20 Facts About Sabagadis Woldu

Sabagadis Woldu was a governor of Tigray Province of the Ethiopian Empire from 1822 to 1831.

Sabagadis Woldu's rule extended to the Eritrean highlands.

Shum Agame Sabagadis Woldu's legacy was the ascendany of Saho speaking local Irob rulers over Tigrinya speaking Agame in the 18th century.

Sabagadis Woldu remained a dissident contender for most of the 1800s and 1810s.

Sabagadis Woldu consolidated his power in Agame by foiling a series of punitive expeditions by Ras Wolde Selassie.

In 1811, Sabagadis Woldu even rallied several Tigrinya-speaking vassals of Adwa, Shire and Hamasien against the ras.

Sabagadis Woldu fought a series of devastating wars with regional contenders and finally acquired the Tigrayan overlordship in 1822.

Sabagadis Woldu governed Tigray for a decade by appointed loyalist chiefs and members of his family.

Sabagadis Woldu masterminded strong political and military alliances with some prominent regional chiefs in northern Ethiopia, especially Dejazmatch Wube Hailemariam of Semien, Wag Shum Kanfu of Lasta and Dejazmatch Goshu Zewde of Gojjam against the Yejju ruler in Gondar, Ras Maruye Gugsa.

Sabagadis Woldu presented himself as a protector of Christianity, accusing the Yejju lords of being Muslim agents.

Sabagadis Woldu aspired to become the Ras Bitwoded and protector of the weak kings in Gondar.

Sabagadis Woldu maintained constant communication with the most important Christian lords in Ethiopia.

Sabagadis Woldu was overtaken by a fresh outbreak of extensive fighting engulfing the whole of northern Ethiopia.

In 1830, Sabagadis Woldu ravaged Semien, having defeated and even chased Wube out of his fortress called "Amba Tazzan" and "Amba Hay".

Sabagadis Woldu then retired to Agame in Tigray after appointing Wube's rival and half-brother, Dejazmatch Merso Hailemariam, as his representative to Semien.

Three Tigrayan vassals of Sabagadis Woldu, including his own sons-in-law Dejazmatch Sahlu of Haramat, Dejazmatch Gebre Mikael of Dera, and Wedaj of Shire were said to have defected.

Sabagadis Woldu's remains reportedly were later interred at the monastery of Gunda Gunde.

Sabagadis Woldu established new churches such as Atsbi Selassie in Atsbi and Enda Medhanie Alem in Adwa and was closely connected to the monastery of Gunda Gunde, who patron he was.

Sabagadis Woldu's descendants ruled over Agame until the 1974 Revolution.

Sabagadis Woldu' sons were Wolde Mikael, Hagos, Kahsay, Sebhat and Shum Agame Aragawi.