Tessema Nadew

Ras Bitwoded Tessema Nadew (died 10 April 1911; horse name Abba Qamaw ) was an Ethiopian military officer and politician who on 28 October 1909 was proclaimed as Ethiopia's future Balemulu Enderase (Regent Plenipotentiary) to Lij Iyasu, upon the latter's appointment as heir to the throne by Emperor Menelik II. He died in 1911, predeceasing Menelik and thus never assuming that office. He previously served as governor of Illubabor Province, the campaign of re-conquest for which he had led and fought in the Battle of Adwa.

Ancestry Of Amhara descent Tessema Nadew was the son of Ato (Mister) Nadew Abba Baher and Woyzero (Madame) and a cousin of Emperor Menelik II) was eased into a favored position at Menelik’s court, and later became an advisor and close friend of his majesty.

Conquest of Kaffa and Aari Immediately after Ethiopia’s victory over Italy at the Battle of Adwa, Tesemma participated in the nine-month campaign to subdue the Kingdom of Kafa. Kafa was finally annexed in 1897.

Fashoda In March 1898, on Menelik’s orders, Tessema led a large Ethiopian army (with a Russian contingent ) from his base in Gore, Illubabor, to join the French soldier Major Jean-Baptiste Marchand at Fashoda in the Sudan. It was, however, not Menelik’s intention to assist the French against the British during the Fashoda incident between the two European powers. Menelik’s aim was largely to claim the territories in the Sudanese borderlands for Ethiopia. However, because of disease in the Nile Valley lowlands, Tessema’s army was forced to return to Gore in May before meeting with Marchand in Fashoda. He made, however, Fitawrari Haylu with eight hundred men and three Europeans move further to the confluence of the White Nile and the Sobat rivers, where they planted Ethiopian and French flags.