Today at The National Army Museum there is a delegation from Ethiopia who will receive a lock of Emperor Tewdros’s hair which was taken from his head by The British Army on finding he had taken his own life in honour of his country on 13th April 1868 at The battle of Maqdala in Ethiopia. The King’s son Prince Alemayhu was taken by forceful coersion by Captain Speedy on behalf of Sir Robert Napier along with other looted treasures on a circuitous route to England. The looted goods, including his mothers clothes, are on display at The British Museum.
Prince Alemayehu died aged 18 in Leeds in England on 14th November 1879. It is recorded and stated by Alula Pankhurst that Alemayehu believed he was being poisoned. He was buried at Windsor castle. The Ethiopian Government have requested again and again that his remains be returned. A brass plaque in the nave of St George’s chapel at Windsor Castle bears words written by Queen Victoria “I was a stranger and ye took me in”, but Alamayehu’s body is buried in a brick vault outside the chapel. He was not taken in.
Alemayehu was not a stranger to his people and did not want to be in England. Captain Speedy took charge of prince Alemayehu at his home in The Isle of Wight and claimed a stipend from the British Government much like a foster parent. Speedy was a strange man often dressing in Ethiopian clothes and sleeping in the same bad with Alemayehu. At eighteen the prince was an adult and the stipend stopped, so Speedy sent Alemayehu to live with a Doctor Arthur Ransome in Leeds. Prince Alemayehu died shortly afterwards of what was recorded as pleurisy. Does any of what happened to Alemayehu seem in any way worthy of investigation?
Here is how it is written into British folklore:
- Before King Tewdros took his own life he begged his conquerors (Captain Speedy in particular) to take his son to England.
- His son died of pleurisy at eighteen years old just months after being sent away by Speedy once Speedy’s stipend had stopped.
- Speedy loved Alemayehu. Speedy is written in British history as the saviour and foster parent of Alemayehu.
- Alemayhu’s mother died of a mysterious illness on the way to the coast with the army. Alemayhu’s teacher who was also to making the voyage back was dismissed by Alemayehu. Alemayehu was seven years old.
- Although the Ethiopian government has requested Alemayehu’s remains they have been told the remains will be impossible to identify at Windsor Castle because they are jumbled up with others. (Yet he is buried in the most protected managed earth in Britain. Windsor Castle.)
- Alemayhu was an ‘arrogant boy’ at schools in Rugbury and at Sandhurst.
The lock of Emperor Tewdros’s hair holds the DNA which would identify Alemayhu’s remains.
In conclusion: If ‘we’ British can find the remains of Richard III (killed in a battle in 1485), in a car park in Leicester and rebury him in a Cathedral then ‘we’ can find and repatriate the first stolen abducted child who died in 1879 to ‘my’ Ethiopia. We know where he is buried.
Various Ethiopian governments have been graceful and patient receiving various rebuttals to their requests but this matter is becoming more and more relevant to the people of Ethiopia as they emerge through their own turbulent past into a bright future. What better news to give to the people than your prince is coming home, what better symbol of hope for the country.
The question of heritage and conservation is a relevant one to Ethiopians. A joint project to build a world class mausoleum or resting place, serving the customs of Ethiopian Orthodoxy and royal protocol needs to be addressed while the matters of diplomacy take their course. Heritage and conservation concerns will always be a part of the overall conversation for the looted goods and resting place of the noble stolen prince. As a matter of fact this is our countries opportunity to address those concerns.
If any English patriot wants to feel what I feel just imagine the shoe was on the other foot and a prince of yours was buried in Ethiopia after Ethiopians had raided Windsor castle and returned to Ethiopia with the booty and a prince of England buried by the castles of Lalibella.
I am not a diplomat. I am supporting the hard work on both sides. I was stolen from Ethiopia at mercy of the same kind of subterfuge.
I do not take this next point as evidence but as circumstatial. There is no happiness in any one photograph of Prince Alemayhu. This was not a better life for him. In my opinion It could have caused his shockingly early and deeply suspicious death. In any other situation (and if the shoe were on theother foot). this would be a plot for an Indiana Jones or the subject of investigative journalists in all the national papers here in Britain. Alas it isn’t.
There is a saying “Until the story of the hunt is told by the lion the hunter will always be the hero”. The lion’s story will be told.
There can be no doubt that the fate of Prince Alemayahu was sad, his abduction to the UK was wrong, and the refusal to repatriate him is perverse. I’m not sure that speculation about Captain Speedy or poisoning is helpful.
