Emperor Menelik II publicly designated his grandson, Lij Iyasu, as successor, but Iyasu was still a minor. This made a regency (rule on behalf of an underage heir) likely and triggered rivalry among major nobles about who would control the government during Menelik’s decline.
Ras Bitwoded Tessema Nadew was proclaimed regent plenipotentiary (a fully empowered regent) to manage affairs for the incapacitated Menelik II and the young heir, Iyasu. His appointment aimed to stabilize the court, but it also sharpened conflict with Empress Taytu and competing factions.
A coalition of nobles moved to curb Empress Taytu’s influence and forced her resignation from effective rule. The shift strengthened the regency system and reduced the palace’s ability to block decisions, but it did not end the underlying succession struggle.
Ras Tessema Nadew died before Menelik II, removing the main official figure meant to manage the transition. With the regency weakened, Iyasu maneuvered into greater authority, and court politics became more volatile.
After the regent’s death, Iyasu increasingly directed the regency government and by 1913 was exercising near-full authority. This period set the practical beginning of his rule, even though he would never be crowned emperor.
Menelik II died in December 1913, but the court delayed a public announcement and burial rites were handled in secrecy. Iyasu assumed authority as the designated successor, yet the lack of a formal, public transition contributed to doubts about his legitimacy and to political maneuvering.
Senior nobles gathered in Addis Ababa to discuss the leadership vacuum and the future of the empire. Even as Iyasu exercised power, this meeting reflected elite concern that the post-Menelik order needed clearer rules and stronger consensus.
As World War I spread, foreign powers watched Ethiopia closely because of its strategic location near the Red Sea. Iyasu’s suspected sympathy toward the Central Powers and his outreach to Muslim communities alarmed both Ethiopian Orthodox leaders and neighboring colonial governments, increasing support for a palace move against him.
A coalition led by major nobles and supported by the head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church moved against Iyasu, accusing him of apostasy (abandoning the faith). Iyasu was declared deposed and excommunicated, and his aunt Zewditu was proclaimed empress; Tafari Makonnen was elevated to Ras and named heir.
Negus Mikael of Wollo, Iyasu’s father, launched a major campaign toward Shewa to reinstate his son. The march turned the palace coup into a wider civil conflict, forcing the new regime in Addis Ababa to defend its claim with arms.
Government forces loyal to Empress Zewditu and the new leadership defeated Negus Mikael at the Battle of Segale. The victory broke the main military effort to restore Iyasu, and Iyasu fled as his political base collapsed.
After Segale, Zewditu’s government held the capital and maintained the new order, while Tafari Makonnen served as regent and heir. Iyasu, though once the designated successor, was never crowned emperor and spent the following years as a fugitive and a rallying symbol for opponents of the new regime.
Rule and deposition of Lij Iyasu (1913-1916)