MIKAEL SEHUL

born c. 1692 died 1784, Adwa, Eth. nobleman who ruled Ethiopia for a period of 25 years as regent of a series of weak emperors. He brought to an end the ancient Solomonid dynasty of Ethiopia, which had ruled for 27 centuries, and began a long period of political unrest. In the reign of Iyoas (175569), son of the last Solomonid emperor, Mikael was called to aid the emperor in resisting a takeover of power by the Oromo (Galla) peoples of the south, who were traditionally Islamic and enemies of the Christian north. Mikael took this opportunity to occupy the capital with his own troops and had himself proclaimed regent. When Iyoas attempted to have Mikael assassinated, Mikael had Iyoas tried and hanged (1769) and selected the next three emperors, Yohannes II, Tekle Haimanot II, and Tekle Giorgis, whom he controlled until his fall. In 1784 a coalition, initiated by Oromo nobles, defeated him in battle. He was allowed to return to his native Tigray province as governor, where he died.