Heruy Wolde Selassie and Wazema

Heruy Wolde Selassie in a photograph taken prior to 1939.

German historian Manfred Kropp believed the author of the regnal list was Ethiopian foreign minister Heruy Wolde Selassie (1878–1938). Selassie was later foreign minister to Emperor Haile Selassie and was a philosopher and historian, as well as being able to master several European languages. He had previously served as secretary to Emperor Menelik II (r. 1889–1913).^[5] Kropp noted that Selassie's historical sources include the Bible, Christian Arab writers Jirjis al-Makin Ibn al-'Amid (1205–1273) and Ibn al-Rāhib (1205–1295), and Christian traveller and writer Sextus Julius Africanus (c. 160–240). Kropp argued that Selassie was one of a number of Ethiopian writers who sought to synchronize Ethiopian history with the wider Christian-Oriental histories. This was aided by the translation of Arabic texts in the 17th century. Kropp also felt that the developing field of Egyptology influenced Selassie's writings, particularly from Eduard Meyer, Gaston Maspero and Alexandre Moret, whose works were published in French in Addis Ababa in the early 20th century. Kropp believed that Selassie was also assisted by French missionaries and the works they held in their libraries.^[23]

Selassie wrote a book called Wazema which contained a version of the regnal list. Wazema translates to The Vigil, a metaphor to celebrate the history of the kings of Ethiopia.^[25] The book was divided into two sections, the first deals with political Ethiopian history from the dawn of history to modern times, while the second section deals with the history of the Ethiopian church.^[25] Manfred Kropp noted that there were three different versions of the regnal list published in the works of Heruy Wolde Selassie. Selassie's regnal list omits the first dynasty of Tafari's list – the so-called "Tribe of Ori or Aram" – and also the first three rulers of the second dynasty, instead beginning in 2545 BC with king Sebtah. Selassie himself stated that he used European literature among his sources, including James Bruce's Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile.^[6] Manfred Kropp felt that the existence of multiple versions of the regnal list suggest that Selassie grew increasingly critical of the sources he used for the first version of the list in 1922.^[26] Ethiopian historian Sergew Hable Selassie commented that Heruy Wolde Selassie "strove for accuracy" but the sources he used for Wazema "precluded his success".^[25]

Manfred Kropp noted one important source for the information in Wazema. Selassie himself told the reader that if they wish to find out about more about Joktan, the supposed founder of the Ag'azyan dynasty, they could consult page 237 of a book by "Moraya". At first Kropp thought this was referring to Alexandre Moret,^[27] but it was later made clear that Selassie's regnal list had been significantly inspired by a book called Histoire de l'Éthiopie by Louis J. Morié, published in 1904.^[3]

Louis J. Morié's Histoire de l'Éthiopie

Louis J. Morié was a French historian who wrote a history of Ethiopia in the early 20th century. The two-volume work, titled Histoire de l'Éthiopie (Nubie et Abyssinie), was published in 1904 and was the first part of a series on the history of Africa, with the first volume focusing on ancient Nubia (also called "Ancient Ethiopia" by Morié) and the second volume focusing on Abyssinia ("Modern Ethiopia").^[28][29] Historian Manfred Kropp identified the first volume as a key source in the creation of the 1922 Ethiopian regnal list. Kropp provided examples from Morié's text, specifically page 237 which provides information on Piori I (no. 46 on the regnal list) and pages 304–305 which provide information on the High Priests of Amun that appear on the Ethiopian regnal list, including the additional "Pinedjem" whose existence was an error of early Egyptology.^[3] Kropp described the discovery of the regnal list's source as exciting but mixed with some "bitterness" as Morié's book is more imaginative than scientific in its approach to Ethiopian history.^[3] Kropp blamed Selassie's European friends and contemporaries for the influence of Morié's book on Selassie's writing of Ethiopian history.^[3] Peter Truhart's 1984 book Regents of Nations includes a list of Ethiopian kings resembling the 1922 list with additional information taken from Morié's book.^[30] E. A. Wallis Budge mentions Morié's book in his own similarly titled two-volume work A History of Ethiopia: Nubia and Abyssinia,^[31] but surprisingly makes no mention of the clear similarity between Morié's narrative and the 1922 Ethiopian regnal list. Charles Fernand Rey, in his book Unconquered Abyssinia, mentioned an "enthusiastic French writer" who had "gone as far as to date the birth of the Abyssinian monarchy from the foundation of the Kingdom of Meroë by Cush about 5800 B.C." but Rey felt this writer could "not be taken seriously" because of his belief that the Deluge was a historical event.^[12] Rey is likely referring to Morié, who had claimed that 5800 BC was the approximate date when Cush began ruling Aethiopia and treated the Biblical flood narrative as historical fact.^[32] Like Budge, Rey apparently did not notice the striking the similarities between Morié's narrative and the 1922 Ethiopian regnal list.

Louis J. Morié's book displays his desire to hold on to religion and Biblical narratives in a world that was increasingly looking towards science. He showed concern with the possibility of abandoning religion, which would result in the "civilized" peoples of the world to descend down the moral scale.^[33] Morié felt that it was possible for science and religion to be in agreement.^[34] He described Atheism as a cause of moral and political decadence.^[35] Because of his anxieties of the decline of religion, Morié sought to base his historical narrative around the Biblical timeline. He described the Book of Genesis as the best source to consult on the most remote parts of human history.^[36]

Morié believed that the "Ethiopian state of Meroe" was the oldest empire of the post-Flood world, having been founded by Cush of the Bible, and went on to birth the kingdoms of Egypt, Uruk, Babylon, Assyria and Abyssinia.^[37] Morié followed the Biblical tradition by crediting Nimrod, a son of Cush, with founding Uruk and Babylon, and crediting Mizraim, a son of Ham, with founding Egypt.^[34] He additionally identified Mizraim with the Egyptian god Osiris, Ham with Amun and Cush with Khonsu.^[38] Morié defined the history of "Ethiopia" as divided into two parts; Ancient Nubia and Christian Abyssinia,^[39] and defined "Ethiopians" as the Nubian and Abyssinian peoples.^[40] Morié acknowledged the potential confusion this could cause and thus occasionally used "Abyssinia" to specify which of these two regions he was writing about, with a priority of using "Ethiopia" for ancient Nubia.^[41] E. A. Wallis Budge similarity defined "Ethiopia" as including both Nubia and Abyssinia in his own two-volume work A History of Ethiopia, published in 1928.

Aleka Taye's History of the People of Ethiopia

Aleka Taye Gabra Mariam (1861–1924) was a Protestant Ethiopian scholar, translator and teacher whose written works include books on grammar, religion and Ethiopian history.^[42] Taye was sent to Germany in 1905 by Emperor Menelik II to teach Ge'ez and Amharic at the School of Oriental Studies in Berlin, and to recover some rare Ethiopian books that had been taken to Germany.^[43] Taye ultimately brought back 130 books for the Emperor.^[44] He was ordered by Menelik II to write a complete history of Ethiopia using Ethiopian, European and Arab sources.^[45] Taye's work was not published in his lifetime. His book History of the People of Ethiopia was published in Asmara in 1928 and is believed by historiographers to be part of a larger unpublished manuscript that also dealt with the history of the world and the history of the Ethiopian kings.^[45] However, the book on the Ethiopian kings was only half-printed due to the Italian Occupation of Ethiopia in 1935 and was never completed.^[45] There is also some controversy over whether Taye was truly the author of this book.^[45] Ethiopian historian Sergew Hable Selassie felt this book did not "do justice to [Taye's] erudition and does not reflect his true ability", as it was based on "unreliable sources" and was "not at all systematic".^[25]

Aleka Taye helped contribute two books to the New York Public Library on Abyssinian children's games and folk stories.^[46]

As Taye died in 1924, his book History of the People of Ethiopia would have pre-dated the publication of Charles Fernand Rey's book In the Country of the Blue Nile in 1927 but it is unclear if it pre-dated the writing of Tafari's regnal list in 1922. According to Dr. Ghelawdewos Araia, Taye's History of the People of Ethiopia was actually published in 1914, with Heruy Wolde Selassie's book Wazema being published later, in 1921.^[47] Taye's History of the People of Ethiopia contains a regnal list that matches closely with the one copied by Tafari.^[47] The names, order, reign lengths and dates of monarchs from the Ag'azyan dynasty to the Solomonic dynasty mostly match with what is written on Tafari's list, though with some occasional differences in the names of the monarchs and regnal lengths.^[47]

Other Ethiopian regnal lists

Numerous regnal lists of Ethiopian monarchs from before 1922 are known to survive and show a clear influence on the compiling of the 1922 list. There are known to be lists that date back to the 13th century and while they are reliable for the period of the Solomonic dynasty, the Axumite period was often based on legendary memories.^[48] These lists allow chroniclers to provide proof of legitimacy for the Solomonic dynasty by linking it back to the Axumite period.^[49] The lists also were intended to fill in gaps between major events, such as the meeting of Makeda and Solomon, the arrival of Frumentius and the rise of the Zagwe dynasty.^[50] However, many regnal lists show great variations in the names of the Axumite monarchs, with only a few, such as Menelik I, Bazen, Abreha and Atsbeha and Kaleb frequently across the majority of the lists. Tafari's regnal list noticeably tries to accommodate all these differing traditions by including the majority of the different kings into one longer line of succession.

