Fesseha 14

Ethiopia's 5000 Year History, from Noah until the EPRDF, Fesseha Yaze Kassa, AD 2011

translated and annotated by Ras Feqade, AD 2021

### Chapter 14. From King Handyon until King Tewasya II 957-810 BC.

He who reigned in Ethiopia next from Menilek I, is the King Handyon who is set on number 3 on the King list, meaning beginning from the Queen of Saba. King Handyon has endured in kingship around one year only from 957 until 956 BC. And according to the proof of historical documents within the country, it is said that he was the son of Menelik I and a Torahist King of Kings. He has nothing that passed from this.

[This would correspond to 949 BC Gregorian, but my estimate for Handyon's one year reign is 921-920 BC.]

#### King Sirah I 956-930

While he who reigned in Ethiopia next from Handyon, is the Sirah I who is set on 4th on the list, he has administered Ethiopia for 26 years.

In the 10th year that the King of Ethiopia called Sirah I reigned, he assembled an army of one million infantry and taking armies who sat in 300 chariots, he invaded Egypt. And then taking Egypt's loot, he campaigned to Palestine and was defeated. And in this his defeat, he handed over what he found from his victory in Egypt, without the wealth of loot remaining, and he returned having depleted many of his soldiers. /And the writing set forth in II Chron. 14:9-13 is what describes this./

[Tekletsadek 1959 seems to combine this king and the preceding king Handyon together, saying:

*Atserk Amen is found on the list at #3, Handyo. It is this Asterk Amen Handyo who found fame after the kings from Her Hor. However there are many controversial things in his kingship. Ours make him the son of Menelik I and a Torahist. But it is known that he was not a Torahist. He is a servant of the Temple of Amon like his father Rok Amen, yet he was not believing in the God of Moses and Israel. And the meaning of Asterk Amen is his name means Servant or Friend of Amon. And likewise this Asterk Amen permeating to the country of Palestine is the king of Egypt who invaded Judah and Israel Samaria; and there are many hypotheses saying the meaning of Zirak is the Pharaoh of Egypt called Osorkhon II. Arising from the distance of the era and the destruction of proof, a determination was not found so far. It has been written that in the 10th year that the King of Ethiopia called Zerak reigned, he invaded Egypt taking one million infantry and an army who sat in 300 chariots, and then adding the wealth of Egypt, he campaigned to Palestine and was defeated. See II Chron. 14:9-13.*Tekletsadek in his list, but not his text, also includes the name Tomay for this king. Atserkamen is evidently an epithet of this king Sirah, and not of Menilek's son Handyon. The campaign against Judah took place in 899 BC, when Asa was king there, but Sirah, Zerak or Zerah I seems to have ruled Ethiopia 920-895 BC, thus it was in his 21st year. Osorkhon indeed was pharaoh until 887 BC, however he seems to have been of the Libyan Meshwesh race, and not the same as Atserkamen Zerah I.]

#### King Amen Hotev Zegdur 930-889

Amen Hotev Zegdur is who reigned next from Sirah I. King Zegdur, who reigned 930-889 and whom we saw at 5th on the list, has ruled Ethiopia for 41 years. And he is known by his nickname Tomatsyon. Moreover, because the meaning of Tomatsyon was Sun of Zion or king of Zion, it points to his Torahist King of Kingships. And additionally because his name Zegdur resembles the Ge'ez Yegdur, it shows that his name approaches Sabaean-ness.

[Amenhotep Tomatsion evidently ruled ca. 895-864 BC, 31 years. Tekletsadek also mentions the other name Tomatsion and continues:

*However because his main name was Amen Hotep, he seems to be a servant and believer of Amon, like his fathers, the priest-kings of Napata. Sometimes Amon Hotep is called Mey Amun; in the Ancient Egyptian language the meaning of Amen Hotep is Lover of Amon.*Note that 'Lover or Friend of Amun' actually translates as Meryamun.]

While Zegdur in Ge'ez is meaning Orphan, because this king's mother died in her first month that she bore him, after the name went forth for him, it is said that he found the nickname of Zegdur. And after he died, the king called Aksumay Ramissu was substituted.

#### King Aksumay Ramissu 889-869

Although it is unknown what Aksumay Ramissu fulfilled in his era of rule that endured 20 years, the Sirah II who ruled next from him, who was set at 7th on the list, has a moderate history.

[Aksumay Ramissu evidently ruled 864-844 BC. Tekletsadek in his text attaches the name Zegdur and the same commentary on that name to this king, rather than the preceding one. However, on his list, he names Amen Hotep as Zegdur. He says:

*Anyway, next from him, the king reigned called Ramissu or Zegdur, as the half called Aksumay; in abundance of days, he was called Ramissu, yet his name won't remain without being "son of the Sun" like the Egyptian kings Ramesses...]*
#### King Sirah II 869-831

King Sirah II has a nickname resembling a throne name of Worrede Tsehay. This king who sat at 7th on the list has administered Ethiopia for around 38 years. And within the histories he fulfilled in his era, because the Sirah I we saw above had been defeated campaigning to Palestine, and many of his soldiers had been finished up on him, he has made a movement to avenge his blood.

And organizing the war in this movement, by leading to Palestine, having fought with the King of Israel called Joram, and pillaged his country, he has returned to Ethiopia. And II Chronicles 21:16-17 confirms this.

[Sirah II seems to have reigned 844-806 BC. Tekletsadek calls him Serah or Zerah II and Asterk Amen II, and also attaches the name Awsyo to this king rather than the next one, as well as Worrede Tsehay. This attack on Judah was in 843 BC, in the reign of King Jehoram there, though as Tekletsadek notes 2 Chron. says 'the Arabs who were beside the Ethiopians' without naming their king.]

#### King Tewasya 831-810

He who reigned next from Sirah II is called Tewasya or Awsya. And he has ruled Ethiopia for 21 years. And his throne name just like Sirah II is styled Worrede Tsehay. He has sat at 8th on the list. And it is said his descent came from Menilek I. And his genealogy, while Menilek begat Atram, and Atram Abralyos, Abralyos moreover married a woman from them found in Nubian Ethiopia, from the seed of the chief of priests of Amon, and he begat Tewasya. Tewasya in his era of kingship, had the priests of the Torah and the priests of Amon debate, and because the priests of Amon won in the argument, he himself after the debate denied his Torahism and turned to his mother's religion, Amon worship, and it has been mentioned in M. Jean Maurier's book that he burdened or attacked the Torahists.

Thus we can be persuaded that beginning from this time, from the Law of Torah the state religion was begun to worshipping Amon /a deity of Egypt/.

And as it was said, it is beginning from this King Awsya that we see when, the bond of marriage being created and the change of religion being made, the capital city change was also done. From this aspect, it means that the ancient city of Saba remained as the capital city from the Queen of Saba until King Awsya. In the time after this, our kings returned their seat and we see when they made it in Napata.

[Tewasya II evidently reigned 806-785 BC; however Tekletsadek 1959 in his text calls him instead Sabaka, Shabaka or Sebeqon I, as well as Worrede Tsehay, but otherwise offers the same information about his ancestry, changing the state religion to the cult of Amon, and moving the capital to Napata.]

* Next: Fesseha 15.