Mikael of Wollo  Mikael of Wollo (1850 – 8 September 1918), born Ras Mohammed Ali, was an army commander and a member of the nobility of the Ethiopian Empire. He was the father of the "uncrowned" Emperor Iyasu V. He changed his name to Mikael upon converting to Christianity. Imam Mohammed Ali, was a ruler of Wollo and was a member of the Mammadoch ruling dynasty of Wollo. His father was Ras Ali , and his mother was Woizero Getie. In the infamous Council of Boru Meda, Emperor Yohannes (formerly Kassa Mercha, a ruler from Tigray) forced Mohammed Ali and Muslims holding office in Wollo to convert to Christianity within three months or renounce their positions. "Having concluded that Wollo was worth a mass," Marcus claims, "Mohammad Ali led his people to Christianity." Nevertheless, while some of the leaders of Wollo converted to Christianity, the vast majority of the Muslim populace of Wollo refused to convert. As a consequence, Atse Yohanne massacarred thousands of Wollo Muslims at Boru Media for refusing to convert to Christianity. Mohammed Ali was baptized with the name "Mikael" and became a "Ras" (equivalent to "Duke"). Many Muslims from Wollo left for sanctuary in Metemma, Jimma, and Harar. Emperor Yohannes IV stood as his godfather at his baptism. Ras Mikael of Wollo, as he was now known, eventually would marry Shoaregga Menelik, Menelik's natural daughter, becoming the third of his four wives. Mikael founded Dessie, the first town in Wollo and its new capital. It is claimed that Ras Mikael became a deeply devout Orthodox Christian, and a dedicated builder of churches. In 1896, during the First Italo-Ethiopian War, Ras Mikael fought with Menelik and led the feared cavalry against the invading Italians at the Battle of Adwa. An Italian brigade began a fighting retreat towards the main Italian positions. However, the brigade inadvertently marched into a narrow valley where Mikael's cavalry slaughtered them while shouting "Reap! Reap!" . The remains of the brigade's commander were never found. Following Menelik's death in 1913, Mikael's son and Emperor Menelik's grandson, "Lij" Iyasu, ascended as Iyasu V. Per Menelik's wishes, "Ras" Tessema Nadew became the Regent for Menelik's 18-year-old grandson.