Unpublished sources

It is possible that Tafari's regnal list includes information gathered from sources that have yet to be published or are in private hands. One unpublished text, simply called the Chronicle of Ethiopia, was in the possession of Qesa Gabaz Takla Haymanot of Aksum.^[51] The author of this chronicle collected information from various old chronicles held in a number of different churches and monasteries, and attempted to compile the information in a "harmonic" way.^[52] The chronicle covers information from the reign of Menelik I to Menelik II.^[52] Some of the known information from this unpublished chronicle does support elements of Tafari's list.

Kebra Nagast

The Kebra Nagast, also known as The Glory of the Kings, is a text that tells of how the Queen of Sheba (Makeda) met King Solomon of Israel, their son Menelik I and how the Ark of the Covenant came to Ethiopia. The origins of the Kebra Nagast are obscure. A popular belief is that it was written in the 13th or 14th century to legitimise the ruling Solomonic dynasty.^[53] However, some historians have suggested that it was written in the 6th century to glorify the Axumite king Kaleb.^[53] Another hypothesis is that was written before the birth of Christ.^[54]

Biblical influences

The Queen of Sheba meets King Solomon of Israel, from an illustration accompanying a copy of the Kebra Nagast.

Various Biblical figures are included on the 1922 regnal list. Three of Noah's descendants are named as founders of the first three dynasties; Aram, Ham and Joktan. Gether, son of Aram, and Cush, son of Ham, are also both included. Descendants of Cush named Sabtah, Seba and Sabtechah are named as part of the Kam dynasty. Other Biblical figures include Zerah the Cushite and the Queen of Sheba, whom Ethiopians call "Makeda".

According to Ethiopian tradition Makeda was an ancestor of the Solomonic dynasty and mother of Menelik I, whose father was king Solomon of Israel. E. A. Wallis Budge believed that the queen was more likely to have been from Yemen or Hadhramaut than from Ethiopia. He also believed that the tradition of the Queen of Sheba entered the region of modern-day Ethiopia when it was conquered by a Yemeni tribe called the "Habasha", who were "the first to introduce civilization into the country", as theorized by Carlo Conti Rossini. Budge also thought it was possible that the story was introduced via Jewish traders who settled in Abyssinia/Ethiopia.^[55] However, by the early 21st century the theory of a south Arabian or 'Sabaean' origin for Ethiopian civilization was largely abandoned by scholars,^[56] and thus some of Budge's ideas would now be considered outdated.

The Biblical events of the flood and the fall of the Tower of Babel are both included in the chronology of the regnal list, dated respectively to 3244 BC and 2713 BC, with the 531-year period in between listed as an interregnum where no kings are named. Another Biblical story included is that of the Ethiopian eunuch, named Jen Daraba according to this regnal list, who visited Jerusalem during the reign of the 169th sovereign Queen Garsemot Kandake VI.

Coptic and Arabic influences

The first dynasty of Tafari's list, the Tribe of Ori, is taken from medieval Coptic and Arabic texts on the kings of Egypt who ruled before the Great Flood. French historian Louis J. Morié, in his 1904 book Histoire de L'Ethiopie, recorded an almost identical list of kings and queens to those found on the first dynasty of Tafari's list.^[57] Morié noted the regnal list he saw was recorded by the Copts in their annals and was found in both Coptic and Arabic tradition.^[58] He however felt that the Egyptian Delta would not have been habitable in the Antediluvian era and thus theorized that these kings ruled Thebes and "Ethiopia" (i.e. Nubia).^[59] Morié noted that there had originally been a list of 40 kings, but only 19 of them had been preserved up to the early 20th century.^[59] He believed that the regnal list originated from the works of Murtada ibn al-Afif, an Arab writer from the 12th century who wrote a number of works, though only one, titled The Prodigies of Egypt, has partially survived to the present day.^[59][60] The Coptic regnal list begins with Aram, son of Shem, in the same way that Tafari's regnal list begins with Aram, otherwise known as Ori on the 1922 regnal list.^[59]

Manfred Kropp theorized the 1922 Ethiopian regnal list may have been influenced by the works of Ibn al-Rāhib, a 13th-century Coptic historian whose works were translated into Ge'ez by Ethiopian writer Enbaqom in the 16th century, and Jirjis al-Makin Ibn al-'Amid, another 13th century Coptic historian whose work Al-Majmu' al-Mubarak (The Blessed Collection) was also translated around the same time. Both writers partially based their information on ancient history from the works of Julius Africanus and through him quote the historical traditions of Egypt as recorded by Manetho. Jirgis was known as "Wälda-Amid" in Ethiopia.^[61] Kropp believed that some of the names of the early part of Tafari's regnal list were taken from a regnal list included within Jirgis' text which draws upon traditions from Manetho and the Old Testament.^[62]

A medieval Arab text called Akhbar al-Zaman (The History of Time), dated to between 940 and 1140, may have been an earlier version of the regnal list Morié saw.^[63] It is likely based on earlier works such as those of Abu Ma'shar (dated to c. 840–860).^[63] The authorship is unknown, but it may have been written by historian Al-Masudi based on earlier Arab, Christian and Greek sources.^[63] Another possible author is Ibrahim ibh Wasif Shah who lived during the Twelfth century.^[63] The text contains a collection of lore about Egypt and the wider world in the age before the Great Flood and after it.^[63] Included is a list of kings of Egypt who ruled before the Great Flood and this list shows some similarities with the list of kings of the "Tribe of Ori or Aram" included on Tafari's list, who also ruled before the Great Flood. Several kings show similarities in names and chronological order, though not all kings on one list appear on the other. The Akhbar al-Zaman kings often reigned for impossibly long periods of time, with only two kings showing a similarity in length of reigns with those on Tafari's list. Nineteen kings appear on both lists, with two ruling women also being mentioned.

A number of Coptic monks from Egypt came to Ethiopia in the 13th century and brought with them many books written in Coptic and Arabic. These monks also translated many works into Ge'ez.^[65] It is possible that the legends from Akhbar al-Zaman may have entered Ethiopia during this time.

Ancient Egyptian and Nubian influences

Reconstructions of six statues of Kushite kings discovered at Dukki-Gel in Sudan.

Many of the Egyptian and Nubian monarchs included on the list are historically verified but did not rule the region of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea, and often have reign dates that do no match historical dates used by modern-day archaeologists. The rulers numbered 88 to 96 on the list are the High Priests of Amun who were the de facto rulers of Upper Egypt during the time of the Twenty-first dynasty (c. 1077–943 BC). Several other kings on the list have names that are clearly influenced by those of Egyptian pharaohs such as Senefrou (8), Amen I (28), Amen II (43), Ramenpahte (44), Tutimheb (53), Amen Emhat I (63), Amen Emhat II (83), Amen Hotep Zagdur (102), Aksumay Ramissu (103) and Apras (127).

Numerous monarchs of the Kushite kingdom in modern-day Sudan are also included on the 1922 Ethiopian regnal list. Most of the pharaohs of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt, who ruled over both Nubia and Egypt, are listed as part of the dynasty of Menelik I. However, the Kushite Pharaohs are not known to have ruled much further south than the area of modern-day South Sudan. Kushite monarchs from after the Twenty-Fifth Dynasty of Egypt are also occasionally mentioned on this list, specifically Aktisanes (65), Aspelta (118), Harsiotef (119), Nastasen (120), Arakamani (138) and Arqamani (145). Additionally, there are six queens on this list who are referred to as "Kandake", the Meroitic term for the king's sister used by the rulers of Kush. Apart from the monarchs listed above, there were also some Viceroys of Kush who ruled over Nubia during the New Kingdom after Egypt conquered the Kingdom of Kerma in c. 1500 BC.

The Axumite empire at its maximum extent of influence.

Louis J. Morié's Histoire de l'Éthiopie served as the main source for these Egyptian and Nubian monarchs and the regnal order they are presented in on the 1922 Ethiopian regnal list, as noted above.^[3] However, there may also be other reasons why the author of this regnal list felt that the inclusion of Egyptian and Nubian monarchs was appropriate for a historical outline of Ethiopia/Abyssinia. One reason is due to the Axumite conquest of Meroë, the last capital of the Kingdom of Kush, by King Ezana in c. 325 AD.^[66] It was from this point onward that the Axumites began referring to themselves as "Ethiopians", the Greco-Roman term previously used largely for the Kushites.^[67] Following this, the inhabitants of Axum (modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea) were able to claim lineage from the "Ethiopians" or "Aethiopians" mentioned in the Bible, including the Kandakes, who were actually Kushites. The claiming of the term "Ethiopian" by the Axumites may, however, pre-date Christianity. For example, Axumite king Ezana is called "King [...] of the Ethiopians" on a Greek inscription where he also calls himself "son of the invincible Mars", suggesting that this pre-dates his conversion to Christianity.^[68]

Professor of Anthropology Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban believed the inclusion of Kushite rulers on the 1922 regnal list suggests that the traditions of ancient Nubia were considered culturally compatible with those of Axum.^[69] Makeda, the Biblical Queen of Sheba, was referred to as "Candace" or "Queen Mother" in the Kebra Nagast,^[70] suggesting a cultural connection between Ethiopia and the ancient kingdom of Kush. Portuguese missionary Francisco Álvares, who travelled to Ethiopia in 1520, recorded one Ethiopian tradition which claimed that Yeha was "the favourite residence of Queen Candance, when she honoured the country with her presence".^[71]

The world according to Herodotus. He defined "Aethiopes" as being south of Egypt and including Meroe.

