Yekuno Amlak (d. 1285) was the historical founder of Ethiopia's Solomonic dynasty, seizing the throne in 1270 after overthrowing the ruling Zagwe dynasty. He claimed direct descent from the ancient royal line of Aksum and, through it, from the biblical King Solomon, a claimed lineage later elaborated in the Kebra Nagast and used to legitimize Solomonic rule in Ethiopia for nearly seven centuries afterward, until the deposition of Haile Selassie in 1974. Unlike the earlier legendary Menelik I, Yekuno Amlak is a documented historical ruler whose seizure of power marks a real and datable political turning point in medieval Ethiopian history.
Facts
RoleEmperor of Ethiopia from 1270 to 1285 and founder of the Solomonic dynasty, which he established after defeating the last Zagwe king. 1 BirthplaceBete Amhara region (parts of present-day Wollo and northern Shewa), Ethiopia; regional origin, not a specific birth town 1 Role
Role (category) Connections
In Era
Source Wikipedia: Yekuno Amlak
In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Africa, originated there.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Yekuno Amlak
Wikipedialead section
He was a ruler from Bete Amhara (in parts of modern-day Wollo and northern Shewa) who became the Emperor of Ethiopia following the defeat of the last Zagwe king.
Yekuno Amlak: Gender
He claimed direct descent from the ancient royal line of Aksum and, through it, from the biblical King Solomon, a claimed lineage later elaborated in the Kebra Nagast and used to legitimize Solomonic rule in Ethiopia for nearly seven centuries afterward, until the deposition of Haile Selassie in 1974.
In Era: The Post-Classical and Medieval Period, lead paragraph, lifespan
Infobox: born 1250s; died 19 June 1285
View the Source Wikidata: Yekuno Amlak
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