A coalition of Ethiopian nobles and church leaders removed Lij Iyasu from power and named his aunt, Zewditu, as empress. They also elevated Tafari Makonnen (later Haile Selassie) to the rank of Ras and made him heir, setting up a shared system where Zewditu reigned while Tafari led much of the day-to-day government.
Forces loyal to the new government defeated Negus Mikael at the Battle of Segale, ending a major attempt to restore Iyasu’s side. The victory helped stabilize the transition and strengthened the position of the Addis Ababa-based leadership around Zewditu and Ras Tafari.
Zewditu’s coronation in Addis Ababa publicly confirmed her status as empress after the 1916 political shift. The ceremony also reinforced the arrangement in which Ras Tafari served as regent and heir, a balance that would shape Ethiopian politics throughout her reign.
Ethiopia became a member of the League of Nations, an important step in seeking international recognition and diplomatic protection in a region dominated by European empires. Membership also increased outside pressure for reforms, especially related to slavery and arms trafficking.
Ras Tafari led a high-profile mission abroad, visiting multiple countries and meeting foreign officials. The trip aimed to build alliances, observe modern institutions, and support Ethiopia’s push to strengthen its international standing while Zewditu remained the reigning monarch at home.
After joining the League of Nations, Ethiopian leaders argued that the country needed fair access to weapons for self-defense. Diplomacy around arms controls highlighted a central tension of the era: Ethiopia’s desire to modernize its military while facing foreign efforts to limit arms flows in the region.
A confrontation involving Dejazmach Balcha Safo, a powerful provincial figure tied to the older order, ended with Balcha forced into retirement. The episode showed that the regent’s network could outmaneuver rivals and increased Tafari’s control over appointments and security in and around Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia and Italy signed a treaty promising friendship and a framework for arbitration of disputes, with provisions related to access to the sea and a proposed road from the Red Sea toward the interior. The agreement briefly improved formal relations, but later disagreements over borders and influence would help fuel a new crisis.
Zewditu elevated Ras Tafari to the title of Negus, increasing his formal rank while she remained empress. This change reflected the regent’s growing real power and made the division between a traditional, court-centered monarchy and a modernization-minded government even clearer.
Ras Gugsa Wale, Zewditu’s husband, raised a rebellion in northern Ethiopia aimed at removing Negus Tafari and restoring stronger authority to Zewditu’s conservative supporters. The revolt turned a long-running court rivalry into open conflict and became the final major challenge to Tafari’s rise under Zewditu’s reign.
Government forces loyal to Negus Tafari defeated Gugsa Wale’s army at the Battle of Anchem. The outcome broke the most serious armed resistance from the pro-Zewditu camp and effectively settled the question of who controlled the state’s military and administration.
Zewditu died shortly after the rebellion’s defeat, bringing her reign to a close. With the reigning empress gone and the opposition weakened, the political compromise of “empress plus regent” ended and the path cleared for a single ruler to take full imperial authority.
Negus Tafari was proclaimed emperor as Haile Selassie I, formalizing the transfer of power that had been developing throughout Zewditu’s reign. His coronation marked a clear new phase: a more centralized, modernization-oriented state led by an emperor with stronger control over the government and military.
Reign of Empress Zewditu (1916-1930)