Ras Lul Seged

A key figure in late 19th and early 20th century Ethiopia, Lul Seged (died 17 October 1916; also known by his horse name Abba Balay) was a courtier and army commander under the Emperor Menelik II. He was responsible for several successful military campaigns, but was killed in battle during the struggle over Menelik's succession.

Said to be widely admired for his good looks and physical bravery, Lul Seged was a member of the influential Addisge clan of Shewa. His father, Atnaf Seged, held the rank of Dejazmach, and his brother Wube Atnaf Seged was the second husband of Menelik's daughter Zawditu. His cousin was Ras Tessema, who was an influential figure at Menelik's court and Enderase (regent) during Menelik's final illness.

Much of Lul Seged's activity was in the south of the country, particularly in Sidamo, where Menelik's regime had begun showing expansionist interest in the late 1880s, and in 1891 Lul Seged (then with the title Dejazmach) set up a permanent garrison at Shisha. In 1894-5, he mounted a successful conquest of the entire province, while he is also thought to have been responsible for the Ethiopian annexation of Konso in 1896. After 1896, however, Lul Seged was removed from power in Sidamo in favour of Dejazmach Balcha Safo, allegedly because he had failed to appear in the Adwa campaign. Other sources however state that Lul Seged was rewarded by Menelik for bravery at Adwa. As a reward for his role in the conquest of Sidamo he was raised to the rank of ras: in 1907 he was made governor of Bale province, and also governed Kaffa Province.

In common with others of his class Lul Seged sought to increase his influence through marriage, and late in life he married Menen Asfaw, later the wife of Tafari Makonnen (Haile Selassie), with the approval of her grandfather Negus Mikael. After two years she ran away to Addis Ababa and sought a divorce: Lul Seged was reportedly furious, and became an implacable opponent of her new husband Tafari.

After Ras Tessema's death in 1911, Lul Seged was appointed regent by Menelik's heir Iyasu, in the process making an enemy of Minister of War Habte Giyorgis. Despite this, Lul Seged was eventually persuaded to turn against Iyasu, with whom his relationship had remained rather cool following the latter's involvement in Menen Asfaw's divorce and remarriage.

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