Mentewab (ምንትዋብ, c. 1706-1773) means "how beautiful" in Amharic. **The Empress consort and regent of Ethiopia** — wife of Emperor Bakaffa, mother of Emperor Iyasu II — she **effectively ruled the Ethiopian Empire for over 50 years through three reigns**. **Built the grand palace of Qusquam outside Gondar** and was one of the great patrons of Ethiopian Orthodox church architecture.
**Mentioned in the writings of the Scottish explorer James Bruce**, who knew her personally.
Mentewab reduces to three — the number of Ethiopian empress.