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Empress Taitu
Empress Taitu

Empress Taitu Bitul was the wife and consort of Emperor Menelik II. She was one of the most powerful Empress Consorts in the history of the Ethiopian monarchy, having played a major role in the government of the time.

Empress Taitu was the daughter of Ras Bitul and neice of the powerful Dejazmatch Wube of Semien (the great enemy and father-in-law of Emperor Tewodros II) Taitu came from one of Ethiopia's most aristocratic families which had long ruled Simien, and had from time to time dominated all of Tigre and northern Ethiopia. She claimed decent from Emperor Susneyos, and was also related to the powerful Weresheik clan of Yejju. Often described by foreignors as proud and haughty, Empress Taitu played a major role in the run up to the war with Italy, and even commanded a troop of canoneers at the Battle of Adwa. She was very conservative and often questioned the modernizing and westernizing zeal of her husband. Although she bore the Emperor no children, she manuvered to extend her influence beyond his reign by marrying her relatives into every noble and influential family of the era. Upon the Emperor's incapacity in 1912, the Empress began to appoint and dismiss officials at will, favoring her relatives and those who were tied to her through marriage to her relatives. Finally a group of nobles removed her from power and limited her role to caring for her stricken husband. This was quickly followed by many of the women of her family that had been married to important figures in the Empire being divorced as their erstwhile husbands raced to ally themselves to the families of the regent Ras Tessema or the heir to the throne Lij Iyasu (her step-grandson).

Taitu was forced to remove herself from Addis Ababa by Lij Iyasu upon the death of Emperor Menelik II in 1912 and retreated to the old mountaintop palace at Entoto. The Dowager Empress Taitu is said to have played a role in the strategic planning of the defeat of King Mikael of Wollo when he attempted to support his son Lij Iyas following the deposing and excommunication of the later in 1917. She turned down the invitation of her step-daughter Empress Zewditu to return to Addis Ababa and the Imperial court in 1917. Taitu Bitul, Dowager Empress of Ethiopia, died at Entoto in 1918. Upon the completion of the Mausoleum church of Ba'eta Le Mariam to house the remains of Emperor Menelik II, Empress Zewditu also had the remains of her step-mother brought down from Entoto's St. Mary's Church and buried next to her husband.

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Taken on: September 28, 2007
Tags: Everybody's photos tagged with Ethiopia Ethiopia Everybody's photos tagged with Empress Empress Everybody's photos tagged with Taitu Taitu
Sets appears in:   • Ethiopian History   
Groups appears in:   • Royalty    • The Ethiopian Monarchy   
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Empress Taitu

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