E. A. Wallis Budge theorized that one of the reasons why the name "Ethiopia" was applied to Abyssinia was because Syrian monks identified Kush and Nubia with Abyssinia when translating the Bible from Greek to Ge'ez.^[72] Budge further noted that translators of the Bible into Greek identified Kush with Ethiopia and this was carried over into the translation from Greek to Ge'ez.^[73] Louis J. Morié likewise believed the adoption of the word "Ethiopia" by the Abyssinians was due to their desire to search for their origins in the Bible and coming across the word "Ethiopia" in Greek translations.^[74] Historian Adam Simmons noted that the 3rd century Greek translation of the Bible translated the Hebrew toponym "Kūš" into "Aethiopia".^[75] He argued that Abyssinia did not cement its "Ethiopian" identity until the translation of the Kebra Nagast from Arabic to Ge'ez during the reign of Amda Seyon I (r. 1314–1344).^[75] He also argued that global association of the name "Ethiopia" with Abyssinia only took place in the reign of Menelik II, particularly after his success at the Battle of Adwa in 1896, when the Italians were defeated.^[75]

E. A. Wallis Budge argued that it was unlikely that the "Ethiopians" mentioned in ancient Greek writings were the Abyssinians, but instead were far more likely to be the Nubians of Meroë.^[76] He believed the native name of the region around Axum was "Habesh" from which "Abyssinia" is derived and originating in the name of the Habasha tribe from southern Arabia. He did note however that the modern day people of the region did not like this term and preferred the name "Ethiopia" due to its association with Kush.^[73] The ancient Nubians are not known to have used the term "Ethiopian" to refer to themselves, however Silko, the first Christian Nubian king of Nobatia, in the early sixth century described himself as "Chieftain of the Nobadae and of all the Ethiopians".^[77] The earliest known Greek writings that mention "Aethiopians" date to the 8th century BC, in the writings of Homer and Hesiod. Herodotus, in his work Histories (c. 430 BC), defined "Aethiopia" as beginning at the island of Elephantine and including all land south of Egypt, with the capital being Meroe.^[78] This geographical definition confirms that in ancient times the term "Aethiopia" was commonly used to refer to Nubia and the Kingdom of Kush rather than modern day Ethiopia. The earliest known writer to use the name "Ethiopia" for the region of the Kingdom of Axum was Philostorgius in c. 440 AD.^[79]

There are also some pieces of archaeological evidence that show connections between ancient Nubia and Abyssinia. Some Nubian objects from the Napatan and Meroitic periods have been found in Ethiopian/Abyssinian graves dating to the 8th to 2nd centuries BC.^[80] There have also been discoveries of red-orange sherds similar to those from the pre-Axumite period in sites of the Jebel Mokram Group in Sudan, showing contacts along caravan routes toward the Nile Valley in the 1st millennium BC.^[81] This shows that interactions between Nubia and modern day Ethiopia long pre-date the Axumite conquest. Archaeologist Rodolfo Fattovich believed that the people of the pre-Axumite culture had contacts with the kingdom of Kush, the Achaemenid Empire and the Greeks, but that these contacts were "mostly indirect".^[82]

Stele with Egyptian hieroglyphs found in Axum, as shown in James Bruce's Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile.

Scottish traveller James Bruce, in his multi-volume work Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile included a drawing of a stele found in Axum and brought back to Gondar by the Ethiopian emperor. The stele had carved figures of Egyptian gods and was inscribed with hieroglyphs. E. A. Wallis Budge believed the stele to be a "Cippi of Horus" which were placed in homes and temples to keep evil spirits away. He noted that these date from the end of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty (c. 664–525 BC) onwards. Budge believed this was proof of contacts between Egypt and Axum in the early 4th century BC.^[83] Archaeological excavations in the Kassala region have also revealed direct contact with Pharaonic Egypt. Some tombs excavated in the Yeha region, the likely capital of the Dʿmt kingdom, contained imported albastron dated to c. 770–404 BC which had a Napatan or Egyptian origin.^[84]

Budge noted that none of the Egyptian and Nubian kings on the 1922 list appear on other known regnal lists from Ethiopia. He believed that contemporary Ethiopian priests had been "reading a modern European History of Egypt" and had incorporated in the regnal list Egyptian pharaohs who had "laid Nubia and other parts of the Sudan under tribute", as well as the names of various Kushite kings and Priest kings.^[85] To support his argument, he stated that while the names of Abyssinian kings have meanings, the names of Egyptian kings would be meaningless if translated into the Ethiopian language.^[85] Historian Manfred Kropp likewise noted that no Ethiopian manuscript prior to the 1922 regnal list included names of monarchs resembling those used by ancient Egyptian rulers.^[1]

A comparison of known Ethiopian regnal lists shows that most of the monarchs on the 1922 list with Egyptian or Nubian names do not have these elements in their names on other regnal lists (see Regnal lists of Ethiopia). For example, the 102nd king on Tafari's list, Amen Hotep Zagdur, only appears as "Zagdur" on one British Museum manuscript and on Rossini's list.^[86] The next king, Aksumay Ramissu, is only known as "Aksumay" on the same two lists.^[86] The 106th king, Abralyus Wiyankihi II, only appears as "Abralyus" on the same manuscript.^[86] The 111th king, Tsawi Terhak Warada Nagash, is a combination of multiple kings. One king named "Sawe" or "Za Tsawe" is listed as the fifth king following Menelik I, according to one British Museum manuscript and the lists recorded by Bruce and Salt.^[86] Another king named "Warada Nagash" is named as the eighth king following Menelik I on a different manuscript.^[86] No known list includes both kings, and the 1922 list combined the two different kings as a single entry, with the addition of the name "Terhak", to be equated with the Nubian pharaoh Taharqa, who otherwise does not appear on other Ethiopian regnal lists.^[86] Taharqa's inclusion on the regnal list ties in with the mention of his name in the Hebrew Bible (2 Kings 19:9; Isaiah 37:9), where he was described as the "King of Ethiopia", in reference to Kush in modern-day Sudan.^[87] Also missing from other Ethiopian regnal lists are the six "Kandake" queens numbered 110, 135, 137, 144, 162 and 169. It is likely that these queens refer to the reigning female monarchs of Kush, although it is unclear who exactly they are based on as their names do not match any known queens of Kush. The second Kandake queen, Nikawla (no. 135), has a name which was sometimes used in medieval times to the refer to the Queen of Sheba.^[88]

Herihor, High Priest of Amun of Upper Egypt between c. 1080 and 1074 BC, shown here with wife Nodjmet.

The inclusion of the High Priests of Amun who ruled Upper Egypt between c. 1080 and 943 BC can be directly traced to Louis J. Morié's Histoire de l'Éthiopie and contemporary Egyptology.^[3] The association between these Egyptian High Priests and Aethiopia was particularly strong in European Egyptological writings in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During this period, several major Egyptologists (such as Heinrich Brugsch, James Breasted and George Reisner) believed that the rise of the Kush kingdom was due to the influence of the High Priests of Amun moving into Nubia towards the end of the Twentieth Dynasty because of political conflict arising at the end of the New Kingdom.^[89] Brugsch in particular entertained the idea that the early Kushite kings were lineal descendants of the priests from Egypt, though this was explicitly rejected by Breasted.^[89] Later Egyptologists A. J. Arkell and Walter Emery theorized that a priestly "government in exile" had influenced the Kushite kingdom.^[90] E. A. Wallis Budge agreed with these ideas and suggested that the High Priests of Amun moved south to Nubia due to the rise of the Libyan pharaohs in Lower Egypt, and consolidated their high position by intermarrying with Nubian women. Budge further theorised that the name of the Nubian pharaoh Piye or "Piankhi" was taken from that of the High Priest of Amun Piankh and he was possibly Piankh's descendant.^[91] Such ideas around the Kushite monarchy originating from this specific line of priests are now considered outdated, but the popularity of these theories in the early 20th century explains their inclusion, in almost exact chronological order, on the 1922 Ethiopian regnal list.

Greek influences

6th century BC Greek black-figure vase showing Memnon leaving for Troy.

A number of figures from Greek mythology are included on the regnal list, in most cases due to being described as "Aethiopian" in ancient sources. Louis J. Morié's Histoire de l'Éthiopie is again largely responsible for their inclusion. His book included Memnon, a mythical king of "Aethiopia" who fought in the Trojan War, his father Tithonus, and his brother Emathion, who are all included on the regnal list under the names Amen Emhat II (83), Titon Satiyo (81) and Hermantu (82).^[92] Cassiopeia was also mentioned in Morié's book, but he confusingly uses the name for two different women.^[93] This results in the 1922 regnal list including Cassiopeia under the name of Kasiyope (49) while her husband Cepheus is listed four hundred years later under the name Kefe (71).

The list additionally included figures who were not part of Morié's narrative, showing that the author used other sources to build the regnal list. The legendary Cretian king Minos is included under the name "Mandes" (66), a variation of the name used by Diodorus in his work Bibliotheca Historia,^[94] though oddly he was listed as a king of Egypt in Diodorus' text rather than Crete. This text by Diodorus seems to have influenced other parts of the regnal list, such as the inclusion of king "Actisanes" as the direct predecessor of Mandes, the name "Sabakon" for the 122nd monarch of the regnal list (an alternate name for the Kushite pharaoh Shabaka) and the 127th monarch named "Apras", the Greek name for Egyptian pharaoh Wahibre Haaibre.^[94]

The list of Egyptian kings from Herodotus' Histories also had some influence on the 1922 regnal list, with the various names of rulers being re-used for "Ethiopian" monarchs. Examples include "Nitocris" used for Nicotnis Kandake IV (no. 162), "Proteus" used for "Protawos" (no. 67), as well as the aforementioned "Sabakon" used for Safelya Sabakon (no. 122) and "Apries" for Apras (no. 127).^[95] Manetho's Aegyptiaca is another source for certain names on the regnal list, such as "Sebikos" for Agalbus Sepekos (no. 123), "Tarakos" for Awseya Tarakos (no. 125) and "Sabakon".^[96]

Monarchs who reigned before the birth of Christ (991 years)

The Ark of the Covenant arriving in Ethiopia with Menelik I.

