Araya Selassie Yohannes

Ras Araya Selassie Yohannes (Tigrinya: አርአያ ስላሴ ዮሓንስ araya səllase yohannəs; "horse name" Abba Deblaq) (1869/70 – 10 June 1888) was a son of Emperor Yohannes IV from his wife Masitire Selassie, a daughter of a Muslim Afar chieftain whom he married after she was Christened.

[1] Araya was the first husband of Zewditu (later Empress), the daughter of atse Menelik II, having married her in January 1883.

Because of a revolt raised in Wollo due to the death of dejazmach Amda Sadiq, chief of Tekaledere, in a quarrel with Araya's followers, Yohannes IV decided to appoint ras Mikael Ali, the traditional claimant to the lordship of Wollo.

Araya died in his youth from smallpox, when the Emperor was returning from a campaign against the Italians at Seati (Battle of Dogali).

On 10 June 1888, while in Mek'ele gathering an army for his father, Araya Selassie Yohannes died of smallpox.

Araya Selassie Yohannes ( right ) with his father, Emperor Yohannes IV ( left ).