It seems like our foundational belief on procreation are centred on the blessing mindset. The Book of Sages says that once the creation of a man and a woman was completed their immediate God given mandate was to be fruitful and multiply. Hence anything to the contrary is a cause for disdain by the generality of society.
Afrika has been called the ‘Cradle of mankind’ and the ‘Mother continent’ chiefly because of the evident mothering abilities of its queens. Besides the abundance of gorgeous looks, they have the highest fertility rates in the world. In the Caribbean and American slave plantations, even the sadistic white enslavers acknowledged our Empresses’ gifts. They would force the Afrikan slave mothers to breastfeed their white weaklings to ensure the future slave masters grow strong. Unfortunately, since the beginning of times, an Empress who outright fail to conceive or carry full term for whatever reason bear the blunt of full blown social backlash. Often they are either blamed for their suffering, labelled cursed or judged unworthy of the honour as a fully decorated wife. Giving birth has always been a sure key performance indicator (KPI) to validate the completeness of a woman without which her value automatically nosedives.
On one hand, being childless attracts little sympathy from other sistren. This perceived shortfall of womanhood childlessness similar to being unmarried is ‘justly’ frowned upon. Like a rotting carcass to avid flies, the queen-in-a-situation’s ears are constantly bombarded by overtones of sarcasm and caricature by other girls. Competitors, mother in-laws, or sister in-laws alike do not spare them the rod. Yet the culprit here could be the husband’s infertility. On the other hand, harsh realities of being barren come to the fore when dealing with a brethren who views children as feathers for massaging his pride, or a yardstick of his success and influence.
Even some of the greatest love stories have been through this fire and cracks would ultimately show after a sustained heat. Not to mention a man’s natural yearn for an heir which takes the complexity to another level. Beyond just conception the object of procreation becomes specific. A male child! Situations like these have commonly bred polygamy, much to the chagrin of the Empress. In extreme cases the would-be husband, driven by fear of the unknown or prompted by a pure calculating mind, would prefer testing the ground and pay for the damages during amalobolo. Funny but serious.
Yet we have never run short of bizarre tales. No. Not folklores but hectic dares in the good old Alkebulan days to protect a man’s pride in case he is shooting crowd dispersing bullets! Duty would call powerhouses of Mkabayi’s calibre to rise to the occasion. Best operation would have to get a sibling enter the royal kraal to procreate the next generation of kings on his brother’s behalf. A fool proof even under the eye of a modern DNA test. And it would be a secret the King would join his ancestors oblivious to. Senzangakhona!!! Today we explore one ten star Alkebulan queentessential that redefined our collection trajectory in ways no language can enunciate!
Empresss Taytu Betul
Queen of Shoa as she is sometimes referred to, was Ras Betul Haile Maryam and Yewibdar’s third child. She had four siblings two boys and two girls. Her name Taytu means ‘The Sun’ but her baptismal name was Wallata Mikael after the Orthodox St Mikael. She was born in Debre Tabor north of Ethiopia around 1840 or 1851 into a noble family related to the Solomonic dynasty tracing back to Queen of Sheba. Taytu was a pace setter in the early years. Circumventing education embargo against many women of that epoch, she learnt how to read and write Geez and Amharic languages. With her exceptional chess skills she soon became the Ethiopian Kasparov. She also explored her gifts music and was famous for playing the 10 string instrument called Begena. First married off at the age of ten, Taytu had an abrupt transition into adulthood. Queen of Shoa had four uneventful marriages before becoming Queen consort of her fifth husband, Menelik II, the King of Shewa.
Power Fact 1 – Making The Emperor
Taytu’s April 1883 marriage to Menelik II is hailed as one of the most powerful alliances in history. Although unable to conceive, the Empress was goddess of extreme looks. At the same time she walked the corridors of power in the Northern province of Ethiopia. That cocktail of beauty, power, brains and influence proved irresistible for the King of Shewa. Six years later Taytu, secured Menelik’s ascension to become the first Emperor of Ethiopia. She concomitantly became the Empress of Ethiopia two days later with the regal title of “Etege Taytu Betul, Light of Ethiopia.” The wise Emperor who regarded Taytu as his equal partner ensured that he consulted her before he passed decisions on key issues. This approach was rewarded handsomely as the Emperor rose in power and stability during his reign.