Ethiopian tradition credits Makeda with being the first Ethiopian monarch to convert to Judaism after her visit to king Solomon, before which she had been worshipping Sabaean gods. However, Judaism did not become the official religion of Ethiopia until Makeda's son Menelik brought the Ark of the Covenant to Ethiopia. While Ethiopian tradition asserts that the kings following Menelik maintained the Jewish religion, there is no evidence that this was the case and virtually nothing is known of Menelik's successors and their religious beliefs.^[226]

Other Ethiopian regnal lists, based on either oral or textual tradition, present an alternate order and numbering of the kings of this dynasty (see Regnal lists of Ethiopia). If any other Ethiopian regnal list is taken individually, then the number of monarchs from Menelik I to Bazen is not enough to realistically cover the claimed time period from the 10th century BC to the birth of Jesus Christ. Tafari's list tries to bring together various different regnal lists into one larger list by naming the majority of kings that are scattered across various oral and textual records regarding the line of succession from Menelik. The result is a more realistic number of monarchs reigning over the course of ten centuries. Of the 67 monarchs on Tafari's list from Menelik I to Bazen, at least 40 are attested on pre-20th century Ethiopian regnal lists.

Tafari's regnal list names various Nubian/Kushite and Egyptian rulers as part of Menelik's dynasty. These Nubian and Egyptian rulers did not follow the Jewish religion, so their status as alleged successors of Menelik calls into question how strong the 'Judaisation' of Ethiopia truly was in Menelik's reign. These kings do not have Egyptian and Nubian elements in their names on regnal lists from before the 20th century and these elements were only added in 1922 to provide a stronger link to ancient Kush. Louis J. Morié's book Histoire de l'Éthiopie clearly influenced the names and regnal order of this section of the regnal list, as it had also influenced previous dynasties.^[227] The author of the 1922 regnal list combined Morié's line of kings with pre-existing Axumite regnal lists to form a longer line of monarchs from Menelik I's reign in the 10th century BC to Bazen's reign which coincided with the birth of Christ. In many cases, kings from Morié's book are combined with different kings from the Axumite regnal lists.

Peter Truhart, in his book Regents of Nations, believed that an "Era of Nubian Supremacy" began with the reign of Amen Hotep Zagdur, as from this point onwards many kings' names show clear links to the kings of Napata and Kush.^[92] Truhart believed that the kings from Safelya Sabakon to Apras were likely related to or possibly identifiable with the Pharaohs of the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth dynasties (c. 730–525 BC).^[92] He additionally believed that an "Era of Meroen Influence" began with the reign of Kashta Walda Ahuhu.^[92]

Some historians refer to this dynasty as the "Solomon" dynasty, in reference to its claimed descent from king Solomon and because of the use of the term to the refer to the later Solomonic dynasty that was descended from this earlier line of kings.^[92]

