Gebre Krestos ( gez, ገብረ ክሪስቶስ) was
Emperor of Ethiopia
The emperor of Ethiopia ( gez, ንጉሠ ነገሥት, nəgusä nägäst, "King of Kings"), also known as the Atse ( am, ዐፄ, "emperor"), was the hereditary monarchy, hereditary ruler of the Ethiopian Empire, from at least the 13th century ...
from 24 March 1832 to his death on 8 June 1832. He was the son of
Gebre Mesay, allegedly a descendant of a younger son of Emperor
Fasilides.
Reign
He was a figurehead, set on the throne by the ''Enderase'' or Regent,
Ras Ali II an
Oromo princeling of the district of
Yejju; but shortly afterwards Ali II deposed Gebre Krestos in favor of his brother
Sahle Dengel. The clergy of
Azazo disapproved of Sahle Dengel for his religious beliefs, and they convinced Ras Ali to recall Gebre Krestos from exile on
Mitraha, an island in
Lake Tana
Lake Tana ( am, ጣና ሐይቅ, T’ana ḥāyik’i; previously Tsana) is the largest lake in Ethiopia and the source of the Blue Nile. Located in Amhara Region in the north-western Ethiopian Highlands, the lake is approximately long and wid ...
, and restore him as Emperor. Gebre Krestos then reigned three months until his death; he was buried at the convent of Tekle Haymanot in
Adababay. E.A. Wallis Budge reports that some authorities believe he was poisoned.
After an interregnum of a few months, the throne was once again held by his brother Sahle Dengel.
Bibliography
1832 deaths
19th-century emperors of Ethiopia
19th-century monarchs in Africa
Rulers of Ethiopia
Solomonic dynasty
Year of birth missing
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