Interior East Africa (1816–1827 CE): Succession After Ras Wolde Selassie and the Continued Fragmentation of Ethiopia

The death of Ras Wolde Selassie in 1816 at the age of eighty at his residence in Hintalo, Enderta marked the end of a stabilizing period in Ethiopian history. His passing was widely mourned, as Wolde Selassie had been a unifying force who maintained a degree of central authority during an otherwise tumultuous era. With his departure, Ethiopia quickly returned to the patterns of decentralized governance and regional factionalism that characterized the Zemene Mesafint ("Era of Princes").

Political power initially passed to Ras Gugsa, a nephew of the former regent Ras Aligaz, who continued the influential Wara Seh dynasty's dominance. Gugsa swiftly consolidated his position, further empowering his sons—Ras Yimam, Ras Mariye, and Ras Dori—each of whom served as Enderase (regent) at various points. The subsequent period was marked by intensified internal rivalries among powerful regional warlords, who constantly maneuvered for supremacy while the imperial throne remained effectively symbolic.

This persistent political fragmentation deepened the weakening of central authority and intensified local conflicts throughout the Ethiopian highlands. Provinces such as Shewa continued to operate with substantial autonomy under local rulers, notably the descendants of Meridazmach Asfa Wossen, who strengthened Shewa's political and economic position independent of Gondar. Simultaneously, the Yejju Oromo nobility's political ascendancy reaffirmed their pivotal role in the Empire’s governance, perpetuating the instability that prevented any long-term centralization.

The ongoing decentralization and turmoil set the stage for future leaders who would seek to reunify the empire. Among these was Kassa Hailu, who would eventually rise as the future Emperor Tewodros II, determined to restore centralized authority and national unity.