No. [228]	Name [228]	Picture	Length of reign [228]	Reign dates (Ethiopian Calendar) [228]	"Year of the World" [228]	Alternate names	Notes
99	Menelik I		25 years	982–957 BC	4518–4543	Ebna El-Hakim[55][92] Ibn Hakim[229] Dawit[92][47] David[230] Daoud[231] Menilehec[232] Menileh	According to Ethiopian tradition, Menelik was the son of Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of Israel. The Kebra Nagast states he ruled in the 10th century BC, which matches with the dates listed here. Some Ethiopian traditions state Menelik founded Aksum,[233] while some chronicles claim this was done by Solomon.[55] Peter Truhart dated the beginning of Menelik's reign to c. 950 BC.[92] Other regnal lists claim Menelik's reign lasted between 4 and 29 years.[86]
100	Hanyon I		1 year	957–956 BC	4543–4544	Handeyon[47][225] Za Handadyo[92][229] Zagdur[229]	Other regnal lists claim this king's reign lasted to between 1 and 8 years.[229] Not numbered by Tafari.[234]
101	Sera I (Tomai)		26 years	956–930 BC	4544–4570	Sirah Tomay[47] Ab-Rakid[235] Tomas[235] Zerakh[236] Zerah[236]	Son of Menelik I.[237] At least one Ethiopian regnal list claims he ruled for 15 years.[235] The name "Sera" was not used for this king prior to the 1922 regnal list.[229][238][235] The decision to add this name was influenced by Louis J. Morié's book Histoire de l'Éthiopie, which inspired much of the regnal list as a whole. Morié believed a king named "Atserk-Amen I" (who he identified with the Biblical Zerah the Cushite) had reigned directly before kings named "Amenhotep" and "Ramissu" (the next two kings on this regnal list) and had failed to conquer the Kingdom of Judah during the reign of Asa, as mentioned in the Book of Chronicles (2 Chronicles 14:9–15).[236] However, the reign dates for Sera I on this regnal list are too early to align with the commonly accepted reign dates of Asa among modern-day archaeologists (c. 911–870 BC).
102	Amen Hotep Zagdur II		31 years	930–899 BC	4570–4601	Zagduru[235] Za-Gedur[239] Amenhotep[240] Barakid[239]	Only known as "Zagdur" or "Zagduru" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[235] The addition of the name "Amen Hotep" was done to closer match the narrative of Louis J. Morié's book Histoire de l'Éthiopie, which claimed that a king called "Amenhotep" ruled Aethiopia in the late 10th and early 9th centuries BC.[240] This king may be identifiable with the Aksumite king GDRT, who appears in some regnal lists under the name "Gedur", "Zegdur" or "Zegduru" ("Ze" meaning "of" in Ge'ez). However the estimated period of GDRT's reign used by archeologists (c. 200 AD), more closely matches the similarly named king "Gaza Agdur" who appears as the 188th monarch on this list. One version of Heruy Wolde Selassie's regnal list and Aleka Taye's regnal list both state that this king ruled for 41 years, from 930 to 889 BC, resulting in all of the following monarchs of this dynasty until Safelya Sabakon (no. 122) having their reign dates pushed forward by 10 years compared to Tafari's list.[225][47] Not numbered by Tafari.[234]
103	Aksumay Ramissu		20 years	899–879 BC	4601–4621	Aksumay[235] Za Awda[92] Aouda-Amat[239] "The Aksumite"[239]	This king's name references both the kingdom of Aksum and the Egyptian Pharaohs named Ramesses who ruled Egypt during the Nineteenth and Twentieth dynasties. Only known as "Aksumay" on pre-20th century Ethiopian regnal lists.[235] The addition of "Ramissu" to his name is due to the regnal list being influenced by Louis J. Morié's book Histoire de l'Éthiopie, which claimed a king called "Ramessou" ruled Aethiopia in the 9th century BC and succeeded king "Amenhotep".[241]
104	Awseyo Sera II		38 years	879–841 BC	4621–4659	Sirah[47] Za Awesyo[229][92] Awsabyos[92][235] Aufyi Za Awsyu[229]	Only known as "Awesyo", "Awsabyos" or "Aufyi" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[86] The decision to add "Sera" to this king's name was influenced by Louis J. Morié's Histoire de l'Éthiopie, which claimed that king "Ramessou" was succeeded by "Atserk-Amen II" (otherwise known as "Zerakh II"), who launched a second invasion of Judah and carried off the family of Jehoram, as related in the Bible.[242] The reign dates for Awseyo Sera II roughly correspond with the modern estimated reign dates for Jehoram (c. 849–842 BC).
105	Tawasya II		21 years	841–820 BC	4659–4680	Tawasaya Za Sawe[92] Ta'asya Tahawasya[235]
106	Abralyus Piyankihi II		32 years	820–788 BC	4680–4712	Piye Piankhi Abralyus[235] Abraham[239] Abramyos[239] Abralios Piankhi[47] Abralyos Piyankiya[225]	Piye or "Piankhi",[243][114][92] a historical Kushite king who ruled Nubia from c. 744 to 714 BC and conquered Egypt in c. 720 BC, founding the Twenty-fifth dynasty. Only known as "Abralyus" on pre-20th century Ethiopian regnal lists.[235] Name written as "Abralyus Wiyankihi" on Tafari's list.[234]
107	Aksumay Warada Tsahay		23 years	788–765 BC	4712–4735	Aksumay Werede Tsehay[47] Warada Dahay[235] Ouarada-Tsahai[239]	The second king on this list whose name references the ancient kingdom of Aksum. This king reinstated the ancient cults after Aethiopia had been following Judaism since the reign of Menelik I.[244] Only known as "Warada Tsahay" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[235]
108	Kashta Hanyon II		13 years	765–752 BC	4735–4748	Kashta Kaseheta Handeyon[47][225] Handadyo[235][239] Kaschata[245]	Historical Kushite king Kashta who was Piye/Piankhi's immediate predecessor.[92] Only known as "Hanyon" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[235] Not numbered on Tafari's list.[234]
109	Sabaka		12 years	752–740 BC	4748–4760	Shabaka	Historical Kushite Pharaoh Shabaka[114][92] who ruled Nubia and Egypt from 705 to 690 BC and was a son of Shebitku. Some historians have theorized that there may be some affinity between the word "Saba" and the name of the so-called Aethiopian king Sabaka.[246]
110	Nicauta Kandake I (Queen)		10 years	740–730 BC	4760–4770	Nikanta Qendeke[47][225] Amenirdis I[247]	Ninth female monarch on this regnal list. The first of 6 Queens on this list named Kandake, the Meroitic term for the sister of the king of Kush who sometimes ruled over Kush and Nubia as regent or as a monarch in her own right. None of the reigning Kandakes are known to have ruled as far back as the 8th century BC, with the earliest known reigning queen of Kush having ruled during the 2nd century BC. The inclusion of this queen on this regnal list may be inspired by Louis J. Morié's claim that Amenirdis I was a "Kantakeh" queen who ruled as regent during the reigns of three Aethiopian kings.[247] In reality Amenirdis was a God's Wife of Amun during the time of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt. She was a daughter of Kashta.
111	Tsawi Terhak Warada Nagash		49 years	730–681 BC	4770–4819	Taharqa Dawe' Tirhaq (Werede Negash)[47] Sawe Za Tsawe[229] Warada Nagasha[235] Wurrod-Negush[239]	Historical Kushite Pharaoh Taharqa,[92] who ruled Nubia and Egypt from 690 to 664 BC and was a son of Piye. Mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (2 Kings 19:9; Isaiah 37:9), where he fought against Sennacherib of the Neo-Assyrian Empire.[87] The Hebrew Bible calls him the "King of Ethiopia", although this specifically refers to the Kingdom of Kush in Nubia. The dating on this regnal list allows for Taharqa's reign to coincide with the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem in 701 BC, even though the historical Taharqa did not ascend to the throne until 690 BC. Only known as "Tsawe" or "Warada Nagash" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[86]
112	Erda Amen Awseya		6 years	681–675 BC	4819–4825	Asanya[92] Ardamen Awseya[225] Ourd-Amen[248] Roud-Amen[248] Aousanya[239] Aouseyo[239]	Son-in-law of Taharqa (Tsawi Terhak) according to Louis J. Morié's narrative.[248] E. A. Wallis Budge believed this king to be Rudamun, a Libyan pharaoh of the Twenty-third Dynasty of Egypt.[114] Louis J. Morié certainly used "Roud-Amen" as an alternate name for this king.[248] Rudamun ruled over Upper Egypt from c. 759 to c. 755 BC, more than 70 years before the dates on this regnal list, and is not known to have extended any influence over Nubia. Only known as "Awseya" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[229]
113	Gasiyo Eskikatir		–	–	–	Gesiyo[47] Gasyo[225] Za Gasyo[92] Za Gesyu[229] Basilius Basilo Basyo[249]	The only monarch on this regnal list with no dates.[234] "Eskikatir" means "until Noon" or "until Midday".[250] Ethiopian historians Aleka Taye and Fisseha Yaze Kassa both state that this king reigned for only six hours.[47][251] Peter Truhart stated that this king reigned for half a day.[92]
114	Nuatmeawn		4 years	675–671 BC	4825–4829	Tantamani Nuatmiomun[225] Nuatmiamen[47] Za Mawat[92] Mouta Za Maute[229] Nouat-Meiamoun[252]	Historical Kushite Pharaoh Tantamani,[114] who ruled Nubia from 664 to 653 BC and ruled Egypt from the beginning of his reign until he lost control of it in 656 BC. Peter Truhart identified this king with "Za Mawat", who appears on some Ethiopian regnal lists.[92] Other regnal lists claim the reign of "Mawat"/"Maute" lasted from 8 years and 4 months to 20 years and 1 month.[86]
115	Tomadyon Piyankihi III		12 years	671–659 BC	4829–4841	Toma Dahay[92][235] Toma Seyon[235][249] Tomaseyon Piyankiha[225]	Only known as "Tomadyon" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[235] Husband of Amenirdis I in Louis J. Morié's narrative.[253] "Toma-Seyon" means "Twin of Zion".[249]
116	Amen Asro II		16 years	659–643 BC	4841–4857	Amanislo[176] Amenosro	Historical Kushite king Amanislo,.[176] who reigned in the 3rd century BC. Name written as "Amen Asero" on Tafari's list.[234] Not numbered by Tafari.[234]
117	Piyankihi IV (Awtet)		34 years	643–609 BC	4857–4891	Piankhi IV (Awtio)[47] Biyankiya (Awteyo)[225]	Son of Piyankihi III and Amenirdis I in Louis J. Morié's narrative.[254]
118	Zaware Nebret Aspurta		41 years	609–568 BC	4891–4932	Aspelta Zuwarenbret Aspurta[47][225]	Historical Kushite king Aspelta,[114][92] who ruled Nubia from c. 600 to c. 580 BC. "Zaware Nebrat" means "seed of the High Priest" according to Louis J. Morié.[249]
119	Saifay Harsiataw		12 years	568–556 BC	4932–4944	Harsiotef Serfay Harsiatew[47] Horsiatew[255] Scifi[249]	Historical Kushite king Harsiotef,[114][92] who ruled Nubia from c. 404 to c. 369 BC.
120	Ramhay Nastossanan		14 years	556–542 BC	4944–4958	Nastasen Ramahay Rami[249]	Historical Kushite king Nastasen,[114] who ruled Nubia from c. 335 to c. 315 BC. An unpublished chronicle from Aksum states that a king named "Ramahay" reigned at the time of Alexander the Great and asked for Greek technicians and engineers to build palaces, monuments and stelae, one of which was destroyed centuries later by Gudit.[256] Alexander's rule of Egypt did not take place until 332 BC, over two centuries after these dates, and thus either the dating is wrong or this legend refers to the second king named Ramhay on this list (no. 145). Perhaps coincidentally, the Nubian king Nastasen did in fact reign during the time of Alexander the Great. It is unknown if this is the reason why the author of this regnal list associated Nastasen with Ramahay despite the Nubian king's absence on earlier Ethiopian regnal lists.
121	Handu Wuha Abra		11 years	542–531 BC	4958–4969	Handar[235] Handew Abra[47] Handiwa'bra[225] Haduna Artsé[249] Hydaspes[257]	E. A. Wallis Budge identified this king as Wahibre Ibiau,[114] who was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 13th dynasty. Peter Truhart also identified this king with Pharaoh "Wahabre".[92] In Louis J. Morie's original narrative, this monarch was king Hydaspes of Aethiopia, a character from Aethiopica, an ancient Greek book written by Heliodorus of Emesa in either the 220s or 370s AD.[257]
122	Safelya Sabakon		31 years	531–500 BC	4969–5000	Sofelia Nekibon[47] Zafelya Sabakon[92] Sofelya Nabikon[225]	An alternate name for Nubian pharaoh Shabaka,[114][92] as used by Diodorus in his work Bibliothecia Historia.[94]
