Daniel Asmare the MELTING POT of the WORD and the SWORD

CEU eTD Collection ROYAL POWER AND MONASTIC ASCETICISM IN THE MEDIEVAL ASCETICISM ROYAL POWERANDMONASTIC THE MELTING POT OF THE WORD AND THE SWORD: with the specialization in Interdisciplinary Medieval Studies Medieval Interdisciplinary in specialization the with MONASTERIES OF LAKE TANA, ETHIOPIA TANA, LAKE OF MONASTERIES MA Thesis in Comparative History in Comparative Thesis MA Central European University Central European Daniel Asmare Daniel May 2011 Budapest CEU eTD Collection Central Central University,European in Budapest, partial fulfillmentof requirementsthe ROYAL POWER AND MONASTIC ASCETICISM IN THE MEDIEVAL ASCETICISM ROYAL POWERANDMONASTIC ______THE MELTING POT OF THE WORD AND THE SWORD: with the specialization in Interdisciplinary Medieval Studies. Medieval Interdisciplinary in specialization the with Thesis totheDepartment submitted of MedievalStudies, Accepted in conformance with the standards of CEU of the standards with the in conformance Accepted of the Master of Arts degree in Comparative History, in degree of Comparative Arts Master of the MONASTERIES OF LAKE TANA, ETHIOPIA TANA, LAKE OF MONASTERIES Chair, Examination Committee Examination Chair, Thesis Supervisor Daniel Asmare Daniel (Ethiopia) May 2011 Examiner Examiner Budapest by CEU eTD Collection Central Central University,European in Budapest, partial fulfillmentof requirementsthe ROYAL POWER AND MONASTIC ASCETICISM IN THE MEDIEVAL ASCETICISM ROYAL POWERANDMONASTIC ______THE MELTING POT OF THE WORD AND THE SWORD: with the specialization in Interdisciplinary Medieval Studies. Medieval Interdisciplinary in specialization the with Accepted in conformance with the standards of the CEU Thesis totheDepartment submitted of MedievalStudies, of the Master of Arts degree in Comparative History, in degree of Comparative Arts Master of the MONASTERIES OF LAKE TANA, ETHIOPIA TANA, LAKE OF MONASTERIES External Examiner Daniel Asmare Daniel (Ethiopia) May 2011 Budapest by CEU eTD Collection Central European University, Budapest, in partial fulfilment of the requirements ROYAL POWER AND MONASTIC ASCETICISM IN THE MEDIEVAL ASCETICISM ROYAL POWERANDMONASTIC ______THE MELTING POT OF THE WORD AND THE SWORD: with the specialization in Interdisciplinary Medieval Studies. Medieval Interdisciplinary in specialization the with Thesis totheDepartment submitted of MedievalStudies, Accepted in conformance with the standards of CEU of the standards with the in conformance Accepted of the Master of Arts degree in Comparative History, in degree of Comparative Arts Master of the MONASTERIES OF LAKE TANA, ETHIOPIA TANA, LAKE OF MONASTERIES External Supervisor Daniel Asmare Daniel Supervisor (Ethiopia) May 2011 Budapest by CEU eTD Collection Budapest, 23 May Budapest, 2011 institution other higher education forof an degree. academic any in form to this hasbeensubmitted part of thesis nothe declare that also institution. I or made work of the andof part noothers, of thesisthe infringes of copyrighton the any person illegitimate usewas and nounidentified andthat I declare innotes bibliography. credited information external such only and research my on based work, own my is exclusively thesis with the specialization in Interdisciplinary Medieval Studies, declare herewith that the present undersigned, I, the Daniel Asmare Daniel , candidate for the MA degree in Comparative History, MAinComparative the degree for , candidate ______Signature CEU eTD Collection risky trip to the monasteries of Lake Tana. Andarge, for me beingMegersa, Chalachew andAshenafi Hailu with inthe and perilous to overcome some difficulties. Last but notleast, Iwant tothank myfriends in Ethiopia Sisay me to system the CEU andof all generally to membersof the departmentthe for helpingme my toAnnabellaextend deepestgratitude introduced and Pal whogenerously AgnesBendik Madalina, Laszlo and Branislav whose company made me feel like I am home. I also wantmy friends Mihail, to aredue thanks of thesis. Many the and works all technical the to thanks must be given to Professor Judith Rasson whometiculously corrected the grammar of Laszlovszky,Special task successfully carriedbeing the an Ethiopian professor. out who ofmyProfessorI wantJózsefacknowledgeFirst, supervisor, support to theunflinching ACKNOWLEDGEMENT CEU eTD Collection ILORPY...... 89 BIBLIOGRAPHY...... 88 ...... APPENDIX 81 HISTORY...... CONTEXTUALIZATION 81 AND CONCLUSION...... 69 TANA...... 69 CHAPTER THREE...... ROYAL PATRONAGE AND 38 BURIAL AT THE MONASTERIES ...... OF LAKE TANA 38 ...... CHAPTER TWO THE FOUNDATION 6 OF THE MONASTERIES ...... ON LAKE TANA 6 CHAPTER ONE...... 1 ...... INTRODUCTION 3.4. 78 Incorporating the Woyto...... 3.2. The Christianization 75 of Gojjam ...... and Agaw 3.1. The Christianization 71 of the Falasha...... 2.2. 50 Royal Burials...... 2.1. 38 Royal patronage...... 1.3. Factors for the foundation of the monasteries 23 on Lake Tana...... 1.2. The monasteries of Lake Tana and the founding generation 10 monks...... of 1.1. Developing trends of medieval 6 monasticism in Ethiopia...... 5 3. Sources...... 3 2. Methodology...... 1. Prolegomena and 1 research questions...... THE UNSIGNED PACT: EXPANSION AND EVANGELIZATION AROUNDLAKEUNSIGNED PACT: AND EVANGELIZATION THE EXPANSION 2.2.3. Royal family burials during the 64 Muslim-Christian conflict...... 2.2.1. Royal burials in the age of 57 wandering capitals...... 49 2.1.3. Gifts in kind...... 2.1.2. Building 46 the monasteries...... 2.1.1 40 Land grants to the monasteries ...... of Lake Tana 1.3.2. Political factors for monastic 34 foundations...... 1.3.1 The role 26 of landscape in ...... the foundations 1.2.2 The founding 14 generation of monks...... 1.2.1 The establishment and 11 historical elements ...... of the monasteries THE PLACE OF THE MONASTERIES OF LAKE TANA WITHIN ETHIOPIAN TABLE OFCONTENTS TABLE i CEU eTD Collection . 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Major Capitals of Ethiopia………………………………………………………...62. List of Ethiopian Capitals ………………………………………………………...60 Istifanos……………………………………………………………………………54. List of the members of the royal family buried in the monastery of Daga Map of monasteriesthe of Lake Tana …………………………………………….32. Jewish sacrifice pillar in the monastery of Tana Qirqos ...... 25. Daga Istifanos ……………………………………………………………………..19 The stone boat used by Abuna Hiruta Amlak to cross the lake in His way to LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF ii CEU eTD Collection 4 3 251. 