List of Emperors of Ethiopia

Imperial Coat of Arms of Ethiopia

The following is a list of Emperors of Ethiopia, from the founding of the Zagwe dynasty in the 9th/10th century until 1974, when the last Emperor from the Solomonic dynasty was deposed.

Kings of Aksum and Dʿmt are listed separately due to numerous gaps and large flexibility in chronology.

Emperors of Ethiopia

Names in italics indicate rulers who were usurpers or not widely recognized.

Ethiopian Empire

Zagwe dynasty

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Mara Takla Haymanot					Zagwe
Tatadim				Son of Mara Takla Haymanot	Zagwe
Jan Seyum				Son of Mara Takla Haymanot	Zagwe
Germa Seyum				Son of Mara Takla Haymanot	Zagwe
Yemrehana Krestos				Son of Germa Seyum	Zagwe
Kedus Harbe				Son of Jan Seyum	Zagwe
Gebre Mesqel Lalibela		1189	1229	Son of Jan Seyum	Zagwe
Na'akueto La'ab				Son of Kedus Harbe	Zagwe
Yetbarak				Son of Gebre Mesqel Lalibela	Zagwe
Mairari					Zagwe
Harbai					Zagwe

Solomonic dynasty

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Yekuno Amlak ይኵኖ አምላክ	Died 19 June 1285	10 August 1270	19 June 1285		Solomonic
Yagbe'u Seyon ይግባ ጽዮን	Died 1294	19 June 1285	1294	Son of Yekuno Amlak	Solomonic
Senfa Ared IV ሰይፈ አርድ ፬ኛ		1294	1295	Son of Yagbe'u Seyon	Solomonic
Hezba Asgad ህዝብ አስገድ		1295	1296	Son of Yagbe'u Seyon	Solomonic
Qedma Asgad ቅድመ አስግድ		1296	1297	Son of Yagbe'u Seyon	Solomonic
Jin Asgad ጅን አሰገድ		1297	1298	Son of Yagbe'u Seyon	Solomonic
Saba Asgad ሳባ አሰገድ		1298	1299	Son of Yagbe'u Seyon	Solomonic
Wedem Arad ወደም አራድ	Died 1314	1299	1314	Brother of Yagbe'u Seyon	Solomonic
Amda Seyon I ዐምደ ፡ ጽዮን	Died 1344	1314	1344	Son of Wedem Arad	Solomonic
Newaya Krestos ንዋየ ክርስቶስ	Died 1372	1344	1372	Son of Amda Seyon I	Solomonic
Newaya Maryam ንዋየ ማርያም	Died 1382	1372	1382	Son of Newaya Krestos	Solomonic
Dawit I ዳዊት	Died 6 October 1413	1382	6 October 1413	Son of Newaya Krestos	Solomonic
Tewodros I ቴዎድሮስ	Died 1414	1413	1414	Son of Dawit I	Solomonic
Yeshaq I ይሥሓቅ	Died 1429	1414	1429	Son of Dawit I	Solomonic
Andreyas አንድሬያስ	Died 1430	1429	1430	Son of Yeshaq I	Solomonic
Takla Maryam ተክለ ማርያም	Died 1433	1430	1433	Son of Yeshaq I	Solomonic
Sarwe Iyasus ሣርወ ኢየሱስ	Died 1433	1433	1433	Son of Takla Maryam	Solomonic
Amda Iyasus ዓምደ ኢየሱስ	Died 1434	1433	1434	Son of Takla Maryam	Solomonic
Zara Yaqob ዘርአ ያዕቆብ	1399 – 26 August 1468 (aged 69)	19/20 June 1434	26 August 1468	Son of Dawit I	Solomonic
Baeda Maryam I በእደ ማርያም	1448 – 8 November 1478 (aged 30)	26 August 1468	8 November 1478	Son of Zara Yaqob	Solomonic
Eskender እስክንድር	15 July 1471 – 7 May 1494 (aged 22)	1478	7 May 1494	Son of Baeda Maryam I	Solomonic
Amda Seyon II ዓምደ ፡ ጽዮን	c. 1487 – 26 October 1494 (aged c. 7)	1494	26 October 1494	Son of Eskender	Solomonic
Na'od ናዖስ	Died 31 July 1508	1494	31 July 1508	Son of Baeda Maryam I	Solomonic
Dawit II ዳዊት	1501 – 2 September 1540 (aged 39)	1508	2 September 1540	Son of Na'od	Solomonic
Gelawdewos ገላውዴዎስ	1521/1522 – 23 March 1559 (aged 38–37)	3 September 1540	23 March 1559	Son of Dawit II	Solomonic
Menas ሜናስ	Died 1 February 1563	1559	1 February 1563	Son of Dawit II	Solomonic
Sarsa Dengel ሠረጸ ድንግል	1550 – 4 October 1597 (aged 47)	1563	4 October 1597	Son of Menas	Solomonic
Yaqob ያዕቆብ	c. 1590 – 10 March 1606	1597 1604	1603 10 March 1606	Son of Sarsa Dengel	Solomonic
Za Dengel ዘድንግል	Died 24 October 1604	1603	24 October 1604	Nephew of Sarsa Dengel	Solomonic

