Editing Lij Iyasu (section)

===Fall===
{{Main|Battle of Segale}}
On 27 September 1916, while at the city of Harar, ''Lij'' Iyasu was deposed in favor of his aunt, [[Zewditu]].<ref>{{cite book | title=Historical dictionary of Ethiopia | first=David Hamilton | last=Shinn |author2=Ofcansky, Thomas P. |author3=Prouty, Chris | publisher=Scarecrow Press | year=2004 | isbn=978-0-8108-4910-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ep7__RWqq4IC&pg=PA228}}</ref> The nobility under the leadership of Fitawrari [[Habte Giyorgis Dinagde]] had assembled in the capital and charged ''Lij'' Iyasu with apostasy, alleging that he had converted to Islam and had thus forfeited the Imperial crown.  The Coptic Archbishop [[Abuna Mattheos X|Mattewos]], after some hesitation, was convinced to release the nobility from its oath of loyalty to Iyasu, and he was declared deposed from the throne and excommunicated from the Church.  The assembly of nobles then named Zewditu Menelik as Empress of Ethiopia, and Dejazmatch Tafari Makonnen was elevated to the title of Ras, and made heir to the throne.   Iyasu sent an army to attack Addis Ababa, which was met at [[Mieso]] and turned back. His father initially hesitated, then marched south from Dessie with 80,000 troops. On 27 October, ''Negus'' Mikael was defeated at the [[Battle of Segale]]. According to Paul Henze, Iyasu had reached [[Ankober]] the morning of the battle with a few thousand loyal followers, and after witnessing his father's defeat, fled towards the [[Eritrea]]n border.<ref>{{harvp|Henze|2000|p=196}}</ref> On 8 November, Iyasu appeared in [[Dessie]] where he vainly sought the support from the nobility of Tigray and then the Italians. On 10 December, Iyasu fled and took refuge with his followers on the abandoned [[Amba Mariam|amba of Maqdala]]. At Maqdala, he was surrounded and subjected to an uninspired siege. On 18 July 1917, Iyasu slipped through the siege lines and rallied the peasantry of Wollo to revolt. On 27 August in Wello,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rMj7AgAAQBAJ|title=The Life and Times of Lïj Iyasu of Ethiopia: New Insights|last1=Ficquet|first1=Éloi|last2=Smidt|first2=Wolbert G.C.|date=2014|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3643904768|pages=172|language=en}}</ref> troops under Habte Giyorgis defeated the rebels and captured many of Iyasu's generals, including ''Ras'' Imer.<ref>{{cite book|first=Harold|last=Marcus|title=Haile Sellassie I: The Formative Years|location=Lawrenceville|publisher=Red Sea Press|year=1996|pages=24–30}}</ref> After this defeat, with a few hundred picked men, Iyasu fled to the desert of the [[Afar Triangle]], where he roamed for five years. On 11 January 1921, Iyasu was captured and taken into custody by [[Gugsa Araya Selassie]]. He was handed over to the custody of his cousin ''Ras'' [[Kassa Haile Darge]]. ''Ras'' Kassa kept Iyasu in comfortable house arrest at his country home at [[Fiche, Ethiopia|Fiche]].{{cn|date=September 2022}}

Empress Zewditu I, who in spite of having been treated harshly by her nephew seems to have had considerable sympathy for Iyasu's fate, is said to have tried to have him handed over to her personal custody in order that he "be brought back to Christ and salvation" under her guidance. In her view, the most serious part of his fate was his excommunication, and she deeply wanted to save her nephew from what she regarded as assured damnation. While her plea to have her nephew moved to the Imperial Palace in Addis Ababa was vehemently vetoed by both ''[[Fitawrari]]'' Habte Giorgis and by the Crown Prince, ''Ras'' Teferi Makonnen, the Empress took care that Iyasu lived in luxury and was supplied with whatever he desired. ''Ras'' Kassa also adhered to this policy for as long as Iyasu was in his custody, so the terms of Iyasu's imprisonment were not particularly harsh.{{cn|date=September 2022}}