Although he had by birth a better claim to the throne than his younger cousin
Ras Tafari (the later Emperor
Haile Selassie I), Kassa valued loyalty over ambition, and was content with his fief of
Selale province near the monastery of
Debre Libanos. During the rise of Emperor Haile Selassie I,
Ras Kassa was loyal to Selassie during numerous challenges to his rule, standing by his side during more than one uprising. His most notable act supporting Haile Selassie was his role in neutralizing the threat of
Dajazmach Balcha Safo in 1928.
Ras Kassa served as
Qegnazmach ("Commander of the Army of the Right") during the
Second Italo-Abyssinian War. His forces fought in the
First Battle of Tembien and the
Second Battle of Tembien. Following the Ethiopian defeat he went into exile with his Emperor, spending most of his time in
Jerusalem. The sons of
Ras Kassa stayed in Ethiopia and were part of the resistance to the
Italian occupation. In late 1936, three of his four sons were captured and executed:
Wondosson Kassa,
Aberra Kassa, and
Asfawossen Kassa. In early 1941, during the
East African Campaign of
World War II,
Ras Kassa returned to Ethiopia with the Emperor and
Gideon Force. After the war, he became a
Crown Counsellor. == References ==