Fasilides vs Iyasu I

Fasilides ordered the expulsion of Jesuit missionaries from Ethiopia, reversing the pro-Catholic policies of his predecessors. He restored the traditional Ethiopian Orthodox Church as the sole state religion and severed ties with the Roman Catholic Church.

Fasilides established the city of Gondar as the permanent capital of the Ethiopian Empire. He constructed the Fasil Ghebbi fortress complex, which became the center of imperial administration and culture for over two centuries.

Fasilides built the Fasil Ghebbi, a fortified royal enclosure in Gondar. The complex included palaces, churches, and administrative buildings, blending Ethiopian, Indian, and Portuguese architectural styles.

Iyasu I led a military campaign against the Oromo peoples who were raiding into Ethiopian territory. His forces achieved several victories, pushing back the Oromo and securing the borders of the empire for a period.

Iyasu I implemented comprehensive administrative reforms to centralize imperial authority. He reorganized the provincial governance system, standardized tax collection, and strengthened the role of the central bureaucracy, reducing the power of regional nobles.

Iyasu I commissioned the construction of the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar. The church became renowned for its intricate ceiling paintings of angels and is considered a masterpiece of Ethiopian religious art.