Damot, Dembiya, and Lasta; the clergy was still hostile to him, and his own Christian subjects in Begemder and Amhara were even more disaffected. To secure the Abuna's help, he was forced to free ''Dejazmach'' Wube and go to war against his ally ''Dejazmach'' Merso to help Wube recover his territories. His Moslem allies in Welo, alarmed at the Christian Birru Aligaz being invested on their borders, likewise grew disaffected. ''Ras'' Ali was forced to seek help elsewhere, and sought it from the Egyptians, who at the moment were consolidating their hold on Sudan. Although in the short term a beneficial move, this only served to further erode his local support, leading to a vicious cycle leading to ''Ras'' Ali's eventual defeat by a competent rival—the future Emperor Tewodros II.This narrative is based on the account of Abir, pp. 111ff.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Debre Tabor
Battles involving Ethiopia
Battles of the Zemene Mesafint
1842 in Ethiopia
Conflicts in 1842
February 1842 events