Iyoas II

Iyoas II (Ge'ez: ኢዮአስ, died 3 June 1821) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 14 June 1818^[1] to 3 June 1821, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Hezqeyas.

Iyoas II
Emperor of Ethiopia
Reign	14 June 1818 – 3 June 1821
Predecessor	Egwale Seyon
Successor	Gigar
Died	3 June 1821
House	House of Solomon
Father	Hezqeyas
Religion	Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo

Reign

The Royal chronicle provides very little information about his reign: only the date of his elevation and the year of his death.^[2] According to Nathaniel Pearce, Iyoas was selected Emperor over his nephews Zerobabel and Merrit by Ras Gugsa and Kenyazmach Akli Meru due to the nephews' bad characters. Prior to his elevation, he had been living as a monk in Waldebba.^[3]

Samuel Gobat, a near-contemporary of Iyoas, states he was "efficiently sustained by Ras Gugsa, who was his firm support, or rather his superior."^[4] With Iyoas' death an interregnum of several months followed.