Merid Wolde Aregay (1934 or 1935–2008) was an Ethiopian historian and a scholar of Ethiopian studies.Alessandro Triulzi. 2010. In memoriam Merid Wolde Aregay (1934/35 - 2008) Aethiopica 13: 208-212. Web accessSemeneh Ayalew Asfaw. 2011. The Legacy of Merid Wolde Aregay. Northeast African Studies Volume 11, Number 1 (New Series): 125-139.
Merid Wolde Aregay was born in Adwa in 1927 according to the Ethiopian calendar. He earned his BA in 1956 from what was called University College of Addis Ababa, now Addis Ababa University. From there, he was sent to earn an MA in education from Harvard University (1957), then a Master's in history from the University of Chicago (1959). He completed his doctorate at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London (1971).
He learned a variety of languages, both Ethiopian and foreign: "beside Amharic (Tigriñña, Geʽez, some Oromo) and several European languages beside English (Italian, French, Portuguese)".p. 209. Alessandro Triulzi. 2010. In memoriam Merid Wolde Aregay (1934/35 - 2008) Aethiopica 13: 208-212. Web access With his knowledge of Portuguese, he was the pre-eminent scholar on the history of the Portuguese Catholic influence and interaction in Ethiopian history.
His writings covered a variety of topics, regions, and periods of Ethiopian history. He is also remembered for his positive interactions with his many students, as he spent so much time in his office that it was his "second home".p. 208. Alessandro Triulzi. 2010. In memoriam Merid Wolde Aregay (1934/35 - 2008) Aethiopica 13: 208-212. Web access During the time of the Derg in Ethiopia, he helped take care of Bahru Zewde, who was imprisoned for five years.p. 285. Bahru Zeude. 2012. Taddese Tamrat. Personal memories. Rassegna di Studi Etiopici Nuova Serie, Vol. 4 (47) pp. 285-287.
References