Altash tewodros

Emperor of Ethiopia from 1855 to 1868

For the Coptic Pope, see Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria.

Tewodros II (Ge'ez: ዳግማዊ ቴዎድሮስ, once referred to by the English cognate Theodore; baptized as Kassa, c. 1818 – 13 April 1868) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1855 until his death in 1868.

His rule is often placed as the beginning of modern Ethiopia and brought an end to the decentralized Zemene Mesafint (Era of the Princes).^[1]

Although Tewodros II's origins were in the Era of the Princes, his ambitions were not those of the regional nobility.

He sought to re-establish a cohesive Ethiopian state and to reform its administration and church.

Tewodros II's first task after having reunited the other provinces was to bring Shewa under his control. During the Era of the Princes, Shewa was, even more than most provinces, an independent entity, its ruler even styling himself Negus, the title for King.

In the course of subduing the Shewans, Tewodros took with