123	Agalbus Sepekos		22 years	500–478 BC	5000–5022	Shebitku Agelbul Sewekos[47]	"Sepekos"/"Sebikhos" is an alternate name for the Kushite pharaoh Shebitku used in Manetho's Aegyptica.[258] One version of Heruy Wolde Selassie's regnal list and Aleka Taye's regnal list state that this king reigned for 21 years, from 490 to 469 BC[47][225] This, combined with the addition of 10 years to Amen Hotep Zagdur's reign earlier, results in all monarchs of this dynasty until Feliya Hernekhit (no. 146) on Selassie's list and Queen Nicotnis Kandake V (no. 162) on Taye's list having their reign dates pushed forward by 11 years compared to Tafari's list.
124	Psmenit Warada Nagash		21 years	478–457 BC	5022–5043	Psmeret (Werede Negash)[47][225]	Possibly based on one of the pharaohs of the Twenty-sixth dynasty named "Psamtik".[114] If this is the case, then this king could be Psamtik II, who invaded Kush in 592 BC and sacked Napata.[259] Name written as "waradanegash" on Tafari's list.[234]
125	Awseya Tarakos		12 years	457–445 BC	5043–5055	Asanya Awesya[235] Awesia Burakos[225][47]	Possibly an alternate name for Taharqa.[92] Only known as "Awseya" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[235]
126	Kanaz Psmis		13 years	445–432 BC	5055–5068	Qaniz Peshmez[225] Qeniz Pismes[47] Katzina Kanazi Za Qanaz[229][92] Kanati[92]	Son of Awseya Tarakos.[260] Other regnal lists claim this king's reign lasted 9 or 10 years.[229]
127	Apras		10 years	432–422 BC	5068–5078	Apries Apraso[225][47]	Historical Egyptian pharaoh Apries,[114] who ruled Egypt from 589 to 570 BC. This pharaoh is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible in Jeremiah 44:30.
128	Kashta Walda Ahuhu		20 years	422–402 BC	5078–5098	Walda Mehrat[235] Keshita Welde Equh[47] Kasheta Walda Ekhuhu[225]
129	Elalion Taake		10 years	402–392 BC	5098–5108	Taaaken[261] Elalion Te'niki[262][47] Elalior[238] Ilalyos[235][239][263]	Restored Judaism as the official religion of Aethiopia.[239] Only known as "Elalion" on pre-20th century regnal lists.
130	Atserk Amen III		10 years	392–382 BC	5108–5118	Atsirkamin[47][262]	Peter Truhart re-numbered this king as "Atserk Amen I", likely because no king of this name appears earlier on the 1922 regnal list.[263] The confusion over the numbering of the kings named "Atserk Amen" stems from the numbering used by Louis J. Morié, who named this king the third to use this name.[264] However the first two kings named "Atserk Amen" in his narrative were renamed to "Sera I (Tomai)" (no. 101) and "Awseyo Sera II" (no. 104) on the 1922 Ethiopian regnal list. Truhart also believed that the four kings named "Atserk Amen" were based on the name of a Merotic king,[265] though does not specify who.
131	Atserk Amen IV		10 years	382–372 BC	5118–5128	Atsirkamin[47][262]	Peter Truhart re-numbered this king as "Atserk Amen II".[263]
132	Hadina (Queen)		10 years	372–362 BC	5128–5138	Haduna Za Hadena[229]	Tenth female monarch on this regnal list. Other regnal lists claim this monarch ruled for 9 years.[229]
133	Atserk Amen V		10 years	362–352 BC	5138–5148	Atsirkamin[47][262]	Peter Truhart re-numbered this king as "Atserk Amen III".[263]
134	Atserk Amen VI		10 years	352–342 BC	5148–5158	Atsirkamin[47][262]	Peter Truhart re-numbered this king as "Atserk Amen IV".[263]
135	Nikawla Kandake II (Queen)		10 years	342–332 BC	5158–5168	Kantakeh[266] Kandake Candace	Eleventh female monarch on this regnal list. The name "Nicaula" was sometimes used to refer to the Queen of Sheba.[88] Giovanni Boccaccio, in his work De Mulieribus Claris (1361–1362), claimed that queen "Nicaula" was queen of Aethiopia, Egypt and Arabia and had a large palace on the island of Meroe.[267] The Queen of Sheba was also called "Nicaula" in The Book of the City of Ladies (1405) by Christine de Pizan and A New History of Ethiopia (1684) by Hiob Ludolf, the latter doubting Giovanni Boccaccio's claim that "Nicaula" was also queen of Egypt.[268] Based on the dating given on this list, this queen may the Kandake who was said to have fought Alexander the Great, according to the Alexander Romance.[269] However, in reality Alexander never attempted to conquer Nubia.[270] Portuguese missionary Jerónimo Lobo noted that contemporary Abyssinians/Ethiopians in the 17th century sometimes used the name "Nicaula" for the Queen of Sheba, alongside the names "Makeda" and "Nagista Azeb".[271] Louis J. Morié's narrative claimed that this queen married Alexander and he was recognised as ruler of Aethiopia, though he personally never had the chance to visit there.[266]
136	Bassyo		7 years	332–325 BC	5168–5175	Za Bahas[263] Ba'os[235][263] Basei[47] Bas'u[262]
137	Akawsis Kandake III (Queen)		10 years	325–315 BC	5175–5185	Nikawsis Qendeke[47] Akawkis Qendeke[262] Kantakeh III[272] Candance Kandake	Twelfth female monarch on this regnal list. In Louis J. Morié's original narrative, this queen was the Kandake who fought against the Romans and Gaius Petronius.[272] However, the 1922 regnal list pushes this queen's reign dates back by nearly three centuries and therefore she can not be identified with this particular queen.
138	Arkamen I		10 years	315–305 BC	5185–5195	Erk-Amen[273] Ergamenes Arqamani	Louis J. Morié's original narrative identified this king with Ergamenes, a Kushite king mentioned in the writings of Diodorus Siculus.[273] Modern-day archaeologists consider Arqamani to be the most likely king of Kush that the story of Ergamenes is based on. Aleka Taye swapped this king's position with Awtet Arawura below.[47]
139	Awtet Arawura		10 years	305–295 BC	5195–5205	Awtet Arawra[47] Awestet[235][263] Awetet[235]	Only known as "Awtet" on pre-20th century Ethiopian regnal lists.[235] Aleka Taye swapped this king's position with Arkamen above.[47]
140	Kolas (Koletro)		10 years	295–285 BC	5205–5215	Kels'a (Kelitro)[47] Kalas Za Kal'aku[229][263] Kalas Kalito[262]	Other regnal lists claim this king ruled for 6 years.[229]
141	Zaware Nebrat II		16 years	285–269 BC	5215–5231	Zewarienebret[47][262]	Name written as "Zawre Nebrat" on Tafari's list.[260]
142	Stiyo		14 years	269–255 BC	5231–5245	Stoyo[262] Sotio[47] Satyo[263] Za Satyo Solaya[229]	Other regnal lists claim this king ruled for 16 years.[229]
143	Safay		13 years	255–242 BC	5245–5258	Sayfay[262] Sodofay[47]
144	Nikosis Kandake IV (Queen)		10 years	242–232 BC	5258–5268	Nikosis Qendeke[262] Kantakeh[274] Kandake Candace	Thirteenth female monarch on this regnal list.
145	Ramhay Arkamen II		10 years	232–222 BC	5268–5278	Arakamani Ergamenes Ramahay Remhay Armin[47]	Likely a Kushite king,[263] either Arakamani or Arqamani, who ruled Kush in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC However, it is more likely this king is intended to be Arakamani, often equated with Ergamenes, a Nubian king reported by Greek historian Agatharchides to have reigned during the time of Pharaoh Ptolemy IV of Egypt (r. 221–204 BC). An unpublished chronicle from Axum states that a king named "Ramahay" reigned at the time of Alexander the Great and asked for Greek technicians and engineers to build palaces, monuments and stelae, one of which was destroyed centuries later by Gudit.[256] Alexander's rule of Egypt took place during 332–323 BC, and thus this king's reign is a century too late to be a contemporary of Alexander. However, this story of king Ramahay bears notable similarities with the story of Ergamenes, who was said to have been instructed in Greek philosophy, interested in Greek art and the general Greek way of life.[275] It is therefore possible that naming this king "Ramhay Arkamen" is intended to reflect that "Ramahay" is to be identified with "Ergamenes". Only known as "Ramhay" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[235] In Louis J. Morié's narrative, this king was the son of queen Kandake IV.[274]
146	Feliya Hernekhit		15 years	222–207 BC	5278–5293	Falaya Za Filya[229][263] Fielya Hurnekhet[47] Felya Hurnekeht[262] Safelia[249]	Other regnal lists state this king reigned for 26 years.[229]
147	Hende Awkerara		20 years	207–187 BC	5293–5313	Henden Handu[235] Ouikera[276] Hende(n) Awkerarq[263] Hendor[263]	Son of Feliya Hernekhit.[276] One version of Heruy Wolde Selassie's regnal list claims this king reigned for 22 years.[262] This, along with the addition of 10 years to the reign of Amen Hotep Zagdur (no. 102) and the removal of 1 year from the reign of Agalbus Sepekos (no. 123) results in all monarchs up to Queen Nicotnis Kandake V (no. 162) having their reign dates pushed forward by 11 years compared to Tafari's list.
148	Agabu Baseheran		10 years	187–177 BC	5313–5323	Aghabu Bisehran[47][262] Bahas Za Bahse Za Bahas[229]	Son of Hende Awkerara.[276] Only known as "Bahas" on pre-20th century Ethiopian regnal lists.[229] Other regnal lists claim this king ruled for 9 years.[229]
149	Sulay Kawawmenun		20 years	177–157 BC	5323–5343	Sulay Awawminun[47] Kawida Kawuda Za Taweda[229] Khouwoumenou[276] Shoufoumenou[276]	Other regnal lists claim this king ruled for 2 years.[229]
150	Messelme Kerarmer		8 years	157–149 BC	5343–5351	Masleni Qurarmer[262] Meslni Qurarmer[47] Kanata[229]
151	Nagey Bsente		10 years	149–139 BC	5351–5361	Nagsay Besinti[262] Negsay Bisiniti[47] Psentes[277] Psenthes[277]
152	Etbenukawer		10 years	139–129 BC	5361–5371
153	Safeliya Abramen		20 years	129–109 BC	5371–5391	Sifelya Abramin[47] Za Felya Abramen[263]	E. A. Wallis Budge and Peter Truhart both suggested that this king could be the Axumite king Aphilas,[278] although the reign dates on this list are far too early.
154	Sanay		10 years	109–99 BC	5391–5401	Senay[47]
155	Awsena (Queen)		11 years	99–88 BC	5401–5412	Awasina[262] Asisena Za Awzena[229] Aouzena[249]	Fourteenth female monarch on this regnal list. Other regnal lists claim this monarch ruled for only 1 year.[229]
156	Dawit II		10 years	88–78 BC	5412–5422		The reason why Tafari called this king "Dawit II" may be because Aleka Taye numbered the king this way and referred to Menelik I as "Dawit" in his regnal list.[47]
157	Aglbul		8 years	78–70 BC	5422–5430	Aghelbuls[47] Aglebu Engeleb[229][263] Za Aglebu[263][235] Aglebel[263][229]	Other regnal lists claim this king ruled for 3 years.[229]
158	Bawawl		10 years	70–60 BC	5430–5440	Bawel Bawawel[235] Bewawl[47]
159	Barawas		10 years	60–50 BC	5440–5450	Berewas[47] Za Birwas[229][263] Bawaris[235][263] Bahr Uedem[249]	Other regnal lists claim this king ruled for 29 years.[229][238] Name means "esteemed defender".[249]
160	Dinedad		10 years	50–40 BC	5450–5460	Danidad[47][262]
161	Amoy Mahasse		5 years	40–35 BC	5460–5465	Mohesa Za Mahasi Za Mahele[86] Za Masih[263]	Other regnal lists claim this king ruled for 1 year.[229] Name means "Pious man".[249]
162	Nicotnis Kandake V (Queen)		10 years	35–25 BC	5465–5475	Nicotris Hendeke[262][47] Amanirenas?	Fifteenth female monarch on this regnal list. Kushite queen Amanirenas reigned during this period, but her rule is not known to have extended to modern day Ethiopia. This queen's name bears similarities to Nitocris, a likely legendary queen who was said to have ruled Egypt at the end of the sixth dynasty, and appears in the writings of numerous ancient Greek writers. Aleka Taye called this queen "Nicotris Hendeke",[47] which is even closer to the name Nitocris.
163	Nalke		5 years	25–20 BC	5475–5480	Nolkee[47] Nolki[262]	One version of Heruy Wolde Selassie's regnal list and Aleka Taye's regnal list both state that this king reigned for 4 years, from 14 to 10 BC[262][47] Ethiopian historian Fisseha Yaze Kassa stated that this king reigned for 2 years.[279]
164	Luzay		12 years	20–8 BC	5480–5492	Laka[235][263]	One version of Heruy Wolde Selassie's regnal list and Aleka Taye's regnal list both state that this king reigned for 2 years, from 10 to 8 BC[262][47] Ethiopian historian Fisseha Yaze Kassa stated that this king reigned for 8 years.[279]
165	Bazen		17 years	8 BC–9 AD	5492–5509	Za B'esi Bazen Tazen[86][263] Balthazar?	Other Ethiopian regnal lists claim this king ruled for 16 years, but are consistent in stating his reign began 8 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.[86] Ethiopian historian Fisseha Yaze Kassa stated that this king reigned for 6 years.[279] A tomb is known to exist for this king and some local Ethiopian traditions claim he was Bathlazar.[280] Egyptologist Henry Salt claimed that he saw an ancient inscription on a stone in a church in Axum stating "This is the sepulchral stone of Bazen".[281] He did however claim that this was the name of several Abyssinian kings, so he may not have been referring to this specific king.[281]
"Before Christ 165 sovereigns reigned."[260]

