Battle of Segale The Battle of Segale , fought on 27 October 1916 , defeated the supporters of Emperor Iyasu V of Ethiopia and secured the effects of the palace coup that led to Zawditu being proclaimed Empress . Henze states that " Segale was Ethiopia ' s greatest battle since Adwa . " Background . The nobility of Ethiopia had grown uneasy with the rule of Emperor Iyasu V . At last , when Iyasu failed to observe the important religious holiday of Meskel in the capital Addis Ababa , instead he remained in the predominantly Moslem city of Harar , they decided to strike . A number of nobles met 17 days later on 27 September , and convinced Abuna Mattewos to excommunicate Iyasu on the accusation that he converted to Islam , then announced on the steps of the Palace that Iyasu had been deposed in favor of Empress Zawditu . The plotters had sent orders to Harar that Iyasu would be arrested , which went astray . Sources dispute exactly what Lij Iyasu ' s did next . Bahru Zewde states that Iyasu started to march on Addis Ababa , but his advance was blocked at Mieso by 15 , 000 soldiers and he fled into the Afar desert . Harold Marcus , drawing on the reports filed by the European diplomats , states that instead Lij Iyasu had sent one force towards the capital under Dejazmach Gebre , and another , raised from loyal Afars and Somalis , to secure Dire Dawa ; the Dejazmach went over to the opposing army and the Afars and Somalis deserted before reaching the city , and Iyasu fled with his bodyguard to Jijiga . Aleqa Gebre Igziabiher Elyas ' s narrative supports Marcus in that Iyasu fled to the desert where his Afar supporters helped him . In either case , Harar failed him as a base of support and he took refuge in the desert . The Engagement . His father and most important supporter , Negus Mikael of Wollo , was slow to march south upon the capital and restore Iyasu to the throne , not moving until the middle of October . Yet , when he did , the Negus crushed the troops sent against him . On 18 October , Negus Mikael ' s troops defeated an advance force of 11 , 000 men in Menz and killed their leader , Ras Lul Seged . Under the command of the regent Ras Tafari ( the future Emperor Haile Selassie ) and Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis , a force estimated to number between 25 , 000 and 35 , 000 marched north to do battle and the two armies came to face each other at Segale on the 22nd . Afterwards , the then Ras Tafari stated that because " bloodshed among Ethiopians themselves is extremely saddening , I arranged that monks from the monasteries of Debre Libanos and Zequala . . . [ should ] come with their crosses to request Negus Mikael to go back to Wollo without making war . " Negus Mikael is said to have simply arrested these emissaries , ignoring their message . Negus Mikael opened the battle early in the morning , but his artillery was put out of commission by his opponent and his machine - gun ners ran out of ammunition . Aleqa Gebre - Igziabiher Elyas , drawing from eyewitness accounts , describes the battle opening with a charge of Negus Mikael ' s infantry and cavalry . However , the Shewan troops had been trained to fire their rifles in rows and from the prone position , allowing them to fire in quick succession " and felled [ them ] like leaves . " Then the Shewans attacked , " and they pursued the army of Wello and took captives . And particularly the Shewan cavalry went from valley to valley " and overran Negus Mikael ' s camp . " At 3 : 25 pm , one of the Shewan officers telephoned to the capital that they had won the battle . " The dead are very numerous on both sides . " Aleqa Gebre - Igziabiher Elyas explains one cause for this bloodshed was that the two sides did not differ in dress or insignia , and could only distinguish each other by their passwords , which were not always well known to the soldiers . Bahru Zewde succinctly comments : " The Wallo forces were defeated . " Negus " Mikael was captured . The coup [ of 27 September ] was now sanctioned by blood . " Afterwards . Negus Mikael defended himself in his corral until his defeat was undeniable , when he surrendered . Amnesty was offered to the soldiers from the losing side , provided that they swear loyalty to the new Empress . However , two of Negus Mikael ' s chief lieutenants escaped the battle unvanquished : Ras Yimer , who managed to rally some of the defeated army and lead them to Dessie ; and Fitawrari Sirah Bizu , who discarded his weapons and battle - dress and slipped from the battlefield in the garb of a sick priest with a single servant , and met up with Ras Yimer in Dessie . Dejazmach Gebre Igziabiher who had been a lukewarm supporter of Negus Mikael sat out the battle , but when the Negus surrendered and he attempted to flee back to Welo , the peasants of Aliyu Amba ambushed and killed him . As for the deposed Lij Iyasu , he had just reached Ankober by the time the battle ended ; he led his small army of 6 , 000 into the desert back to Dessie , arriving there 8 November and joining with Ras Yimer and Fitawrari Sirah Bizu . When the Imperial army reached that town 10 December , he fled further north to the old stronghold of Amba Mariam , further away from the center of power . " Iyasu could not even slow down the consolidation of the new government , " notes Harold Marcus .