Welde Giyorgis Aboye (horse name Abba Säggäd;[3] 4 November 1851 – 1 March 1918) was one of the most prominent Ethiopian generals who spearheaded Emperor Menelik's southward expansion at the close of the 19th century.
His fame soared after leading the conquest on the Kingdom of Kaffa as a Ras, and was subsequently appointed as provincial governor of that fief by the Emperor.
A few months before his death, he was elevated to Negus, (lit: King) of Gondar by Empress Zewditu in 1917, as recognition for his role in deposing Lij Iyasu.
In 1886, he assisted Tessema Nadew in defeating the Gumma resistance, and was promoted in April that year to the rank of Dejazmach after establishing himself as a skilled soldier.
[3] In January 1897 Emperor Menelik II dispatched three armies (under Ras Welde Giyorgis's command) to areas of modern day southwest Ethiopia that wasn't under his rule at that time.
[5][11][3] Before formally assuming his new position as governor of Kaffa, Welde Giyorgis was ordered by Emperor Menelik to participate in a expanded expedition along the southern and south-western border areas to preempt British and French colonial ambitions in that direction.
Ras Welde Giyorgis was instructed to advance from Kaffa into the south annexing all lands that lay along the way to the 2nd north meridian and establish a foothold at Lake Turkana.
[13] In November 1903, an American mission led by Robert Peet Skinner successfully established formal trade ties with Abyssinia after audience with Emperor Menelik II.
[note 5] The Shewan faction running the daily governance was frustrated by the decisions of Empress Taytu, after she maneuvered her own candidates into positions of power.
Welde Giyorgis with an army of thirty thousand men under his command did not commit himself to the Empress or the Shewan establishment, rather he ignored to obey orders or to answer letters from the central government.
Menelik suffered two strokes prior, and having been disappointed with European medicine, the ailing Emperor put his faith to God.
On 5 May 1910 Welde Giyorgis a spectator to these events was promoted by a surprise decree to govern Begemder including Dembiya and Semien from the headquarters in Gondar in northern Ethiopia.
Lij Iyasu's government held an excessive and baseless fear that Ras Welde Giyorgis would rally dissident Tigrayans and forment a major rebellion.
An immense amount of resources had been assembled for a rebellion that didn't exist, and to protect the government from illusory and contrived nightmare of a revolt by Ras Welde Giorgis.
The title Negus of the North was dropped, nor was he designated as King of Begemder; an indication that Lij Iyasu's government still respected the political and military potency of Welde Giyorgis.
[17][19] On 27 September 1916 the Shewan establishment issued a proclamation that deposed Lij Iyasu for committing apostasy and treason, following his conversion to Islam.
[20][21][22] In March 1917, for his accomplishments and loyalty, he was crowned King of Gondar by Empress Zewditu of Ethiopia, the daughter of his late cousin, Emperor Menelik II.