2 1 River Nile the of source entire the as identified Wrongly research and 1. Prolegomena questions differentinstitutions. by tocatalogue manuscripts the have attempts in traditions There alsobeensome region. the oral for recording many things, among other thatarecrucial, some accounts produced also travelers European Tana. Lake of monasteries of the achievements artistic major of the is dulacdes églises Tana” an analysis l’art et “L’histoire is concerned. far asmyknowledge Tiessé, which stands as the only scholarly reconstruction Bosc- is of Claire fact work the tothis An exception research. historical margin of at the of the monasteries of Lake Tana as Ethiopia. medieval region the state, and church Christian the of region ofperipheral the in established LakeOriginally Ethiopia. Tana eventually medieval of institutions Christian the among phenomenon aparticularly interesting constitute became a center of religious and spiritual an area of 3600 squarekilometers. activitiesplateau of northwesternthe highlands of Ethiopia. Itis the country’s greatest water body with of foundation dates range from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century. seventeenth tothe rangefrom thirteenth the dates foundation whose them on significance historical enormous of monasteries and churches twenty Ibid. Ibid. David Shinn, Thomas Ofcansky, source. ultimate the is not Tana Lake it, from water of its amount certain a catches Nile River Although, The In spite of their cultural and historical significance, the monasteries of Tanaare of Lake themonasteries significance, historical and cultural In spite of their geographical location and history of location ofLake churches andandthe history of geographical monasteries Tana 4 HistoricalDictionary of Ethiopia 2 It has thirty islands and most of them have more than more have them of most and islands thirty has It INTRODUCTION 1 1 , Lake Tana is located on basalt on the is located , LakeTana (Lanham, MD:Scarecrow Press, 2004), 3 CEU eTD Collection monasteries. Iwillinclude also onemonastery, DagaIstifanos, founded in the1276 during reign and(1314-1344) several hisof successors whocontributed to foundationthe of ofAmde founded study:Tsion’s Emperor discussthis targets monasteries during the the century to fifth the inthe introduction its from age monasticism in Ethiopian of trends general the are monastic chapter revival in the issuesinthis core Lake Tana.The of monasteries of the foundation with deals chapter the thirteenth century.The first chapters. into three the thesis have organized I questions answer these to In order In this chapter I will also together will be traced. This study will focus on followingthe problems: institutionswithin Accordingly, worked two whichthe fieldsstructure state. of the from independent successfully tostudy the itmakes history the unrealistic monasteries the of a coin, of sides two the were state and church when period, medieval the in was foundation the with relationship state their identify to institution, andChristian a as contribution their thereby evaluate to situaterole, to asignificant played that parties the trace founded, to were Lake of Tana monasteries them in the realm of Ethiopian history. The fact that their The core objective of this thesis is to investigate circumstancesisThe the the objective under of which to thesis core this ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ situated in Ethiopian history? and be contextualized monasteries the of significance can historical How the institutions? two the between relationship the of outcome general the was What What were the majorfields where the two institutions worked closely? bedefined? state the and monasteries the between relationship the can How domain? Christian the to peripheral Whatwere main the factors pushed monksthat the to region,this whichwas Tana? founded Lake monasteries the background of monksWhat who of wasthe the 2 CEU eTD Collection summarizing discussion of certain common characteristics is needed. This thesis will also will thesis This needed. is characteristics common certain of discussion summarizing related issue any when frequently to referred be will they but monastery, each of history whole to them isdeal with the heremy to Itisintention not as targets. monasteries twelve I haveselected raised for 2. Methodology discussion. They will will in beof wholechapter. the process discussed this also beChristian empire expanded, the peoples who were subjects of groupedthis expansion, the final result the which to extent the co-operation, of nature The chapter. in this evaluated be will process togetherSince expansion applied to both parties, the position and contribution of the two in the when a third chapter discusses both parties in relation to their activities in the region of Lake Tana. After coverage of the monasteries and the state in chapters one and two, respectively, the and monasteries. the state the between relationship relationship Generally,with royal patronage. this will chapter seek meaning in the adirecthave seewhether famousfor they be viewedto will of are Lake Tana also building donations activitiesand formsin of its investmentdifferent Hence, ofLakeTana. monasteries the in to relation be discussed. willalso process construction the out carrying for responsible were that parties The not. or factors as served they whether determine to tested and bediscussed will factors possible of number a section be discussed. will monasteries the founded who monks The the of background the Then second burials. royal numerous part of this chaptertime of AmlakYukuno (1268-1285),because of monastery’s the significance in housing deals with the factors for foundation. In this The second chapter discusses the attempt of the state to build animage of royal power will be explained. The royal burials which the monasteries the which burials royal The explained. be will 3 CEU eTD Collection foundation of Lake monasteries Tana. of the foundation Tana. Finally, Iwill pursue themovement of royalthe ifcapital ithad any meaning with the of Lake monasteries the of investigate the relationship further Lake Tana to of communities surrounding the of Christianization the of history the analyze closely also will I there. buried families and themonasteries the royal between meaning findin to affiliation discussed the still exists and canhelp define anysortof relationship between two.Royalthe burials will be will be discussed thathave come down to the present through word of mouth or any item that approach. 5 addressed. meaning of monasteriesin Lakethe Tanacontext monasticismbe of wider will the Ethiopian the Accordingly, monastic attractingsettlement. asafactor landscape the approach will also monasticI emergencethe relationships thathaddifferent of divergent sects with state. the and conflict, Muslim-Christian the state, and between church conflict suchasthe period the monasteries of Lake Tana will be seen from the point of view of the political developments of the to migrate to monks pushed that factors The monks. the of background the for schools monastic contemporary well-researched approach the will Accordingly, I primary sources. the analyzing directly than rather methodology alternative an out sort to me forced state, the define with relationship help background andtheir historical information to the that could key other and presence, in their involvement state’s the about Tana, Lake of islands such casestoavoid any confusion in follow will explanation A special ones. above the to affiliation historical in another closer note other monasteries which are notin the time framework Imentioned above, but which are I would like to thank my Supervisor Professor József Laszlovszky for his suggestions for the methodological the for suggestions his for Laszlovszky József Professor Supervisor my thank to like would I To define the relationship between the state and the church, forms of andforms the of royal state between the patronage church, To define relationship the The lack of sources about the reasons for founding a monastic community foundingon the community for amonastic reasons about the sources The lack of 5 4 CEU eTD Collection grants in region grants the Lake Tanain of in tosomeand of general monasteries particular. the land the concerning also There are some primary sources my booty the of sources. increase inputforwillbe this ofall, another also study. Most landscapewhich the will I witnessed pictures Ihave and took seen objects The different accounts. checkfor thetravelers’ counter a as them of use make least at will I So, them. citing directly from frustrated interviewees study andinformation. collected significant Thelack of mostwillingness my of of most monasteries of myselfof target the this havevisited validity. I check their Besides, cross to quantity great their from benefited be will I However, elements. distorted have may the major constituents of the sources of this study. I am aware of their disadvantage that be theoralinformation andwill they thatrecorded thoroughly accounts exploited The travelers’ Sources 3. 