Abstract:
This thesis is dealt on the Court System of Ras Haylu Täklä- Haymanot of Gojjam from
1901-1932.Hence, it focused on the administrative, socio- economic and land tenure
,taxation ,military organization ,judiciary and the banquet system of Gojjam under Ras
Haylu II. In addition to this, it also gives sufficient information about the genealogy of Ras
Haylu and his predecessors.
The study focuses primarily on the social, economic political and military history of the
province of Gojjam from 1901-1932 .However; it also touched the history of the province
since its incorporation in to the Christian kingdom in the fourteenth century.
The kingdom of Gojjam was ruled by appointees from the central government since its
incorporation up to the establishment of a local Dynast by Däjazmač Yosedeq in the mid of
eighteenth century .From this period on wards up to the last quarter of nineteenth century
except the period of Ras Haylu the Great the kingdom was divided in to three administrative
units with different appointees as Gojjam Proper, Damot and Agäw Meder. The three
administration units again reunited as a single administration under Ras Adal Tӓssäma ,t he
later Negus Täklä- Haymanot in the 1870’s.
The rulers ruled the kingdom with full political and administrative power without much
interference from the central government up to 1932.Among these rulers of Gojjam, Ras
Haylu Täklä- Haymanot was very known in his repressive rule and ruthless taxation system.
Un like his predecessors, he introduced unfamiliar administration and taxation system that
highly affected the life of the peasants. In addition to these his military organization, judicial
system and the banquet systems had also lacked support from the nobilities and the
peasantry. However, his unpopular administrative system helped him to accumulate large
amount of wealth and to involve in different business activities in the capital Addis Ababa
and in his court center Däbrä Marqos. This in turn made him the second wealthiest lord in
the country next to Täferi of his economy and military strength and brought competition
between Haylu and Täferi in economic and political spheres .The competition finally came
to an end after Täferi became an emperor in 1930 due to his favorable position .He finally
deposed Haylu by using the grievance of the people of Gojjam and his involvement in the
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plot against him with Ras Gugsa at first and Lij Iyasu as a prete