Sarsa Dengel ( ; 1550 – 4 October 1597), also known as Sarsa the Great, was Emperor of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. His throne name was throne name Malak Sagad I (መለክ ሰገድ ). Biography The son of Emperor Menas and Empress Admas Mogasa, and thus hailing from the Amhara people, Sarsa Dengel was elected king by the Shewan commanders of the army and the Dowager Empress. He was barely fourteen years old, but was supported by the Amhara aristocracy who feared Tigrayan influence in the person of Yishaq who frequently aligned with the Ottomans. Upon his coming of age, Sarsa Dengel had to put down a number of revolts: such as his cousin Hamalmal in 1563 at the Battle of Endagabatan, and another by his cousin Fasil two years later. Sarsa Dengel moved the center of the empire from Shewa to Begemder, especially around the Lake Tana area where he established his imperial residence and built many castles. War against the Ottomans When the Ottomans withdrew from Debarwa the regional ruler, Bahr Negus Yeshaq, immediately decided to occupy it and form an alliance with them. Sarsa Dengel was angered by what he considered his vassal's arrogance and treachery, and marched against them in 1576. A year later he faced the army of Yeshaq somewhere in Tigray where he utterly defeated Bahr Negash's forces and killed Yeshaq in battle. The victorious Emperor then advanced on Debarwa whereupon the Turkish garrison surrendered with all its firearms. Sarsa Dengel then seized the vast riches stored by the Turks in Debarwa and ordered the destruction of the mosque and the fort that was erected during the Ottoman occupation. In 1577, Emperor Sarsa Dengel defeated and executed Adal Sultan Muhammad V in Bale. After the ruler of Hadiya's refusal to pay tribute to Sarsa Dengel, the Emperor invaded the region and wiped out an entire contingent of Malassay sent by the Sultanate of Harar, an ally of the Ottomans, at the Battle of Hadiya. In 1587, the Turks left the port of Hirgigo and advanced inland to take Debarwa again. The Turks defeated the governor of Hamasien who fled to Tigray. Upon hearing this, Sarsa Dengel mobilized his forces and crossed the Mereb river to repel the Turkish invaders who were pillaging the countryside. He advanced to Debarwa and then continued to Hirgigo where the Turkish commander Kadawred Pasha was