Monarchs who reigned after the birth of Christ (297 years)

Rembrandt, The Baptism of the Eunuch, c. 1626

Text accompanying this section:
"These thirty-five sovereigns at the time of Akapta Tsenfa Arad had been Christianized by the Apostle Saint Matthew. There were few men who did not believe, for they had heard the words of the gospel. After this Jen Daraba, favourite of the Queen of Ethiopia, Garsemat Kandake, crowned by Gabre Hawariat Kandake, had made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem according to the law of Orit (the ancient law)^{[nb 2]}, and on his return Philip the Apostle [sic] taught him the gospel, and after he had made him believe the truth he sent him back, baptising him in the name of the trinity. The latter (the Queen's favourite), on his return to his country, taught by word of mouth the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ and baptised them. Those who were baptised, not having found an Apostle to teach them the Gospel, had been living offering sacrifices to God according to the ancient prescription and the Jewish Law."^[283]

Despite the text above claiming that Christianity was introduced to Ethiopia during this line of monarchs, Charles F. Rey pointed out that this retelling of events contradicts both the known information around the Christianisation of Ethiopia and the story of Queen Ahwya Sofya and Abreha and Atsbeha in the next section.^[284]

The claim that Matthew the Apostle had Christianized king Akaptah Tsenfa Arad (no. 167) is inspired by Louis J. Morié's narrative in Historie de l'Éthiopie, in which he claimed that a king named "Hakaptah" ruled Aethiopia beginning in c. 40 AD and it was during his reign that Matthew converted the king's daughter Ephigenia.^[285] This narrative was inspired by the older Church story of Matthew which involved a king named "Egippus".^[286]

The story of Garsemot Kandake VI and Jen Daraba is based on the biblical story of the Ethiopian eunuch, who was the treasurer of Kandake, queen of the Ethiopians and was baptized after travelling to Jerusalem. However, the eunuch was actually baptised by Philip the Evangelist, not Philip the Apostle as Tafari mistakenly states. Louis J. Morié's narrative did not accept that this Kandake queen, whom he numbered fifth rather than sixth, was the one who is mentioned in the story of the Ethiopian eunuch.^[224] The apparent contradiction in story of the Christianisation of Ethiopia according to this regnal list is due to an attempt to accommodate both the native Ethiopian tradition around Abreha and Atsbeha and the Biblical traditions of "Ethiopia" (i.e. Nubia).

This section is the last part of the regnal list that directly refers to ancient Nubia and the Kingdom of Kush, which came to an end in the 4th century AD following its conquest by Ezana.

Peter Truhart believed that the line of Axumite kings begins with Gaza Agdur (no. 188) and dated the beginning of his reign to c. 150.^[287]

Note: All monarchs numbered 166 to 200 (with the exception of 168) appear on other Ethiopian regnal lists (see Regnal lists of Ethiopia). The other lists suggest there are multiple distinct traditions regarding the order of succession from Bazen to Abreha and Atsbeha, which this regnal list attempts to combine into a longer line of succession. Numerous monarchs also have their names expanded or altered specially for the 1922 regnal list.

