Amba Geshen
| Amba Geshen | |
|---|---|
 Amba Geshen
Location in Ethiopia
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,355 metres (7,726 ft) |
| Coordinates | 11°30′N 39°19′E / 11.500°N 39.317°ECoordinates: 11°30′N 39°19′E / 11.500°N 39.317°E |
| Geography | |
| Location | South Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia |
Amba Geshen is the name of a mountain in northern Ethiopia. It is in the South Wollo Zone of the Amhara Region, northwest of Dessie, at a latitude and a longitude of 11°30′N 39°19′E / 11.500°N 39.317°E. Part of Ambassel woreda, Amba Geshen is one of the mountains of Ethiopia where most of the male heirs to the Emperor of Ethiopia were interned, usually for life. It was the second of the three such mountains, or amba, said to have been used for this purpose, the other two being Debre Damo and Wehni.
From some undetermined time, it was the practice that when the Ethiopian emperor assumed the throne, his brothers and other male relatives would be taken to a royal prison, where they would henceforth live until either they were called forth to become the new emperor or they died. Some traditions state this began during the Zagwe dynasty, others even earlier; the first certain mention of the practice was during the reign of Jin Asgad, who confined his brothers and his own sons to Amba Geshen.
The use Amba Geshen as a prison was ended by Emperor Na'od, but Manoel de Almeida mentions that "those who were there before" were guarded until the reign of Emperor Gelawdewos, when only the descendants of Emperor Takla Maryam continued to be kept under watch because of their treachery against Emperor Baeda Maryam I.
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Wikipedia