Negus II

Negus II was the first modern Emperor of Lijochia and a spiritual leader in Lemilaki Maderi. He founded the House of Tesfai and is venerated as a leader who brought the Lijoch people back to God according to oral tradition.
==Lijoch Empire==
In late 997, Lalikulite leader Negus II completed his conquest of the country's surrounding territories and established himsefl as "King of Kings" (Lijoch: የነገሥታት ንጉሥ, Yenegešitati Niguši). Claiming to be a direct decedent of spiritual and historic Lijoch leader Tesfai, Negus was influential in the formation of both the Lijoch identity and the Empire. While Negus is often revered in Lijoch history as a military tactician and a liberator of the Lijoch people, much of his success has been exaggerated or is somewhat revisionist. For example, many people who lived in the territory he conquered did not consider themselves Lijoch and the identity did not properly emerge for several centuries. 
Nonetheless, the formation of the Empire was a significant moment in the history of Lemilaki Maderi and the wider Lijoch culture. During the early period of his rule, Negus relied mainly on fractured opposition to remain in power but over time, he came to be regarded as a unifying figure within his land. Many contemporary historians highlight the killing of Gersem Mekbib Nahum as pivotal event in Negus' rule. Gersem was a cousin of Negus and this meant he had a claim to Lalikulite throne. During his early rule, Negus was unable to move against him but at the beginning of the 11th century, the Emperor had Gersem killed as part of a series of movements to consolidate his power.
Throughout his rule, Negus attempted to solidify his rule through a form of proto-nation building. In order to earn the support 
of inhabitants of freshly conquered territories, he established himself as the spiritual leader of the nation as well as its political leader. Lemilaki Maderi had existed for at least several centuries (and longer according to many of its followers even longer) prior to the rule of Negus but it was during this time that it became closely associated with the Lijoch people. Negus claimed that his unification of the Lijoch people marked the beginning of a new era and identified himself as a prophet second only to Tesfai in terms of his importance.
Category:Lijoch people
Category:Emperors of Lijochia
Category:Lijoch monarchs