Prince Alemayehu

Prince Alemayehu
Prince Alemayehu as a young man.
Full name
Prince Alemayehu Simyen Tewodoros
House	House of Solomon
Father	Tewodros II of Ethiopia
Mother	Tiruwork Wube
Born	23 April 1861 Magdala, Ethiopia
Died	14 November 1879(1879-11-14) (aged 18) Far Headingley, Leeds, England
Burial	St George's chapel, Windsor Castle
Religion	Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo

HIH Prince Alemayehu or Alamayou of Ethiopia (23 April 1861 – 14 November 1879) was the son of Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia. Emperor Tewodros II committed suicide after his defeat by the British, led by Sir Robert Napier, at the Battle of Magdala in 1868.

The young prince was taken to Britain for safekeeping, under the care of Captain Tristram Speedy. While staying at Speedy's home on the Isle of Wight he was introduced to Queen Victoria at her home at Osborne House. She took a great interest in his life and education. Alamayehu spent some time in India with Speedy and his wife, but the government decided he should be educated in England and he was sent to Cheltenham to be educated under the care of Thomas Jex-Blake, principal of Cheltenham College. He moved to Rugby School with Jex-Blake in 1875, where one of his tutors was Cyril Ransome (the future father of Arthur Ransome). In 1878 he joined the officers' training school at Sandhurst, but was not happy there and the following year he went to Far Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire to stay with his old tutor Cyril Ransome. Within a week he contracted pleurisy, and he died after six weeks of illness, despite the attentions of Dr Clifford Allbutt of Leeds and other respected consultants.^[1]

Prince Alemayehu, as photographed by Julia Margaret Cameron at the Isle of Wight in 1868.

Queen Victoria arranged for Alamaheyu to be buried at Windsor Castle. The funeral took place on 21 November 1879, in the presence of Cyril Ransome, Chancellor of the Exchequer Stafford Northcote, General Napier, and Captain Speedy. A brass plaque in the nave of St George's chapel commemorates him and bears the words "I was a stranger and ye took me in", but Alamayehu's body is buried in a brick vault outside the chapel.^[1]

The Ethiopian government in 2007 requested the return of his remains for reburial in Ethiopia.^[2]

In popular culture

The story of Alemayehu's life is told in the radio play I was a stranger by Peter Spafford, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2004.^[3] The role of Alemayehu was played by Chiwetel Ejiofor.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Hall, David (2000). "The Extraordinary Story of Prince Alamayou". Far Headingley, Weetwood and West Park. FHVS. pp. 117–122. ISBN 095393120x. 
2. ^ Blunt, Elizabeth (2007-06-03). "Ethiopia seeks prince's remains". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6716921.stm. Retrieved 2008-03-17. 
3. ^ "Radio Review". The Stage. 2004-05-24. http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/feature.php/2298. Retrieved 2008-03-17. 

Persondata
Name	Alemayehu
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	23 April 1861
Place of birth	Magdala, Ethiopia
Date of death	14 November 1879
Place of death	Far Headingley, Leeds, England