5 CEU eTD Collection left behind. However, despite this general concept of monastic life, they leave set notlife, monastic any they did of concept this general despite However, leftbehind. inventions coenobitic of the and Anthony Saint Saint of life ascetic The onwards. Pachomius century fourth the from ideas of Egypt were the great of inspiringMonasticism a new produced group and anumberof significant personalities legacies that early monasticism1.1. Developing trends of medieval monasticism inEthiopia had in precedesthemain theme. Ethiopia monasticism ofmedieval developments general the of a summary founded, were Lake Tana of the monks’ identities. To give an overview of these trends within which the monasteries of willfollow the discussion influenced thefoundation process could have that possible factors Lake Tana.The of islands found the their monks of withinway whichthe to period the also be made to identify the founders in the context of the wider religious and politicalcarried outmonastic missions by moving to the lake as trendspermanentresidents. An attemptwill presents Theseconddiscussed. theorigin part backgroundeducational of monks and the who be whicharethis paper will historical of casestudies aspects of the monasteries important the other and foundation, of period the location, physical the Accordingly, century. fifteenth the to thirteenth the from i.e., period, medieval late the during founded those on emphasis special with monasteries, of the foundation the discusses part first The in LakeTana. islands the on communities monastic the founding of steps basic the with deals chapter This THE FOUNDATION OF THE MONASTERIES ON LAKE TANA ON LAKE THE FOUNDATIONOFMONASTERIES CHAPTER ONE 6 CEU eTD Collection 11 Church Today See also Nigussie Dominic, southeast of Adwa; and Ymeata came Romfrom Qosyat, or Romya;a place that might he bewent Romin upper from came Liqanos or Egypttowardsof Gerima; that Romya;near or hermitage as his northgiven Heis established Syria. ofor origin Armenia Damascus.the Guba’s lesser is, heof Adwa; that east Qelqeya, settlednortheast Medera, at a monastery founded he onSyria; in oftheof origin place Axum; his to hillrefer Sehmanorth cameof Axum,fromor“Romya;” established he knownAntioch the monastery of Debre Damo; Gerima cametoday from Romand orRomya, his name may settledasof Axum; Aregawi isprobably meaninga nickname “a precociousHis given boy.”Debreof origin is as “Rom” place northeast amonastery founded he onCappadocia, Qonasel;in a Caesarea from plateau came Alef origin; Arabic North of be to seems Pentelewon name His Minor. Asia from came Afse Yemata. and Sehma, Pentelewon, Liqanos, Guba, cameGerima, Aregawi, from 10 Sharpe, 1997),162. 9 Harrassowitz,2006), 679. Proceedings of theXVth International Conference of Ethiopian Studies 8 monastic fathers such as St. Anthony, St. Paul, and St. Pachomius were translated from Greek monasticism. of form early this of discipline and 7 Press, 2007), 31. founded they monasteries the and monks the of names 6 monasticism introduced Ethiopia.Chalcedon to of council the after Empire Byzantine the in persecution anti-monophysite fled who saints of guiding and principles standards. achieving union with God, Ethiopian monastic traditions harmonize with African modes of modes makingthought all to them ethnicrelevant groups.” African with harmonize traditions monastic Ethiopian God, with union achieving ideal of ascetic Eastern of the i.e., “asanexpression synchronization, and both transcendence introduced andfitis tolocal developed Itmost culture. forperceived byhunt scholars as a globe. all the monasteriesover scattered a wideinto of arena desert villagein Egyptian moved the asita small from time life over monastic transformed and fortheborders evolution.Accordingly, ideas gave cultures newimpetus of and principles monastic life,asin life, wasinevitable everyday and therapid spreadofmonasticism across in Evolution elements. new adding and tradition existing the analyzing for options broad Karen Louise Jolly, Louise Karen Joachim Persoon, “The Monastery as a Nexus of Ethiopian Culture: A Discourse Reconstruction,” in Peter Hatlie, Peter Hatlie, Peter Taddesse Tamrat, Church Tamrat, Taddesse Alef, Afse, are: names their number; in nine were they because Saints” “Nine the called are monks The The Ethiopian case is no exception and these earliestforms of monasticism were (Bern: PeterLand AG, International Academic Publishers,, 2010), 190. The Monks and Monasteries of Constantinople, ca. 350-850 The Monks and Monasteries of Constantinople, ca.350-850 Tradition and Diversity: Christianity Worldin a Context to1500 and State in Ethiopia (1270- 1527 The Fetha Nagast and its Ecclesiology: Implications in the Ethiopian Catholic 6 The later generations that succeeded them were left with 7 9 While there is some information about the about information is some there While 11 ) (London:Oxford University Press, 1972), 190. However, given that the lives of early of lives the that given However, 8 According to Ethiopian According nine to tradition, 10 little is known theorganization about 7 , ed. Siegbert Uhlig, (Hamburg: Otto , 31. (New York: Cambridge University (New York: M. E. CEU eTD Collection Kessinger Publishing, 2004). Ethiopian empire. See also Thomas P. Ofcansky, Laverle Berry, Laverle Ofcansky, P. Thomas Seealso empire. Ethiopian 17 16 15 Monasticism 14 infancy. monasticism and my intention is here that Ethiopian monasticism had shared this commonelement since its founded. the that specialwas monks took vows of celibacy and their confined lives tothemonasteries they monasticism early this of aspect idiosyncratic most The monasticism. of life of way the seen have might they where monasticism of cradle the to connected traditionally 13 12 for theirrevered of were alsodepth compassion.” extraordinary with their fellow human beings and were often perceived as aloof and forbidding; yet they contact ordinary from themselves removed consciously they solitude, “In their fathers. desert monks. these of life the for guidelines provided have might texts these century, fifth in the Ge’ez to still young in still region the Amhara. of this group of priestly families. from was it century thirteenth the before church in the happened changes any If church. the church history is the history of the secularsome in steps primary instituting andexpandingmonasticism in thecountry. clergy, which was the only administrativeearly introduced revolves monksmade around thus, Roman andtradition, Egyptian and who unit of and Anystudy footthis of some builtmonasteries. set theninesaints part of where Ethiopia monastic tradition. If there were, the overall activity seems to have been confined to northern these nineit saints, seems thatyears passed without any meaningful experiments with the A name given to the region whose habitants speak the Amharic language and was the base of the medieval ofthe base the was and language Amharic the speak habitants whose region the to given A