Gondarine line

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Susenyos I ሱስንዮስ	1572 – 17 September 1632 (aged 60)	1606	17 September 1632	Grandson of Dawit II	Solomonic
Fasilides ፋሲልደስ	1603 – 18 October 1667 (aged 64)	1632	18 October 1667	Son of Susenyos I	Solomonic
Yohannes I ዮሐንስ	c. 1640 – 19 July 1682 (aged c. 42)	1667	19 July 1682	Son of Fasilides	Solomonic
Iyasu I Iyasu the Great ኢያሱ	1654 – 13 October 1706 (aged 52)	19 July 1682	13 October 1706	Son of Yohannes I	Solomonic
Yeshaq Iyasu	Died 1685	1685	1685	Claimed to be grandson of Susenyos I	Solomonic
Tekle Haymanot I Tekle Haymanot the Cursed ተክለ ሃይማኖት	28 March 1684 – 30 June 1708 (aged 24)	27 March 1706	30 June 1708	Son of Iyasu I	Solomonic
Amda Seyon	Died September 1707	September 1707	September 1707		Non-Dynastic
Tewoflos ቴዎፍሎስ	Died 14 October 1711	1 July 1708	14 October 1711	Son of Fasilides	Solomonic
Nebahne Yohannes		1709	July 1710		Non-Dynastic
Yostos ዮስቶስ	Died 1716	14 October 1711	19 February 1716	Grandson of Iyasu I	Solomonic
Dawit III Dawit the Singer ዳዊት	1695 – 18 May 1721 (aged 26)	8 February 1716	18 May 1721	Son of Iyasu I	Solomonic
Bakaffa በካፋ	Died 19 September 1730	18 May 1721	19 September 1730	Son of Iyasu I	Solomonic
Iyasu II ኢያሱ	21 October 1723 – 27 June 1755 (aged 31)	19 September 1730	27 June 1755	Son of Bakaffa	Solomonic
Hezqeyas		1736	1737		Solomonic
Iyoas I ኢዮአስ	c. 1740 – 14 May 1769 (aged c. 29)	27 June 1755	7 May 1769	Son of Iyasu II	Solomonic

Zemene Mesafint (Age of the Princes)

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Yohannes II ዮሓንስ	1699 – 18 October 1769 (aged 70)	7 May 1769	18 October 1769	Son of Iyasu I	Solomonic
Tekle Haymanot II ተክለ ሃይማኖት	1754 – 7 September 1777 (aged 23)	18 October 1769 December 1770	August 1770 13 April 1777	Son of Yohannes II	Solomonic
Susenyos II ሱስንዮስ	Died c. 1771	August 1770	December 1770	Possibly the illegitimate son of Iyasu II	Solomonic
Salomon II ሣሎሞን	Died 1782	13 April 1777	20 July 1779	Son of Abeto Adigo	Solomonic
Tekle Giyorgis I ተክለ ጊዮርጊስ	c. 1751 – 12 December 1817 (aged c. 66)	20 July 1779 24 April 1788 January 1794 December 1795 4 January 1798 24 March 1800	8 February 1784 26 July 1789 15 April 1795 20 May 1796 20 May 1799 June 1800	Son of Yohannes II	Solomonic
Iyasu III	Died by 1810	16 February 1784	24 April 1788	Grandson of Iyasu II	Solomonic
Iyasu	Died May 1813	1787	1788	In opposition to Iyasu III	Non-Dynastic
Baeda Maryam		1787	1788	In opposition to Iyasu III	Non-Dynastic
Tekle Haymanot	Died before 1810	February 1788	1789	In opposition to Iyasu III	Non-Dynastic
Hezqeyas	Died 13 September 1813	26 July 1789	January 1794	Son of Iyasu III	Solomonic
Baeda Maryam II	1749 – 1833 (aged 84)	15 April 1795	December 1795	Possibly son of Salomon II	Solomonic
Salomon III		20 May 1796 20 May 1799	15 July 1797 15 July 1799	Son of Tekle Haymanot II	Solomonic
Yonas	Died May 1813	18 August 1797	4 January 1798	Grandson of Fasilides	Solomonic
Demetros	Died 1802	25 July 1799 June 1800	24 March 1800 June 1801	Son of Arqedewos	Non-Dynastic
Egwale Seyon እጓለ ጽዮን	Died 12 June 1818	June 1801	12 June 1818	Son of Hezqeyas	Solomonic
Iyoas II ኢዮአስ	Died 3 June 1821	14 June 1818	3 June 1821	Son of Hezqeyas	Solomonic
Gigar ጊጋር	c. 1745 – 26 November 1832 (aged c. 87)	3 June 1821 April 1826	April 1826 18 June 1830	Possibly son of Iyasu II	Possibly Solomonic
Baeda Maryam III		April 1826	April 1826		Non-Dynastic
Iyasu IV ኢያሱ		18 June 1830	18 March 1832	Son of Salomon III	Solomonic
Gebre Krestos ገብረ ክሪስቶስ		18 March 1832 1832	1832 8 June 1832	Allegedly a descendant of Fasilides	Solomonic
Sahle Dengel	1778 – 11 February 1855 (aged 77)	1832 October 1832 October 1841 1845 1851	1832 29 August 1840 1845 1850 11 February 1855	Brother of Gebre Krestos	Solomonic
Egwale Anbesa		1832	1832		Non-Dynastic
Yohannes III	c. 1797 – c. 1873 (aged c. 76)	30 August 1840 1845 1850	October 1841 1845 1851	Son of Tekle Giyorgis I	Solomonic

