Page "Yohannes IV" Paragraph 12

Emperor Yohannes also convened a general council of the Ethiopian Church at Boru Meda later in 1878, which brought an end to the ongoing theological dispute in the local church ; Christians, Muslims and pagans were given respectively two, three and five years to conform to the council's decisions.

Non-Christians were forbidden from participating in the government unless they converted and were baptised ; the Muslims were given three months, while the pagans had to become Christians immediately.

" Having concluded that Wollo was worth a mass ," as Harold Marcus wryly puts it, his retainer Ras Mohammed of Wollo became Ras ( later Negus ) Mikael of Wollo, and the Emperor stood as his godfather at his baptism.

The new convert was given Menelik of Shewa's other daughter, Shewarega Menelik, as his wife.

Yohannes went one step further, and pressured Menelik to expel of all the Roman Catholic missionaries from Shewa.