name Ibid., 113. Taddesse Tamrat, Church Douglas Burton-Christie, Taddesse Tamrat, Church Ibid. 12 When Amlak Yukuno restored Solomonicthe in Dynasty 1268/70, monasticism was Although monasticism was allegedlyintroduced to Ethiopiain thefifth by century 13 This argumentcan by also besupported factthat the originthe of ninesaintsthe is In fleshing out this idea, it will be useful to adopt an explanation from an adoptit from early bewill the explanation useful Infleshingoutthisidea, to (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), 3. and State in Ethiopia andState in Ethiopia The Word inthe Desert: Scripture andthe Quest forHoliness in Eearly Christian 16 17 Of course, there were a few monasteries like Dabra few like Of monasteries therewerea course, , 107. , 190. This isacommon concept andpractice of global 8 Ethiopia ACountryStudy 14 15 The rest of (Whitefish: CEU eTD Collection 25 1995),78. Press, Red Sea The (Lawrenceville: family, the nobility, clergy, the royal etc.; ofthe seemembers also Teshale rulers, local Tibebu, -- hierarchy power ofthe echelons lower the to emperor bythe granted 24 22 23 21 20 19 that is commonly known as the ‘house’ of itswhich is that Haymanot influence asthe‘house’of in Takla commonly own known put thirteenth century. half the the second of around Ethiopia inmedieval themonasticism revival of accelerated gult 18 community monastic a establishing of simplicity The possible. monastic changedcompetition intohave houses soon manyto as of influence as spheres state. from the church the of independence religious rigorous wasEwostatewos inclined activities towards stressed thespiritual and Haymanot. While the development of the house of Takla Haymanot Takla of and ‘house’ the Ewostatewos of ‘house’ i.e., the monastic ‘houses’, different destination. at their society the evangelized and even the to cenobite ascetics communities personal -- made theirfrom -- way into one region afterinclination another, found monastic an openof place, forms all from monks as empire clergy. monastic the among newleaders of appearance the with century thethirteenth of half in second the revitalization influence to Yukuno Amlak. However, monasticism in this part of Ethiopia saw a form of monksHayq, the facilitated bylendingrestoration whose prominent theirof dynasty the the tradition of the secular clergy and followed the expansion of empire, the of expansion the followed and clergy secular of the tradition the Marcus, Harold G., Harold Marcus, Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Taddesse Tamrat, The ‘house’ of Takla Haymanot is a common name forthe group of monks who supported Ibid. the state’s cause. Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Gult 24 grants to the monasteries established deep inside pagan territories monasteries pagan andinside established grantstothe unconquered deep is anAmharic term whichliterally means immobile orstationary. Itwas a tribute appropriation right Despite this competition in the general field of Ethiopian monasticism, it was the sect itwas the monasticism, Ethiopian field of general in the competition this Despite The phenomena of this evolution were mainly represented by the emergence of two of mainly emergence bythe represented were evolution this of The phenomena A History of Ethiopia Church and State in Ethiopia (1270- 1527 Church and State in Ethiopia (1270- 1527 Church and State in Ethiopia (1270- 1527 A History of Ethiopia 18 After that, its influence came to be felt everywhere in the everywhere felt be to came influence its that, After (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1994), 22. , 21. 9 22 The ideological differences among these ), 107. ), 110. ), 107. 19 The Making of Modern Ethiopia (1896-1974) 23 coupled with emperors’the 20 was in harmony with in harmony was 21 the ‘house’ of 25 CEU eTD Collection 29 28 27 26 1344), themost expansionist kingmedieval have of manyEthiopia. There been by attempts in Most Ethiopia. of monasteriesthe founded were during the rule ofAmde Tsion (1314- monastic revival of period the during occurred LakeTana monasteries on of The foundation 1.2. The monasteries ofLake Tana andthefounding generation ofmonks and Takla Haymanot, to the two forms of monasticism,i.e., coenobitic and eremitic. non-Christian region, attracted inmainly located andpredominantly Lake whole Generally,was uninhabited thesis. Tana, all sorts of monksrepresentingmonastic two these houses Mo’aand(Iyasus Haymanot)throughout the Takla from the two ‘houses’, associationi.e., Ewostatewos it had with the Christianity. of contemporaryreach the beyond state, I will use the production monasteriesexcellence the for monksof toregions whichhad whoexpanded been ‘house’ of Takla Haymanot in genuineshrouded historical reconstruction. Takla Haymanot. bySt. capital Amdethe near Tagulat, Tsion, of Shewa heartof of the medieval kingdom the Another monastery of equal fame, Dabra Asbo,later renamed Dabra Libanos, was founded at Hayq. Dabra in school their attended have to said are Stars” “Seven legendary the since contribution in expandingmonasticism thearound region of Lake Tana could be reckoned agroup monksenhancedexample, monasticism.of that produced revival the Their of Stephenregion.founded ofSt. inLakeby in Church The for about Moa Hayq, 1248, Iyasus in role this played that house vagueness the about monastic isa significant Thereslight a in of Amhara. monasteries the region establishing and conductingactivities missionary Ibid., 167. Ibid., 166. Taddesse Tamrat, Church Tamrat, Taddesse Taddesse Tamrat, Church Tamrat, Taddesse 27 According Taddesse, to claimfor the seniority has houses among these and State in Ethiopia and State in Ethiopia 29 Thus, by considering the dominant role and the and role dominant the considering by Thus, , 110. , 116. 28 However, these two monasteries were centers of monasteries werecenters two these However, 10 26 CEU eTD Collection geographical proximity. 33 latter will be givenpriority. 32 during the medieval period,i.e., from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century. interviews, them.sponsored Using travelers’ accountsandmyowndatawhich through I collected who individual an or family royal the than rather founders its by known better is them 31 in this thesis, who used different criteria to group the monks. 30 of a monastery was often an individual enterprise. Taddesse points to the fact that: establishment the words, other In community. monastic a establish to initiative individual an they sponsored the construction, granted land, or made other forms of donations,it was rather because monasteries certain with identified closely were families royal different though Even monasticism. Ethiopian characteristic of not were in common Europe, Foundation charters, 1.2.1 The establishment andhistorical elements of the monasteries a certain group. inmonks foundingidentify the have to used authors these criteria are some of the Haymanot monasteries, theideology i.e.,they pursued, either houseof Takla the Ewostatewos or the founded they time the attended, they school monastic The episodes. historical and criteria different on based together monks founding the group to authors different The lists of the monasteries for discussion are My informants do basedwantnot their names mentioned inon the thesis, chronological so, if my data fits with travelers accounts the order and grouped according to their Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse used references major the among are Bosc-Tiessé Claire Smith, and Berry Tamrat, Taddesse Cheesman, R.E The foundation of the monasteries of Lake Tana followed this tradition and each of most popular as sitesthe youngof community. were areas, semi-desert forest or hillsides, Inaccessible seclusion. complete of the for itsretreat founder. Alone,accompaniedby or a few founder followers, the community A monasticby normally community started beingan isolated place of private pursued a strict life of extreme asceticism, in almost 32 I will discuss the historical elements of the monasteries that were founded 30 Church and State in Ethiopia (1270- 1527 11 ), 110. 