(1399-1468)
Born in Tilq, Ethiopia
Emperor of Ethiopia (June 19/20, 1434-1468)
Crowned in 1436
Throne name is Kwestantinos I (Constantine I)
Wrote the theological works ‘Mahsafa Berha,' ‘Mahsafa Milad’ and ‘Mahsafa Selassie’
Defeated Badlay ad-Din, Sultan of Adal, at Battle of Gomit (1445)
Founded a city called Debre Berhan on the site where several heretics were stoned to death 38 days earlier after seeing a bright light--Halley’s Comet--on the site (1456).

His extreme religious devotion got to the point that any Ethiopians who didn’t worship God were executed. This included the monthly celebration of Christmas and other holidays.
He even killed his own wife in order to show that he meant business, and that even the royal family had to obey his laws.
He got paranoid early during his reign when one of his subjects was revealed to be conspiring against him.
His paranoia even worsened his relationships with his own family, including his son and successor Baeda Maryam, whose mother Seyon Morgasa died from beatings (1462).
He unsuccessfully led a military campaign against Ethiopian Jews, who were known as the Beta Israel.
He was known as the 'exterminator of the Jews' because of his savage persecution of Jews during his reign.

His name means ‘seed of Jacob’ in the Amharic language.
British scholar Edward Ullendorff called him the greatest ruler Ethiopia had since Ezana and claimed only Menelik II and Haile Selassie can be compared to him.
He was incarcerated at Amba Geshen prison for being a potential threat to his brother Tewodros’ reign (1414).
Despite his imprisonment, his supporters kept him a candidate for the succession of his brother.
He negotiated with two factions of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
His government was run by women, during an era when men dominated whole societies, as a result of his paranoia which led him to hire his female relatives.
He managed to ward off foreign influences in Ethiopia.

Credit: Big Lenny

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