Yeshaq I

Yeshaq I or Isaac (Ge'ez ይሥሓቅ yisḥāḳ, Amharic: yishāḳ^?; throne name Gabra Masqal II ገብረ መስቀል gabra masḳal "slave/servant of the cross," Amharic: gebre mesḳel^?) was nəgusä nägäst (1414–29) of Ethiopia. A member of the Solomonic dynasty, he was the second son of Dawit I.

Yeshaq's reign was marked by a revolt of the Beta Israel. In response, the Emperor marched into Wogera, where he defeated the rebels at Kossoge, thereby ending the revolt. He also had the church Debre Yeshaq built there to commemorate his victory. Yeshaq also invaded the Shanqella region beyond Agawmeder, and to the southeast he fought against the sons of Sa'ad ad-Din II who returned from exile in Arabia.

During Yeshaq's reign, according to the Islamic historian al-Maqrizi, a group of Mameluks led by al-Tabingha made their way to Ethiopia, where he taught Yeshaq's soldiers how to make flame-throwers and fight with swords. About the same time another Egyptian visitor, a Copt, "reorganized the kingdom," according to al-Maqrizi, "and collected so much wealth for the Hati [the Emperor] that he enjoyed the king's authority." This unnamed Copt also introduced the practice of the Emperor dressing in "splendid" clothes and carrying a cross, which made him stand out from his subjects. Further, G.W.B. Huntingford suggests that it was during Yeshaq's reign that the rulers of Ethiopia ceased having permanent capitals; instead, their courts were held in their encampments as they progressed around their realm.

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