31 33 CEU eTD Collection 39 38 equivalent to the English term abbot. 37 36 17. 1996), Press, Red Sea (Lawrenceville: from Jerusalem by King Menelik I. See also 35 250. 34 Stephen by Abba St. tothe dedicated and wasfounded of coupledJudaism its Ark of with “original preservation of Covenant” the the site acult as foundation Its River. theGumara mouth of the at Lake Tana of shore eastern the place in in history monasticism the of Theis neara Ethiopia. monastery located on peninsula monasteries. are buried at Daga Istifanos.. are buried at (1607-1632),andFasiledes Susenyos (1632-1667) (1434-1468), (1382-1430), Zàr'a Ya'eqob emperors. Many andscholarstravelers believe Dawit YukunoAmlak that I (1268- 1285), the of remains the especially there, buried are who families royal the about sources different The monastery is famous for its royal burials. However, there is no agreement among island lake. inthe of largest corner Dek,the southeastern onthe founded was monastery AmdeEmperor Tsion (1314-1344). of reign the during region the in activity Christian of center became monastery the that notes hadcommunity before existed Zagwe the an Dynastycameinend to also1270. Taddesse monastery the inis thefourth certainlyA.D. mythical,century aChristian although foundation thesupposed of Taddesse According Tamrat, to isof apocryphal. monastery the foundation allegedthe that argue who scholars are there However, Tana. islands of Lake the of, importance religious of development the and on, settlement human of terms in pioneering Claire Bosc-Tiessé, “L’histoire et l’art des églises du lac Tana,” lac du églises des etl’art “L’histoire Bosc-Tiessé, Claire R. E. Cheesman, R.E. Abba is a general name for elders in Ethiopia. However, its meaning for a monastic father is almost the Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse The legendary original Ark of the Covenant is said to have been preserved in Tana Qirqos after it was brought DavidShinn, Thomas Ofcansky, Another monastery, almost equal in fame, is the monastery Itis is in Istifanos. monastery of fame, the equal Daga almost monastery, Another The thirty-seven islands of Lake Tana shelter more than twenty churches and 34 To begin with, the oldest of all monasteries, Tana Qirqos, occupies a special Lake Tana and the Blue Nile: an Abyssinian Quest Church and State in Ethiopia 39 Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia 36 Kebra Nagast , 190. 12 [The [The Glory of Kings], ed. Miguel F. Books Annales d’Ethiopi (London: Frank Cass & Co.,, 1939), 137. (Lanham, MD:Scarecrow Press,2004), 37 Hiruta Amlak Hiruta in1276.The 16 (2000): 263. 35 makes it makes 38 CEU eTD Collection 49 Prospettive Della Storiografia Africana 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 (Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2002), 17. Church language, Ge’ez. See also also See Ge’ez. language, Church period. same the almost in Gebriel Kebran founded who monk same the Yohannis, Za Abuna related of historical to the Kebran.and Themonastery geographical by setting was founded 40 Tsion (1314-44) byAbuna monastery the Kebran of Gebriel.This monastery founded during was the Amdereign of Atthe inof top wooded islanda smallmountainous, southern the part of Lake Tana stands period of rule. They include of period Maryam They Brgida rule. reignduring the Amde Emperor smallof Tsion, arealso from there other monasteries his Tadewos during monastery forwith a greatreputation havingamedievalwas founded library.It byAbuna the reign of Amde Tsion. Seife AradSeife (1344-1371). Fasiledes. of monastery Mistle the founded TanaQirqos, on community Christian organized a who monk the Yafqiranna Egzi, Tana, of Lake shore eastern the on Qirqos, Tana of south instance, For Lake Tana. islands of Zakarias. of the Gumara River on a rocky Samra, of hill bymarshland. Krestos GumaraRiveron the surrounded a rocky whose mouth lake nearthe of the shore eastern the along is located Samra.It Krestos of monastery Tsion, Amde Emperor of son Asai, The replica of the original Ark of the Covenant that exists in every church and monastery in Ethiopia. in monastery and church inevery exists that Covenant of the Ark original ofthe replica The Berry, LaRichard Smith, Verle “Churches and Monasteries of LakeTana, Ethiopia 1972,”In 219. Tana,” lac du églises des etl’art “L’histoire Bosc-Tiessé, Claire Ibid., 203. Ibid., 199 R. E. Cheesman, R.E. R. E. Cheesman, R.E. Ibid., 245. 240. Tana,” lac du églises des etl’art “L’histoire Bosc-Tiessé, Claire Abuna 42 Emperor Amde Tsion’s successors continued to found religious communities on the isa term used to referto “our father” in most Semitic languages, including Arabic and the Ethiopian Southeast of Kebran Gebriel, at the southern tip of the lake, is Dabra Maryam, a Maryam, is Dabra lake, the of tip southern the at Gebriel, Kebran of Southeast 46 Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Lake Tana and the Blue Nile 48 Another legacy of the period of Amde Tsion’s successors is the 40 ZaYohannis. agai Erlikh, agai , ed. , Teobaldo Filesi (Naples: Giannini Editore, 1978), 12. 47 This monastery was founded under thereign Emperorof 45 and GalilaIyasus,founded by his Abba grandson , 198. , 163. The Cross andthe River: Ethiopia,and Egypt, theNile 41 43 13 Entons Iyasus is a small monastery closely monastery is asmall Iyasus Entons 44 Besides founded notablethese monasteries founded byAbba Mandaba Medhanialem, Realta E tabot 49 CEU eTD Collection 56 55 Press, 2007), 62. 54 to somehappened aclash to in between hints. that the Ahistorical capital, the episode Tagulat, monastic may twolead destiny analyze the of aboutthe pupils “houses” and the hypothesize is monks, thebackground to general there of baptized. Since founding about the obscurity Lake Tanabecame answers for thegrowingfor uninhabited need land and asociety be to respectively. society and politics, in involvement religiosity adherence to and by strict were characterized The twohouses mostinfluential monks belonged to either the “house” of Ewostatewos or of Takla Haymanot. The questions. these could answer that medieval inEthiopia emerged figures Some monastic good?” for force a and traditions, and laws own their by operating outsiders, both be they and society. Could workingsthe into of state church, be assimilated usefully they could also is whether question the tobeoutsiders, monks are most “Although determined Hatlie wrote: create an Monks need to identity ignore enableswhich them their ideals.worldly 1.2.2 The founding generation ofmonks 1429) by his brother Abba Nom. 53 52 51 50 monastery. the gave later who king, the of ceremony coronation the for Alexandria 1430) in fourteenth century. late the was controlled bythe wasfounded during abbotof Tana Qirqos, thereign Dawitof I (1382- monastic community on the Island of Mitraha, of Island the on community monastic Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Ibid. Peter Hatlie, Peter R. E. Cheesman, R.E. Mariam. Mitraha of Monastery the at monk) (a informant Aanonymous R. E. Cheesman, R.E. La Verle Berry, Richard Smith, “Churches and Monasteries of Lake Tana, Ethiopia 1972.” 