Baron Desta of Adigrat (28 August 1030-9 June 1087) was the Spymaster of Axum under King Dawit II of Axum from 1066 to 1087, preceding Count Isaac of Semien.
Biography[]
Desta was born in 1030 to the Ethiopian Jewish Destids, a noble dynasty under Axum. King Dawit II of Axum appointed him as the spymaster of Axum due to his intrigue skills, and he became Dawit's personal dagger. Desta was loyal to his lord, and in 1078 he discovered a plot where Yosef Migas sought to kill Dawit's daughter Pernilla Gideon. Dawit promptly threw Yosef Migas in the oubliette, saving his daughter's life thanks to Desta. Also, on 24 June 1079 he defended Desta from allegations from Court Rabbi Rabbi Melaku of Yeha that he was a heretic, writing a chastising letter to Rabbi Melaku and writing an apology to Baron Desta. Later, his daughter China was betrothed to Abu al-Fadl Hasdai, a courtier of Axum.
Desta again showed his loyalty to Axum when he put down the uprising of Count Sheshet of Akordat, personally taking command of the Axumite loyalist forces and defeating him at Lashwa on 10 February 1085, Ambaras on 6 March, and Zumbo on 1 April. By 1086, the rebellion was over. Desta was invited to Passover seder with the king in 1087, enjoying his time. He was made Master of the Horse on 28 April 1087, but on 12 June he died a natural death at the age of 56, dying a happy man due to his recent honorary appointment. Dawit was very upset about his death, as he was his favorite subject. He was succeeded by his eldest daughter Baroness Lishan of Adigrat.
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