When Johann Ludwig Krapf camped at its foot on 26 March 1842, it was one of the strongholds of Imam Liban of the Were Himano, a "House" or a sub-group of the Wollo Oromo.

Again in January 1864, he imprisoned the British diplomat, Charles Duncan Cameron inside the fortress over a perceived insult from Queen Victoria.

Abandoned by the nobility and his followers, and after his remaining troops engaged the British forces at the Battle of Magdala, Tewodros withdrew into the fortress on Amba Mariam and killed himself with a pistol a few days later as the final assault began.

[5] A few items have been returned to Ethiopia, the most important being the crown of Tewodros II, which George V personally presented to the future Emperor Haile Selassie on his visit to England in 1925.

The abandoned fortress was occupied briefly by Lij Iyasu after the defeat of his supporters in the Battle of Segale; troops of the victors subjected him and his followers to an unenthusiastic siege.