No. [288]	Name [288]	Picture	Length of reign [288]	Reign dates (Ethiopian Calendar) [288]	"Year of the World" [288]	Alternate names	Notes
166	Sartu Tsenfa Asagad		21 years	9–30	5509–5530	Seretu (Tsenfe Aseged)[47] Za Senatu[289][263] Za Sartu[289] Za-Sendo[290]	Other regnal lists claim this king ruled for 26 years.[289] This king was supposedly remembered as a bad ruler.[291] Name written as "Sartu Tsenfa Assegd" on Tafari's list.[174]
167	Akaptah Tsenfa Arad		8 years	30–38	5530–5538	Egippus Hakaptah[285] Akatatah (Senfa Ared)[292] Tzenaf Segued[293]	Tafari claimed that this king was Christianized by Matthew the Apostle.[288] This likely refers to an Aethiopian king named "Egippus" who, in Church tradition, was the father of saint Ephigenia of Ethiopia, who was consecrated by Matthew.[286] One version of Heruy Wolde Selassie's regnal list and Aleka Taye's regnal list both claim this king ruled for only 2 years, from 30 to 32 AD[292][47] Taye claimed this king was followed by a king named "Settah" who reigned for 8 years, from 32 to 40 AD, and is not mentioned on Tafari's list.[47] Only known as "Senfa Arad" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[293]
168	Horemtaku		2 years	38–40	5538–5540	Hirtacus Hor-em-tekhou[285]	Brother of Akaptah Tsenfa Arad.[285] King Hirtacus who, in Church tradition, asked Matthew the Apostle to persuade Ephigenia to marry him, but instead Matthew rebuked the king for lusting after her and the king promptly had Matthew killed while he stood at the altar.[294] Aleka Taye claimed this king reigned from 40 to 42.[47] One version of Heruy Wolde Selassie's regnal list claimed this king reigned from 32 to 34.[292]
169	Garsemot Kandake VI (Queen)		10 years	40–50	5540–5550	Gersmot[47] Garsamot (Hendeke)[292] Guerma Calez[295] Kantakeh[224] Amanitore?	Sixteenth female monarch on this regnal list. The historical Kandake whose period of rule may align with this monarch could be Amanitore who ruled in the 1st century AD. According to some Ethiopian traditions, the first church of Ethiopia, the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, was built during this queen's reign by eunuch after her converstion to Christianity.[296] However, it is more likely the church was built by Ezana in the 4th century after his conversion to Christianity.[297] One version of Heruy Wolde Selassie's regnal list claimed this queen ruled for 8 years from 34 to 42.[292] Aleka Taye likewise claimed this queen ruled for 8 years, but dated her reign to 42–50.[47]
170	Hatoza Bahr Asagad		28 years	50–78	5550–5578	Baher [A]sgad[293] Hatez Baher Asged[47] Hatoza Bahr Asgad[263]	Only known as "Baher Asagad" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[293]
171	Mesenh Germasir		7 years	78–85	5578–5585	Meshin Germasor[47] Masenh Germa Sor[263] Za Masenh Za Museneh[289][263]	Other regnal lists claim this king ruled for 6 years. He is only known as "Masenh" or "Museneh" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[289]
172	Metwa Germa Asfar		9 years	85–94	5585–5594	Za Shetet Za Sutuwa[289] Setwa Germa Asfir[47] Sateua[291]	Only known as "Sutuwa" or "Shetet" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[289]
173	Adgala II		10 years and 6 months	94–104	5594–5604	Adgala[291] Za Adgaba Za Adgasa[289][263] Bahr Argad[263]	Some regnal lists claim this king ruled for 16 years.[289][263]
174	Agba		6 months	104–105	5604–5605	Za Agabos[263] Za Agba[289]	Aleka Taye claimed this king reigned for a full year.[47]
175	Serada		16 years	105–121	5605–5621
176	Malis Alameda I		4 years	121–125	5621–5625	Melis Alamida[47] Za Malis Za Malik[289]	Some regnal lists claim this king ruled for 6 years. He is only known as "Malis" or "Malik" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[289]
177	Hakabe Nasohi Tseyon		6 years	125–131	5625–5631	Tzion[293] Haqabi Kulu Tsion[47] Hakabe Nasohi Seyon[263] Kuelula-Zion[291]	Only known as "Tsyion" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[293] This king was a scholar and fluent in the Greek language, but was also greedy and debauched.[298]
178	Hakli Sergway		12 years	131–143	5631–5643	Zoskales[291] Za Hakli[263] Za Hakale Sargai Sharguay[299] Hakale Sergway[263]	Could be the Aksumite king Zoskales, the earliest known king of Axum who ruled in c. 100. Egyptologist Henry Salt and Ethiopian scholar Sergew Hable Sellassie both theorised that Zoskales was the king known as "Za Haqala" or "Za Hakale" that appears on some Ethiopian regnal lists.[300][301] However, G.W.B. Huntingford felt that there is not enough evidence to support this identification.[302] The names "Hakli" and "Sergway" are often listed independently on other Ethiopian regnal lists, which could mean that they are two different kings. However, no known regnal lists (apart from Tafari's) have both names included. Some regnal lists claim that king "Hakli" reigned for 13 years.[299][263]
179	Dedme Zaray		10 years	143–153	5643–5653	Dedeme Zeray[47] Za Demahe Zaray[287][299]	The names "Dedme" and "Zaray" are often listed independently on other Ethiopian regnal lists, which could mean that they are two different kings. However, no known regnal lists (apart from Tafari's) have both names included.[299]
180	Awtet		2 years	153–155	5653–5655	Za Awtet[289][287]	Third king named "Awtet" on this list but not numbered.[228]
181	Alaly Bagamay		7 years	155–162	5655–5662	Bagamai[293] Ela Arka[287] Za Ela-Herka[289]	Brother of Dedme Zaray.[303] The names "Bagamai" and "Arka"/"Herka" are often listed independently on other Ethiopian regnal lists, which could mean that they are two different kings.[299] However, no regnal list (apart from Tafari's) includes both names, so it is possible they are meant to be two names for the same person.
182	Awadu Jan Asagad		30 years	162–192	5662–5692	Za El-'Aweda Jan Segued Sabe Asgad[299] Saba Asgad[287]	Brother of Dedme Zaray.[303] The names "Awadu" and "Jan Asagad" are often listed independently on other Ethiopian regnal lists, which could mean that they are two different kings.[299] However, no known regnal lists (apart from Tafari's) have both names included. Louis J. Morié believed this was the king whose conquests was recorded on the Monumentum Adulitanum inscription.[304]
183	Zagun Tseyon Hegez		5 years	192–197	5692–5697	Zagen Tsion Hagez[47] Za Zigen Zamare[289] Dezta?[287]	Some regnal lists claim that Zagun was a co-ruler with the next king Rema. These lists state that they ruled for either 20 or 40 years, though do not state if they were co-rulers for this entire length of time. Only known as "Zagun" or "Zamare" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[289]
184	Rema Tseyon Geza		3 years	197–200	5697–5700	Betza Seyon Geza[299] Reima Tsion Geza[47] Zamare?[287]	Some regnal lists claim that Rema was a co-ruler with the previous king Zagun. These lists state that they ruled for either 20 or 40 years, though do not state if they were co-rulers for this entire length of time. The names "Rema" and "Seyon Geza" are often listed independently on other Ethiopian regnal lists, which could mean that they are two different kings.[299] However, no known regnal lists (apart from Tafari's) have both names included.
185	Azegan Malbagad		7 years	200–207	5700–5707	Moal Genba[293] Azeigan Me'albagad[47] Azagan	Aleka Taye stated that this king reigned either 5 or 7 years.[47] Only known as "Moal Genba" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[293]
186	Gafale Seb Asagad		1 year	207–208	5707–5708	Za Gafali[289][287] Gefelie Seb' Aseged[47]	Only known as "Gafale" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[289]
187	Tsegay Beze Wark		4 years	208–212	5708–5712	Za Baesi Serk[289] Tsegayon Be'esie Serq[47] Segay Besi Sarq[287]	Only known as "Besi Sark" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[289]
188	Gaza Agdur		9 years	212–221	5712–5721	GDRT? Zagdur? Gadar(at)[287]	This king may be identifiable with the Aksumite king GDRT, who appears in some regnal lists under the name "Gedur", "Zegdur" or "Zegduru" ("Ze" meaning "of" in Ge'ez). A similarly named king "Amen Hotep Zagdur" appears earlier in Tafari's list as no. 102. However, archeologists believe that king GDRT reigned at some point in the early third century AD, which more closely matches the date of the 188th king on this list. Only known as "Agdur" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[293] The name of this king could be a reference to Gaza in Palestine, which was promised by king Solomon to Makeda according to the Kebra Nagast.[305]
189	Agduba Asgwegwe		8 years	221–229	5721–5729	Za Elasguaga Za El-Azwagwa[289] Agdur Asguaga[47] Adbah[287] ʽDBH[287] Agduba ela Asgwagwa[287]	Some chronicles claim that a king named "Azguagua" was the son of a king named "Alada" and was converted to Christianity by Frumentius and his brother Edesius.[233] Tafari's list rejects this tradition and instead dates the conversion of Ethiopia to Christianity in the reign of Ahywa Sofya. The reign dates for Asgwegwe on this list are also far too early to be in line with the lifetime of Frumentius. Other regnal lists claim this king reigned for 76 years.[289] Peter Truhart identified this king with the Axumite king ʽDBH or "Adhebah".[287] Only known as "Asgwegwe" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[289]
190	Dawiza		1 year	229–230	5729–5730	Za Baesi tsawera Za Be'si Saweza[289][287]	Brother of Agduba Asgwegwe.[306]
191	Wakana (Queen)		2 days	230	5730	Za Wakena Za Wakna[289]	Seventeenth female monarch on this regnal list. According to Aleka Taye, this queen reigned for 2 months instead of 2 days.[47]
192	Hadawz		4 months	230	5730	Za Hadus Za Hadawesa[289][287] Hawdes[47]	Some regnal lists claim this king ruled for 2 months.[289]
193	Ailassan Sagal		3 years	230–233	5730–5733	El Segel Za Ela-Sagal[289][287] Aslal Sen Segel[47] Za Asgal[287] Zoskales[287]	Some regnal lists claim this king ruled for 2 years.[289] Peter Truhart identified this king as the Axumite king Zoskales and dated the beginning of his reign to c. 210 or 220.[287]
194	Asfehi Asfeha		14 years	233–247	5733–5747	El Asfeh Za Ela Asfeha[289][287] Asfeho Asfeha[47]	Some regnal lists claim this king ruled for 10 years. Only known as "Asfeha" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[289]
195	Atsgaba Seifa Arad		6 years	247–253	5747–5753	Sayfa Ar'ed[307] Atsgebe Seyfe Are'd[47] Asgaba Sayfa Arad[287]	According to the Tarika Nagast (History of Kings), the father of Abreha and Atsbeha was king Sayfa-Ar'ed.[307] E. A. Wallis Budge referred to the king from the Tarika Nagast account as "Senfa Arad (II)".[308] This identification however still raises questions over Tafari's list, as this king is followed by four further kings before the mother of Abreha and Atsbeha becomes ruler of Ethiopia. One regnal list quoted by Carlo Conti Rossini claimed that "Seifa Arad" was the throne name of king Tazer (no. 199 on this list).[309] This king was only known as "Seifa Arad" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[309]
196	Ayba		17 years	253–270	5753–5770	Za Aiba El Aiga[289][287] Za Ela Ayba[287] Za Ela Ayga[287][289]	Other regnal lists claim this king ruled for 16 years. He is possibly identifiable with king "Ayga", who ruled for 18 years according some regnal lists.[289][287]
197	Tsaham Lakniduga		9 years	270–279	5770–5779	El Tshemo Za Ela Saham[289] Tseham Lakdun[47] Za Ela Saham Laknduga[287]	Son of Ayba.[287] Only known as "Tsaham" on pre-20th century regnal lists.[289]
198	Tsegab		10 years	279–289	5779–5789	El Tsegaba Za Ela Segab[289] Ze Ela Segab(a)[287] Wazebas?[287]	Other regnal lists claim this king ruled for 23 years.[289] Peter Truhart tentatively identified this king as the Axumite king Wazeba.[287] This idenfication allows for Tafari's list to match with archaeological evidence that shows that Wazeba was succeeded by Ousanas, who Truhart identifies with the next king Tazer. Truhart dated the beginning of this king's reign to c. 300 and stated his reign lasted for either 10 or 13 years.[287]
199	Tazer		10 years	289–299	5789–5799	Tazier Tazena[47] Seifa Arad[310]Sayfa Ared[307] Tazena Ela Ameda[287] Tazer Sayfa Arad[287]	According to one regnal list quoted by Carlo Conti Rossini this king's throne name was "Seifa Arad" (no. 195).[310] Peter Truhart identified this king with "Ela Ameda" or Ousanas.[287] This idenfication allows for Tafari's list to match with archaeological evidence that shows Ousanas was succeeded by his wife Sofya as regent before their son became king of Axum. Truhart stated that this king's reign lasted for either 10 or 30 years.[287]
200	Ahywa Sofya (Queen)		7 years	299–306	5799–5806	Sofya[287] El Ahiawya Za Ela 'Ahyawa[289][287] Eguala Anbasa[289][287]	Eighteenth female monarch on this regnal list. Tafari's regnal list notes that "her regnal name was Sofya, and she was the mother of Abreha Atsbeha".[311] An Aksumite queen named Sofya ruled Axum as regent following the death of her husband Ousanas (otherwise known as Ella Allada) in c. 330. Her son was king Ezana. However, her husband is not mentioned by name on this list and her son's reign on this list is dated to over 150 years after her reign ends. Other regnal lists name a monarch called "Ahywa" who reigned for 3 years and was the predecessor of Abreha and Atsbeha.[289] Peter Truhart dated the beginning of this queen's reign to c. 325.[287] Manfred Kropp theorised that the story of Queen Ahywa Sofya and her sons Abreha and Atsbeha was modeled on Roman Empress Helena and her son Constantine I, and that the traditional date of the conversion of Ethiopia to Christianity (317) is deliberately placed before the time of the First Council of Nicaea.[312]