Kingdom of Wolaita, also known as Wolaita Kingdom, was a kingdom dominated by Wolayta people in today's southern Ethiopia from 1251 until conquest of Ethiopian Empire in 1894. Marchuwa model

History

Wolaita tradition refounds the kingdom being well organized and ruled by strong kings since the 13th century. In this tradition, the kingdom ruled vast territories from modern Wolaita up to the central and northern areas of the country.

Kindo Didaye Kindo Didaye is one of the woredas in the South Ethiopia Regional State of Ethiopia. It is a Part of the Wolayita Zone. Kindo Didaye is bordered on the south by the Gamo Zone, on the west by the Dawro Zone, on the northeast by Kindo Koysha, and on ...

, one of the twelve

woredas Districts of Ethiopia, also called woredas ( am, ወረዳ; ''woreda''), are the third level of the administrative divisions of Ethiopia – after ''zones'' and the '' regional states''. These districts are further subdivided into a number of ...

Wolaita Zone Wolayita or Wolaita is an administrative Zones of Ethiopia, zone in Ethiopia. It is named for the Welayta people, whose homeland is in the zone. Wolayita is bordered on the south by Gamo Gofa Zone, Gamo Gofa, on the west by the Omo River (Ethio ...

, is the area of origin of the people and the Wolaita kingdom. Its territories diminished to the present area because of different factors among which the

Oromo expansion The Oromo expansions, also known as the Oromo migrations or the Oromo invasions (in older historiography, Galla invasions), were a series of expansions in the 16th and 17th centuries by the Oromo. Prior to their great expansion in the 16th centu ...

and challenges from rival people and states were the main ones.

Currency

In the early days of the trade, cotton thread known as shalwa was used as a currency before it was replaced by

iron currency Iron currency bars are regarded as being objects used by Iron Age people to exchange goods. Materials They were expensive objects, as it would take 25 man-days to produce 1 kilogram of a finished bar, consuming 100 kg of charcoal, usually ...

known as

marchuwa Marchuwa (Geʽez: ማርጯ, Wolaytta: Mariccuwaa) was a currency used by the Kingdom of Wolaita. Marchuwa was a bundle of thin metal strips one cubit long, used as trading currency. Marchuwa was equal to 18 Maria Theresa Thalers or 0.50 US doll ...

. Shalwa and marchuwa as a currency were used not only in Wolaita, but also among the societies that settled along this trade rout as well.

Conflicts

Kawo Tona Gaga Kawo Tona Gaga was the last and most powerful king of the Kingdom of Wolaita. Tona Gaga was the 17th Kawo, or king, of the Tigre dynasty, the last independent dynasty of the Wolayta people. Upon succeeding his grandfather in 1890 he quickly built ...

, the last king of the Wolaita kingdom, was believed to be one of its greatest warriors and most powerful kings. Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia initially ordered Ras Mengesha Atikem of Gojjam to campaign south in order to feed his men, which put the Wolaita Kingdom in his crosshairs. However, they had experience building fortifications due to conflict with the

Oromo people The Oromo (pron. Oromo language, Oromo: ''Oromoo'') are a Cushitic people, Cushitic ethnic group native to the Oromia region of Ethiopia and parts of Northern Kenya, who speak the Oromo language (also called ''Afaan Oromoo'' or ''Oromiffa''), ...

and repulsed the invasion. The new king Tona Gaga then set about raising an army personally loyal to him from "deposed castes and royal slaves." Menelik later marched south, calling on the king to pay tribute and spare his kingdom after reaching the border of Wolaita. Tona prepared his fortifications and refused negotiation. He also relied mistakenly upon understandings with the Oromo. Expertly dug defensive trenches and mounds crippled the initial assault, but encircling sweeps by Menelik's forces drove Tona Gaga onto the slopes of

Mount Damota Mount Damota or Mount Damot is the highest peak in Wolayita, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia with altitude of nearly above the sea level. Mt. Damota area is found in Wolaita Zone between Damot Gale, Boloso Sore ...

and he was soon caught between the Ethiopians and Oromo auxiliaries led by Ras Wolde Gyorgis, having been captured by a soldier of Negus Mikael.

Abba Jifar II ''Moti'' Abba Jifar II ( om, Mootii Abbaa Jifaar; 1861 – 1932) was King of the Gibe Kingdom of Jimma (r. 1878–1932). Reign Abba Jifar II was king of Jimma, and the son of Abba Gomol and Queen Gumiti. He had several wives: Queen Limmiti, ...

had sent the auxiliaries, betraying Tona Gaga.

Rulers

Wolaita had different dynasties, as well as different rulers. They ruled the kingdom using the title "Kawo."

References

{{Ethiopia topics , collapsed Former monarchies of Africa Wolayita History of Ethiopia States and territories established in the 1390s 14th-century establishments in Africa 1894 disestablishments in Africa

History

Currency

Conflicts

Rulers

See also

References