Power Fact 2 – Founder of The New Afrikan Political and Diplomatic Capital
Addis Ababa is one of the key songs by the late Joseph Hill (Culture) on his masterpiece album One Stone which echoes nostalgic Pan African sentiments about the capital. In 1886 Empress Taytu and Menelik II founded Addis Ababa meaning ‘New Flower’, as the new capital city of Ethiopia. In 1963 Addis Abba became the founding capital of Organisation of African Unity (OAU) now African Union (AU) and it is still the headquarters of AU today. Jamaicans reverence Addis Abba and Ethiopia as the holy land and symbol of black man’s emancipation globally. So does every conscious Alkebulans. Taytu not only excelled as a warrior Queen, but was also a reliable ally in developing the city and the nation at large. She financed the construction of Etoto Maryam Church and the first hotel, Etege Taytu Hotel, named after her, which are still standing today. Other key milestones achieved by the power couple include modern roads and bridges connecting Addis Ababa with the new empire, a reformed tax system, a new national currency, a postal system and a railway system. In addition secular education and government press were established as well as a telegraph and a telephone network. All done in the early 20th century!!
Power Fact 3 – Preserving Ethiopian Independence
Who could have done it better than Taytu Betul! The reality of her diplomatic prowess and visionary leadership has been with us for over a century. Ethiopia remains independent and a beacon of hope for Afrikans princes and princesses alike. Empress Taytu united Ethiopia before the conflict with European foreigners by forging both local alliances and international alliances like Russia. She quelled rebellious forces vying for power thus consolidating cohesive strength of the Kingdom needed for total resistance in the near future. Next she reviewed and shredded the Treaty of Wuchale with Italy in which the Italian version made Ethiopia an Italian protectorate, and the Amharic version did not. She took a hard-line stance against the Italians and pushed for confrontation. This was in stark contrast to Menelik’s conciliatory approach which would have only helped delay a looming disaster of colonial takeover. To the Emperor she said “My womanliness and your manliness is going to be tested on the battle field. Do not absent yourself!” (Zewelde, p.19). Italian Count Pietro Antonelli, the negotiator of the Wuchalé Treaty later begrudgingly equated Taytu to Christina of Sweden and Catherine the Great of Russia! She deftly worked to annihilate the Italian threat.
She also ensured that Russian commissars were enlisted in the Ethiopian resistance army. Her military and chess strategies proved invaluable as she commanded 5000 troops and 100 women during the Siege of Mekelle overseeing the cutting off their water supply until the Italians in the fortress surrendered. In the decisive Battle of Adwa she was famous for being an inspiration in the thick of things. She was crucial architect in both planning and execution of the war. Italy for all its treachery and arrogance was swallowed up on the 1st March 1896. The world press was soon inundated by headlines of the ’embarrassing’ defeat. That day the Empress to Impress cried tears of victory!!
The Lioness Woman of Character
Taytu was of woman of incredible strength and bravery. Only a visionary man with an eye for quality and not intimidated by a woman’s sheer power like Menelik II would choose her. But a man of narrow mental horizons would vainly want to extinguish that kind of fire to feed a delinquent ego. Taytu defied all odds of not having children to become a towering figure in her own right. A mother of a nation and a continent indeed! Many a time some our Empresses are thrown off balance by single marriage failure but not with Taytu. Marriage status did not define her. Dynamics of marriage and accompanying disasters did not cow her down.
As a step mother she indeed thrived extraordinarily. Her relationship with Menelik’s daughter Zewditu was wonderful. A king maker for the second time she crowned Zewditu as a Regent after her father was incapacitated by sickness. To a man that counts as loyalty beyond the grave. To this generation it is a testament of exemplary selfless leadership. Finesse!