52 Rema founded Medhanialem was Yishak the during reign of Emperor I (1414- The Monks and Monasteries of Constantinople, ca.350-850 Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Church and State in Ethiopia, 53 56 Itwas at this period monastic of revival that the islands of 50 Dawit’s reign also saw the establishment of another , 169. , 189. 107. 14 51 whose tabot (New York: Cambridge University (of (of Mary) came from tabot 54 tothe Peter 55 CEU eTD Collection 63 can be said that the house of Ewostatewos found the islands of Lake Tana an ideal ideal In place. Lake an found islandsof Tana the houseEwostatewos the of can besaidthat church official the influence of direct where the in areas activities missionary their concentrated They way.doctrine inamore organized his and returned later continued His disciples intopopularwent exile support, inArmenia some with hehis of disciples; died in1352. there win able to whowasnot Ewostatewos, in 1338, instance, For masters. as mentioned often reform. monastic the in continuing roles significant played later who disciples, own their independent of monastic andthey of independent state, the carry could intensiveout activities, andstrict 62 Alexandrian Sabbath, had his center in Dabra Maryam in Tigre. whowas 1352), Taklafor antagonistic his Haymanot towards position against the state control and the influence of the official church official the of influence the and control state lake zone wasan where monks. outlying region founded Given the that by Ewostatewian 61 doctrine. or sect different a from opposition played a major role in the restoration of the Solomonic60 dynasty, they were favored by 59 the emperors against any 58 57 in YukunoSolomonicby dynasty 1270. Amlak Emperor the of restoration in the also but century, thirteenth the of revival monastic in the only empire. the in Christianity of expansion the Takla Haymanot (and/or Iyasus Moain some emerged sources), andleft marks own on their this discussion to trace backgroundthe founding of monks. the of monks and king,Amde the Tsion, and thesubsequentexile of monksthe willalsobe partof Ibid., 109. Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Nigussie Andre Dominic, The official church was the church Ibid.,that 23. was in harmony with the empire.Nigussie Since Dominic, the house of Takla Haymanot Ibid. 60 Among the founders of the monasteries of Lake Tana, the names of the two monks are As has already been discussed, the two monastic houses, Ewostatewos andSaint Ewostatewos houses, monastic two the discussed, been already As has could notbe felt. Church and State in Ethiopia, TheFetha Nagastand its Ecclesiology The Fetha Nagast and its Ecclesiology 61 It is difficult to trace which of the monasteries in Lake Tana were 190. 57 15 Especially the latter played a major role, not , 21. , 21 62 58 was loose, their teaching was their teaching wasloose, In contrast, Ewostatewos (1273- Ewostatewos Incontrast, 59 These two houses These produced two 63 it CEU eTD Collection was a discipline of Ewostatewosmonasticism among the Ethiopian Jews (Falasha) and of the Lake Tana hadarea. Gabara-Iyasus, followed whoregion his ofmaster Lake in hisTana, exile thereto Armenia, is islandson Lake Tana. of the evidence aboutlater hadsettledhouse monastic a group monks tothe suggest thatbelonged of who seems to an individual Ewostatewos,” of monks the among home institutional its from seriously out branched effort to institutehave to not seems “…[Qebat] that, noted asCrummey periods later in the Ewostatewos this sect of house the with association necessary Qebat’s inLakeTana. monasteries of foundation of Lake Tana). Donald noted, Qebat Crummey is strongly entrenched inthe region Gojjamof (including mysupports about house the of point monks’ Ewostatewos on islands.the establishment As York, 1994), 28. credited with laying a foothold of the Ewostatewian movement in the region in Lake Tana. of region the movement of Ewostatewian the afoothold laying with credited should be observed. See also Hastings,Adrian the state for antagonism his with Takla Haymanot over theobservance of Sabbath, which the latter insisted 67 66 Twentieth Century 65 Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Tradition ChurchAnaphora,” PhD dissertation, University of South Africa, 2009, 287, cited in Christine Chaillot, 64 that: noted Hailemariam Abba dissertation, doctrinal sects discussing different inhisPhDof Ethiopianthe the Orthodox Church Ewostatewos went inexile first to Egypt and thento Armenia, where he died in1352, to avoid persecutionby Ibid. Donald Crummey, Orthodox Ethiopian the in Christology Cyrillian of Influence “The Melese, Hailemariam (Abba) Ayenew Besides this general and vague account of the Ewostatewian monks’ migration to the to migration monks’ Ewostatewian the of account vague and general this Besides The fact that the doctrinal sect of Qebat existed in the region of Lake Tana also Haymanot order… Haymanot Takla the to Ababa) adhere Addis of (aprovince in Shewa monastery Libanos Dabra at monks whereas the order first the belong to Lake Tana order the of wholivedSt. Takla Haymanot, inthe13th century. Themonks in (1273-1352),and Ewostatewos order the of mainSt. monastic are two orders: Ewostatewos in Lake Tana (Gojjama, Northwest Ethiopia). In Ethiopia there The quibat 65 One cannot directly associate this later development with the process of the (Chicago: University of Illinois, 2000), 104. / Land andSociety in the Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia: From the Thirteenth to the qebat (Unction) sect was followed by monks of the order of St. 64 The Church inAfrica 1450-1950 (Paris: Inter-Orthodox Dialogue, 2002), 153. 16 (Oxford University Press: New 67 The is 66 CEU eTD Collection society up to the present day. present the to up society in circulates it and popular is legend the Otherwise monasteries. the and monks ofthe names ofthe information 70 69 boat stone a byusing Daga of Island the on arrival miraculous his and Moa Iyasus of disciple associated with the monasteryDaga Istifanos, of offounder the legend, Dabra the to Hirutaaccording instance, For monasteries. Hayq. Tana Lake the Amlak, of monks His is believedhagiography to have narratesbeen one of histhe “sevenearly stars”life and monastery his Tana. each Lake on of own founded them aswho a were guidance spiritual under time same the at arrived monks seven the legend, the to According Yasaye Mandaba, Yafqiranna of Egzi Gugubie, Tadewos and Debra Maryam.of Yohannis Kebranof Gebriel, Betre Maryam of Ura Kidanemihiret, Zacharias of Bahre Galila, Amlak include: Hirute Theseby of monks Daga Istifanos, founded Moa. Dabra Iyasus Hayq, of monastery famous the at education monastic theirhave received to They are believed monasteries of Lake Tana were founded by a group of seven monks also called “seven stars.” Lake Tana is the popular legend of houses. two the by the then by out carried been had “Seven that process evangelization Stars.” This legendfounded has it that some a of monastery conclusion beforward monks Ewostatewos thatthecan put other followed that himwould have a isof lake.the out However, San inDabra since LakeTana, foundation monastery in Lake TanaSan. Dabra Falasha, or at least settled in the region, and enhanced the 68 in Lake Tana. of Infranz, region district, same in the Falasha the among activities evangelical his started and home returned Falasha, prior to his journey with his master to Armenia. the land toInfranz, of the by Ewostatewos been assigned he had Taddesse, According to Upon the death of Ewostatewos he Philip Philip Briggs, Ibid. Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse The legend has some historical facts fitthat hagiography the of some of foundingthe monasteries of monksfounding the of the the background of totrace account Another Ethiopia Church and State in Ethiopia (London: Bradt Travel Guides, 1995),209. Iused this travel for guide sakethe of the 69 This account cannot be taken for granted as an Ewostatewian 68 To seal his triumph, he founded a monastery among the among monastery a founded he triumph, his seal To , 198. 17 70 CEU eTD Collection 74 71 inhagiography. the latter’s Moa DabraHayq underIyasus seems sincethereis reliable his background evidenceof atthe monastery educational of founded monastery Amlak the in AbunaHiruta lake) ideathat 1).The the fig 1276. (See (cross monastery tothe enter Amlak to used byAbuna Hiruta boat stone monastery (“A the of entrance isthe preservedat now marked information, cross this with lake.the to stone, The 73 first bishop of Ethiopia. However, it was re-established as a strong monastic community by Yafqiranna-Igzi. 72 Otto Harrassoitz, 2005), 38. recent development” recent is learning arelatively Christian and monastic activities center of as animportant reputation existing monastery andTana Qirqos of vicinity.its writes Taddesse “Tanathat Qirqos’s in thealready activities hisevangelical about of accounts is glimpse a there However, book,whichTaddesse mentionsTamrat’s thathe was by Adhani ordained in Tigre. asamonk. andhisacceptance have isfrom background onlyevidence his educational I The region of present-day Eritrea. He was a disciple Madhanina-of Egzi and little is known about which is another question as to the reliability of the legend of the “seven stars.” whether he moved with other monks in a group to the islands of Lake Tana from Dabra Hayq, Ibid. Claire Bosc-Tiessé, “Hiruta Amlak,” in Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse the Selama, by Abuna center Christian a made been already had and site cult pre-Christian a was Qirqos Tana Yafqiranna-Egzi, the founderYafqiranna-Egzi, the Church and State in Ethiopia, 74 and is attributed to the advent of Yafqiranna-Egzi monastery. the isto theadvent and attributed at Yafqiranna-Egzi of 72 Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: He-N of Tana Qirqos, was believed to have come from the 191. 18 71 However, there is no evidence no is there However, , ed. Siegbert Uhlig (Wiesbaden: Uhlig Siegbert ed. , 73 CEU eTD Collection some of the founders of monasteries. of of founders some the the of identity the about below discussion the from evaluated be can legend the of validity The church someaccounts. is notor same to the historical according mentioned monasteries the is foundation legend problem period thatthe beenDabra Hayq.Another of all of with the at cloudy someover is monks whoseeducational background certainlyhaving known as not is Amlak,it monks suchasHiruta hagiographies other of in and harmony with the goes Daga Istifanos. (photograph by author.) the While the legend is acceptable for its mention of monkits right his for mention the monastery with While of legendisacceptable the used Fig.1. The boat by Abunastone Amlak Hiruta to cross lakeinthe His way to 19 CEU eTD Collection 79 resided. Tsion Amde where then-capital here the first state formationin Ethiopia occurred, including the Axumite Empire. Rather itwas remote from the 78 77 76 75 and churches inthe see reforms to eager as he was endless it andseemed state with the by established Upon existed. he ninesaints the hisalready the continued return conflicts old of Tigre, where practices ashemonastic years in two better life even hadspent province have of the endorsed monasticism had its origins in Ethiopia and monasteries such as those religious leaders on one side and Emperor Amde Tsion on the other side. two years later and started a series of reforms in the practices of monasteries. anda seriesyearsthe of in of started later practices two reforms the banishment to the territory of Tigre. Yohannis, of practicing simony. He went on to apply this issue to Emperor Amde Tsion. Moa, belonged secondwas Basalota-Mikael,tothe of religiousIyasus generation conflict who led the that to movement of this reform leaders the Oneof leaders. of political influence strong the under and clergy secular the by dominated was that a church in reform religious make to sought monks militant young The church. in the movement reform a of result the was conflict The foundation. latter’s was the monastery since the of Haymanot ‘house’ Takla the to completely monks belonged These capital. nearthe Libanos monastery Debra of the these monks “the exiled generation” since they were forced by Emperor Amde Tsion leaveto Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Tigre is a province in northern Ethiopia. It is actually not a remote land in the sense of civilization since it was Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Ibid., 177. Ibid., 186. 76 the monk who embarked on spreading monasticism on a large scale in Ethiopia. The other monks who went to Lake Tana were victims of the conflict between the Basalota-Mikael’s appeal for reform acceptedandendednot inhis itwas appealfor reform rather Basalota-Mikael’s Basalota-Mikael Basalota-Mikael hisstarted movementby accusing the Egyptian metropolitan, Abuna order; order; he money’… ordains and receives their bishop contravenes this But ordinations. ecclesiastical or baptism either whoreceivedthose ‘…the Apostles in forexcommunicated money return him in. Andtheytold king the it] [about andhim took in. Hesaid[to king]:the and Basalota-Mikael priests of take court tothe royal the askedthemto went Church and State in Ethiopia, Church and State in Ethiopia, 78 He returned to the provinces of the capital once again 115. 114. 20 77 75 I prefer to call 79 He might He CEU eTD Collection 5 vols, (London: G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1840), vol. 2, 6. 80 Ewostatewian, this argument does not match the story. side was represented by Basalota-Mikael, a disciple of Iyasus Moa who was certainly not monks’ onthe group rebellious Since the story. agreethis with not alsodoes Ewostatewos, The other suggestion by scholars, thefounders that would have belonged house tothe of each other. contradict “theory” legend andthe the Accordingly, in Libanos. Debra context hadits Dabra story monks Hayq, the to of the theorigin legend traces While stars.” the story of conflict between fell victim the theory Tana. Thefirst founders to that of monasteries Lake supposed the of the the ecclesiastics by This story is documentation supported better relatively it many fallaciesand shows about and the royal family is the legend of the “seven James Bruce. The story goes: practices. marital non-Christian his for condemned intoa boldmonasteries. Amde Heeven clash Emperor he with came Tsion, whom James Bruce, James The same story was also given by the nineteenth-century British traveler to Ethiopia, to traveler British nineteenth-century by the given also was story same The banished those of Debra Libanos out of the province of Shewa. burningthe his of capital was the Monksthemselves. Hetherefore owing to informed, otherwise supposed and of this, thought King, better king, perhaps The