Early life Darge was born and brought up in
Ankober, and just like his half brothers received ecclesiastical education in his childhood in one of the monastic schools in northeastern
Shewa, and may have shaped his interest in
theological discussions and reading the
scriptures later in life. Darge also received training in
equestrian and war-like exercises.
Death of Negus Sahle Selassie and rebellions In October 1847 Darge's father,
Sahle Selassie the king of Shewa died. His half brother
Haile Melekot succeeded as the Negus, while
Sayfu Sahle Selassie governed
Merhabete and the eastern lowlands. Darge and his half-brother
Haile Mikael Selassie were to live under the guardianship of Haile Melekot and Sayfu. Darge was associated mostly with Sayfu Sahle Selassie until around 1857. Darge and his nephew Menelik II were the chief Shewan prisoners taken with the Emperor to
Gondar, and later to the mountain citadel at Magdala (the modern
Amba Mariam). Abeto Darge as he was then called, had been among the Shewan leaders that had tried to rally the resistance against the Emperor in the name of the young prince his nephew, and Tewodros had admired Darge's efforts. Although technically prisoners, the two Shewan princes enjoyed the Emperor's affection and favor, and were greatly honored and respected at his court. Darge was especially admired for his military skills. When Emperor Tewodros eventually decided to marry his daughter
Alitash Tewodros to Menelik, Darge (now titled a
Fitawrari) presided as the family elder of the Shewan Royal House. near
Debre Libanos Darge was part of the Shewan party that helped Menelik escape from Magdala in order to return to Shewa and reclaim his throne, but he himself remained behind. Darge was not punished by Tewodros for helping Menelik escape, and this was attributed to the deep affection Tewodros II had for Darge. He was released from captivity in 1868 by the
British.
Return to Shewa Darge was created a
Ras and made Ras of
Selale by his nephew upon his return to Shewa following his release from Magdala when Tewodros II died, founding the senior cadet branch of the dynasty in the later days of the Ethiopian Empire. In 1886, then Emperor Menelik assigned him the governorship of
Arsi Province, and completed the conquest that his nephew had begun the year before. The conquest was infamous for its slaughter of the Arsi Oromo who lived there, leading Baxter to describe him as "the
Butcher Cumberland of the Arussi Highlands... whose name is still reviled there." Darge became Menelik's senior advisor, always advising him to be prudent and patient in his dealings with the powers that be. Although Menelik claimed to be the next legitimate claimant to the Imperial throne, Darge brokered Menelik's acceptance of
Wagshum Gobeze's assumption of the throne as
Tekle Giyorgis II and the marriage of his own daughter Tisseme to the new Emperor's half-brother
Haile Wolde Kiros. When Tekle Giyorgis II was deposed by Emperor
Yohannes IV, again it was Darge who counseled Menelik to be patient and submit. As a result, Darge was universally respected by all the various feudal princelings and claimants in Ethiopia, and was held in very high regard by Emperor Yohannes in particular. Considered the senior prince of the blood during the reign of his nephew as Emperor Menelik II, he was the only person in a position to scold the Emperor as a father would. He often acted as regent in the absence of Emperor Menelik. He was acting in the capacity when the Emperor was marching north to face the
Italians at
Adowa, when he received the stunning news that the Italians had brought his son Lij
Gugsa Darge from his school in
Switzerland with the intention of placing him on the imperial throne after they defeated Menelik. Ras Darge was enraged, and not only disowned his son but had his name struck from the Imperial family genealogy.
Death Darge died of illness in March 1900 and was buried with pomp and ceremony at
Debre Libanos. == Descendants ==