Iyasu V of Ethiopia
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Iyasu V (4 February 1887 - 25 November 1935) was the ruler of Ethiopia from 1913 to 1916, when he was deposed. He was never crowned emperor, and as a result is either referred to as "Lij Iyasu" or "Iyasu V". His name is sometimes also written as Eyasu.
Lij (meaning one born of royal blood) Iyasu was a grandson of Menelik II of Ethiopia and son of Menelik's daughter Shewaregga, a half-sister of Menelik's eldest daughter Zauditu, and was proclaimed heir apparent in 1909. Iyasu had his father Ras (Duke) Mikael crowned negus (King) of Wollo and Tigray in Dessie early in his reign. His younger sister Zenebework was married off at a young age to Ras Bezabih of Gojjam, but died in childbirth. Iyasu also had an elder half-sister, Woizero Sehin Mikael, whose daughter would eventually become Empress Menen Asfaw, wife of Emperor Haile Selassie I.
As ruler, Iyasu continued Menelik's program of modernization, including the establishment of the first police force in Addis Ababa, but he was accused of being a Muslim and while resident in the city of Harar was deposed 27 September 1916 in favor of his aunt Zauditu. His behavior had generally been lacking in dignity, and he offended many members of the old guard, particularly the powerful minister of war, Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis Denagde. He did not only offend the conservative elements of the nobility, but even the more modernist elements which should have been his support base.
He sent an army to attack Addis Ababa, which was met at Mieso and turned back. His father initially hesitated, then marched south from Dessie with 80,000 troops, and was defeated at the Battle of Segale on 27 October. Iyasu had reached Ankober the morning of the battle, and fled towards the Eritrean border, where he spent five years at large in the countryside before being taken into custody by Gugsa Araya on 11 January 1921. In 1931 he escaped from imprisonment at Fikke, but was recaptured shortly afterwards.
Iyasu was initially married to Romanework Mangasha, granddaughter of Emperor Yohannes IV, and niece of Menelik II's consort Empress Taitu. Following the dissolution of that marriage he married Seble Wongel Hailu, who was the granddaughter of King Tekle Haimanot of Gojjam. He additionally seems to have had at least thirteen secondary wives, and an uncertain number of natural children several of whom have been Iyasuist claimants to the Imperial throne. His only legitimate daughter was Imebet-hoi Alem Tsehai Iyasu, by his second wife Seble Wongel.
The Ethiopian historian Bahru Zewde describes Iyasu's reign as "the most enigmatic in Ethiopian history"; according to Paul B. Henze, during the reign of his cousin Haile Selassie, Iyasu was "practically an 'unperson'. If he was referred to at all, it was invariably in extremely negative terms." While admitting the lack of information about this man, Henze suggests that "the fairest conclusion that can be reached on the basis of present knowledge may be to credit him with good intentions but condemn him for intemperate, inept and in the end, disastrous performance."
When the forces of Fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935, the Italian airforce scattered fliers that asked the population to rebel against Haile Selassie and support the "true Emperor Iyasu V".
Iyasu's death was announced in March of 1936. The circumstances surrounding his death and his burial place have remained shrouded in mystery.
Bibliography
- Paul B. Henze. "The Rise of Haile Selassie: Time of Troubles, Regent, Emperor, Exile" in Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia. New York: Palgrave, 2000. ISBN 0-312-22719-1
| Preceded by: | Emperor of Ethiopia | Succeeded by: |
| Menelik II | Zauditu of Ethiopia |