For me, the matter is important because it symbolises a British arrogance toward Ethiopia and the outside world generally; the continued refusal to repatriate Prince Alemayahu and the wrangling over the looted treasures chimes perfectly with the continued contempt for Ethiopia and Africa manifested every time we have to endure things like Comic Relief, any time we read the comments online about any news story regarding Africa, and which informs the whole misguided Brexit project.
It is important also for Ethiopia and Eritrea to reach a balanced, truthful, picture of its history which does not ignore the bad side of figures like Tedros, and which does justice to all religious and ethnic groups in Ethiopia. The tortured history of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales shows just how difficult this is, how important, and how long it takes.
Giving a final resting place to Prince Alemayahu means Britain acknowledging one more part of the sick truth about Empire; it will also be one step toward the healing of painful divisions in Ethiopia.
God bless Ethiopia. God bless you, Lemn Sissay, for your healing work.
“not sure speculation about Captain Speedy or poisoning is helpful”. It may not, in your mind, be ‘helpful’ and I acknowledge your sentiment
but please be aware that Alemayhu did write that he was being poisoned and Speedy did sleep in the same bed as him. It is helpful to understand that
there was something fundamentally wrong with the theft of a child and that subsequently dark forces were surrounding him, hence the two facts.
It is not a matter of being ‘helpful’. It is a matter of seeking truth in this entirely disgusting affair.
I feel your anger: it is justified on so many levels. Thanks for taking the time to respond, everything you do is appreciated.
I agree how can we be a help to get the Price remains back
I agree with you, send Alemayhu’s remains back to Ethiopia. It is the only right thing to do. They never loved him in England because he was kept as a conversation piece. This is a human being. Alemayhu was treated unfairly and died sadly. Sending his remains back to his country Ethiopia would wear his sole can rest in peace.
Am grateful to the author.i have keen interest in african history.i suspect foul play in ending the young prince`s life at 18 Years.i think when he got read about his past and roots and why an ethiopian lived with an indian speedy.why he wasnt with his family he learnt that he lived with his family killers the british royal family and suspectedly resented their instructions and leading to a premeditated pre planned death
Our daughter is adopted and Ethiopian living in Ireland, so we empathise. I think it is highly suspicious and should be investigated.
Thank you, Lemn for writing on this ‘not forgotten’ history. It is hard to see this precious child’s face – the tears are very visible! I hope that the Ethiopian and British governments will do justice by him, his family and his country. Sad how people do not want to discuss the awful truth.
God comforts me as I grieve for our Prince that He is the Father of the Fatherless, a defender of weak and the avenger who collects his tears in His bottle.
God bless you, Lemn for reminding us of the life of Prince Alemayehu.
tx
I would like to research this further. Can you recommend any further reading?
Thank you.
Great research are you still investigating?
ofcourse.
Is it possible that he is buried sliced wrapped in a mummy in their museum? They do things like that while researching I seen a picture that went through my body and I received a premonition especially after researching the people he was with and the history on the military schools he went to. These people are always performing study’s and unethical human experiments on black skinned people and they are wretched! To say his bones may be jumbled up with others is the ultimate disrespect and these people spend lifetimes and fortunes just to cover up lies. I will try and find the picture again to show you. Peace and blessings until His return
To all the museums holding the national treasures of people you stole from: Give it all back! Everything! Every single item looted from Maqdala and beyond. Allow for the proper repatriation of the remains of Prince Alemayehu to his rightful rest next to his royal family members. So what if the museums are emptied! Charging people money to see looted treasures to enrich yourselves by the painful robbery of colonial practice is more than shameful, it’s absolutely despicable! Loan it to Ethiopia? Ridiculous and ludicrous! DO THE RIGHT THING AND MAKE IT HAPPEN!
https://www.google.com/search?q=mummy+in+britain+museum&client=safari&channel=iphone_bm&prmd=imnxv&sxsrf=AOaemvKNCK54V3ODculuNoTZiCgelwyNJg:1639019454011&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjGrdei39X0AhWjdN8KHUuqALQQ_AUoAXoECAIQAQ&biw=360&bih=622&dpr=2#imgrc=0zXzpAqX16b8oM
I don’t know how to send it this is the link
After the death of Queen Elizabeth, I will tell you my truth, I reminded Prince Alemayehu. I read the story about where he was buried Thank you for raising this issue early on behalf of Ethiopians !
thanks
I his father was known as Christ I cannot imagine what was done to the Prince!!! We will find out soon!! YAHJEW JUDAH is the Messiah walking the earth today!!!!
Is it true there is a plaque in the Naive for the prince that says I was a stranger and you took me in? is there a picture of that?
There is.