Ga'ewa facts for kids
Ga'ewa (also spelled Ga‘ǝwa) was a powerful Muslim queen who lived in the northern part of the Horn of Africa during the 1500s. Her kingdom stretched from a place called Metemma in the west all the way to the area south of the Mareb River in Ethiopia's Tigray Province. She was known for her intelligence and leadership during a time of many changes and conflicts.
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Who Was Queen Ga'ewa?
Queen Ga'ewa was a ruler in the 16th century. She was a Muslim queen in a region that is now part of Ethiopia. Different old books tell us about her.
Her Kingdom and Power
One old book, the Chronicle of King Gälawdewos, says Ga'ewa was the queen of Säläwa. This was a region in central Tigray. Another important book, the Futūḥ al-Ḥabasha, calls her the queen of Mäzäga. We don't know exactly where Mäzäga was. But it was likely north of the Tekezé river. It also bordered the Funj Sultanate to the west.
When her brother, Mäkättar, who was the sultan of Mäzäga, passed away, Ga'ewa stepped up. She became the regent for her nephew, Nafî. This meant she ruled the kingdom until Nafî was old enough. The Futūḥ al-Ḥabasha describes her as a very smart and wise leader. She was known for giving good advice.
Battles and Challenges
Queen Ga'ewa led her troops in several attacks. These raids were against the Christian Ethiopian Empire. This empire was a powerful neighbor.
In 1557, a new challenge arrived. The Ottoman Empire took control of Massawa. This was an important port city. The Ottomans were led by Özdemür Pasha. They even attacked a famous monastery called Debre Damo.
In response, a local leader named Yeshaq fought back. He was known as the bahr negus, or "king of the sea." Yeshaq defeated the Ottomans. Then, he invaded Ga'ewa's kingdom, Mäzäga. Ga'ewa's army was defeated. She had to escape to a place called Debarwa. There, she hoped to find protection from the Ottomans.
Ga'ewa tried to convince Özdemür to help her get Mäzäga back. She even told him where she had hidden her treasure. But before the Ottomans could help, Yeshaq captured Debarwa.
Ga'ewa in Stories
Over time, stories about Queen Ga'ewa have been passed down. In some local tales, people sometimes mix her up with another famous queen. This is the semi-legendary Queen Gudit from the 10th century. In some villages, like Addi Akaweh, people believe they are the same person.
Another story says that Ga'ewa was the wife of Aḥmad Grāñ. He was a famous leader. The stories from the village of Sǝfra Ga‘ǝwa describe her as a very rich woman. They say she owned many herds of cattle.
Places named after her
- Addi Ga‘ǝwa ("country of Ga'ewa")
- Qǝṣri Ga‘ǝwa ("enceinte of Ga'ewa")
- Mǝ‘raf Ga‘ǝwa ("resting place of Ga'ewa")
- Mäqabǝr Ga‘ǝwa ("tomb of Ga'ewa")
- Sǝfra Ga‘ǝwa ("place of Ga'ewa")