Tewodros dynasty

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Tewodros II ቴዎድሮስ	c. 1818 – 13 April 1855 (aged c. 47)	11 February 1855	13 April 1868	Son of Haile Giorgis Wolde Giorgis	Claimed the Solomonic lineage later in his reign

Zagwe dynasty

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Tekle Giyorgis II ተክለ ጊዮርጊስ	Died 1873	11 June 1868	11 July 1871	Son of Wagshum Gebre Medhin	Claimed the Zagwe lineage through his father[1]

Solomonic dynasty

Tigrean line

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Yohannes IV ዮሓንስ	11 July 1837 – 10 March 1889 (aged 51)	11 July 1871	10 March 1889	Son of Dejazmatch Mercha	Solomonic

Shewan line

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Menelik II[2] ዳግማዊ ምኒልክ	17 August 1844 – 12 December 1913 (aged 69)	10 March 1889	12 December 1913	Son of Negus Haile Melekot	Solomonic
Iyasu V[3] Lij Iyasu ኢያሱ፭ኛ	4 February 1895 – 25 November 1935 (aged 40)	12 December 1913	27 September 1916	Grandson of Menelik II	Solomonic
Zewditu I[4] ዘውዲቱ	29 April 1876 – 2 April 1930 (aged 53)	27 September 1916	2 April 1930	Daughter of Menelik II	Solomonic
Haile Selassie I (1st reign)[5] ቀዳማዊ ኃይለ ሥላሴ	23 July 1892 – 27 August 1975 (aged 83)	2 April 1930	2 May 1936	Son of Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael	Solomonic

Italian East Africa

House of Savoy

Emperor of Ethiopia:

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Victor Emmanuel III[6] Vittorio Emanuele III	11 November 1869 – 28 December 1947 (aged 78)	9 May 1936	5 May 1941	Son of Umberto I	Savoy

Governors-General of Italian East Africa:

• Pietro Badoglio, 1st Duke of Addis Abeba, 1st Marquess of Sabotino: 9 May 1936 – 11 June 1936
• Rodolfo Graziani, 1st Marquis of Neghelli: 11 June 1936 – 21 December 1937
• Prince Amedeo, 3rd Duke of Aosta: 21 December 1937 – 19 May 1941
• Pietro Gazzera (acting): 23 May 1941 – 6 July 1941
• Guglielmo Nasi (acting): 6 July 1941 – 27 November 1941

Restored Ethiopian Empire

Solomonic dynasty

Shewan line

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Haile Selassie I (2nd reign)[7] ቀዳማዊ ኃይለ ሥላሴ	23 July 1892 – 27 August 1975 (aged 83)	5 May 1941	12 September 1974	Son of Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael	Solomonic
Amha Selassie I[8][9]	27 July 1916 – 17 February 1997 (aged 80)	12 September 1974	21 March 1975	Son of Haile Selassie I	Solomonic

Imperial Standard

• 
  Imperial Standard (obverse).
• 
  Imperial Standard (reverse).

See also

• Emperor of Ethiopia
  • Emperors family tree
• President of Ethiopia
  • List of Presidents of Ethiopia
• Prime Minister of Ethiopia
  • List of heads of government of Ethiopia
• Zera Yacob Amha Selassie
• Girma Yohannis Iyasu
• Crown Council of Ethiopia

Notes

1. Also claimed the Solomonic lineage through his mother.
2. Previously King of Shewa from 1855 to 1856, and from 1865 to 1889. Ruled under the regency of Ras Betwoded Tessema Nadew from 1909 to 1911 and Lij Iyasu from 1911 to 1913.
3. Never officially crowned as Emperor. Deposed by nobility with the sanction of the Church.
4. Ruled under the regency of Ras Tafari Makonnen (future Emperor Haile Selassie I).
5. De facto ruler of the country as regent from 1916 to 1930. Crowned as King in 1928.
6. Unrecognized only by the United States and Soviet Union in 1940. Renounced title in 1943.
7. Briefly deposed during the 1960 coup attempt.
8. Proclaimed Emperor by the Imperial Guards during the 1960 coup attempt.
9. Designated "King" (not Emperor) by the Derg while out of the country, did not take throne.

References

• Rasta Ites - List of Ethiopian Kings
• Friesian - Emperors of Ethiopia
• RoyalArk - Ethiopia (various pages)
• WorldStatesmen - Ethiopia
• Crown Council of Ethiopia