Wolete Israel Seyoum

Who was Wolete Israel Seyoum?

Princess Wolete Israel Seyoum, was the daughter of Leul Ras Seyoum Mengesha, Prince of Tigray, and great-granddaughter of Emperor Yohannes IV of Ethiopia. She was thus the sister of Leul Ras Mengesha Seyoum. She was first married to the much older Dejazmach Gebre Selassie Baria Gabr of Adwa by whom she had a son, Dejazmach Zewde Gebreselassie. She was widowed not long after the birth of her son. She then married Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen in 1931. The marriage of Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen and Princess Wolete Israel was part of Emperor Haile Selassie's efforts at forging closer bonds between the western Tigrean branch of the Imperial family and his own Shewan branch. At the same time that Princess Wolete Israel married the Crown Prince, her cousin, Dejazmach Haile Selassie Gugsa of the eastern Tigrean branch of the Imperial dynasty was married to the Emperor's daughter Princess Zenebework. It was hoped that these marriages would ensure closer bonds between the two rival princely houses of Tigray with the Emperor's family. Princess Wolete Israel and Prince Asfaw Wossen had a daughter, Princess Ijigayehu.

The Crown Prince and Princess separated during their exile from Ethiopia between 1936 and 1941, and the Princess left England where the Imperial family had taken refuge during the Italian occupation. She went with her children to Egypt where she remained for the duration of the exile. The Crown Prince and Princess divorced in 1941, and the Princess never married again.