city. the burnt had so and ground, the upon dropt had it whenever fire time to persuadenight the peopletheThat same his capital. of every street whippedthrough severely naked, and town that ittook was be Honorius apprehendedchastity, to stripped ordered asheimmediately fire,the blood andof should… It Honorius seem was patience that this aslittle among virtuesas Prince’s was crimes. these for King the entirely excommunicate that publicly then and admonish, turned consumed to who, since, has been canonized it asasaint.his Honorius thought duty first to and thethe number of these wasclergy one Honorius, a Monk of hadthe firstretiredlost character from the forscenes piety, of nowar that defoliated of line Solomon. monastery formany men, Tothis learning eminent and religion, the of Palestinerestorer Haymanot and Takla by Egypt.founded Among Libanos, Debra of the itmonastery near and residence; royal the then was Shewa) of capital (the …Tagulat had nowtaken herlive to with him publicly… hisfather, but loved of concubine a itfor privately atime, … Hehad seems, Travels to Discover theSource of theNile, intheyears1768, 1769,1770,1771, 1772 and 1773 21 80 , CEU eTD Collection of Ethiopia1493-1634 85 84 83 82 Otto Harrassoitz, 2005), 32. Hezqyas, of abbot an monastery the replacedFilipos. exiledwho the tutor, of hands the at Libanos Dabra of monastery the at hood monk to ordained was He Shewa. have been a member of the banished group of monks. He was born in Merahabite, a district in monasteries. two the between links early and foundation of date the about obscurities are there However, was clash. historical victim the the Abunaof fact Tadewos that the illuminates network of the Abuna tellsDabra(hagiography) that of Tadewos the within established Maryam was Dabra Libanos The Abuna Tadewos. of near thebirthplace institution such was only the Dabra Libanos Monasterythat a monkof Shewa.of such rank,isinformation nohis about background.educational it However,seems suggestpossible to Hence,Abuna, there is a tiny light which 81 in monastery harmony the Hezqyasadminister to whoentrusted it Filipos oral was tradition, Silalish Tadewos, Abuna of Thebirthplace Haymanot. of linked house Takla the are to Abuna Tadewos had a link with Dabra Libanos or with the founder, St. Takla Haymanot. Tsion to the region Lakeof Tana. This could be done by analyzing the vita of the monks who hintsinvestigating for the monks who had been in Dabra Libanos and were exiled byAmde some yields it however, Tana, in Lake founded they monasteries the and monks the of list give LakeIt doesnot in region islands the the an exact of Tana inparticular. and to general to former the andtheremoval of family royal the and clergy monastic between the conflict J. J. Hespeler-Boultbee, J. J. Claire Bosc-Tiessé, “Dabra Maryam,” in Apatriarch, but in this context heading a church or a monastery Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Claire Bosc-Tiessé,“Dabra Maryam,” in The Monastery of Dabra Maryam on the southern shore of Lake Tana and its founder in preserved This account, the 84 Similarly, Abba Za Yohannis, the founder of Kebran Gebriel, is believed to is believed Gebriel, Kebran of founder the Yohannis, Za Abba Similarly, Church and State in Ethiopia 81 , 2 in Shewa, is the same place where St. Takla Haymanotwas born. nd ed. (: British Colombia: CCB Publishing, 2011), 101. A Story in Stones: Portugal's inStones: A Story Influenceon Culture andArchitectureHighlands the in 83 Encyclopaedia Aethiopica must have been educated in a well-run monastery and monastery in awell-run educated been have must Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: D-Ha Chronicle , 160. 22 of Emperor Amde Tsion, mentions the , 32 , ed.Siegbert Uhlig (Wiesbaden: 85 According to 82 There gedil CEU eTD Collection 89 88 in the follow to monks several of attention the attract to force acentripetal been have of region. paganpeoples the the Christianity to horizon of the expand and communities Christian isolated stabilize the to therefore, region Lakeof Tana. The missionary activity of the early monks who went the to region was, for inthe monastic communities hadstrong later ground emergencethe of preparedthe state, Christian communities, as the traditions of some of the medieval monasteries of this study 87 d’Ethiopie 86 century. inhalf thirteenth the second of started the process also partof compositionthis in and long hadexisted area the before the large-scale expansion were communities Christian suggest that to reasons several are there However, three. chapter control of the medieval kingdom of Damot. loose of composed andnative Gojjam Jewish originunder the people pagans of of (Falasha) by Axumitethe the and Zagwe(1100-1270) atexpansion attempts earliest the Despite century. thirteenth the of half second until the state and church Ethiopian medieval the both of zone peripheral a was Tana Lake of region The 1.3. Factors for the foundation of the monasteries on Lake Tana hostility. this lake reflects wasthere the outside whileZaYohannis living Amde Tsion entrustinginformedZa Yohannis’ about by ordination himHezqyas and follow ordered hismaster. to the abbotship of the he ordained shortly after too, he Hezqyas, exiled monastery of Kebran Gebrielhim banishment. This workamongsubversive the monks was uncovered byAmde Tsion and to a community with been cost Amde afterrelationship the had former’s spoiledwith king the Tsion, which Ibid., 201. Ibid., 191. Taddesse, Tamrat, Taddesse, Merid Wolde Aregay, “Some Charters Land Inedited ofEmperorSarsa Dengel 1597),” (r.1563- 13 (2000): 92. Church and State inEthiopia (1270- 1527) 87 I will discuss the population composition in the 23 rulers, the area stayed as an unorganized entity unorganized an as areastayed the rulers, 89 These early missionary activities to appear missionary activities Theseearly Za Yohannis. The emperor must have been , 190. 88 The presence of unorganized of Thepresence 86 Annales CEU eTD Collection 91 2). fig (see monks, by the presented are they as it to related 90 cults. Jewish of as asite island served the that shows which in monastery, the still preserved are usedfor sacrifices thatwere instruments particular, wasthe site of longJudaism theintroductionbefore Christianity.of Many in in Tanain of Gojjam Lake region and the activities general later evangelization for inventionnot the Christianity.of Tanasamethe Qirqos, servedisland asa that spring-board ones. factor, I will follow hypotheses the suggestedbydifferentauthors to pointout possiblethe could that Astherewasnoprocess. thefoundation possible factors haveinfluenced single the with deals section This Tana. Lake of monasteries the to journey a on out set to monks the attracted forced or that factors different been could have there lake.However, the all over footsteps of masterstheir (orpredecessors) to foundmany monasteries on islandsthe dotted monastery were inaugurated in century. secondhalf inaugurated the the fourteenth of were monastery a found and society, surrounding the evangelize to steps take community, Christian establish to anorganized effort primary the sameislandwherethe century.fourth was This Christian visitfirstbishop community inAbuna Frumentius, of Ethiopia, theafter the of Ethiopia. of Lake Tana should becontextualized within thus widerframework ofmonasticismthe in together with its worldly value. Determining the factors for the foundation of the monasteries in itsinmeaning viewed the Ethiopian Church symbolic orreligious terms of Orthodox forfactors foundations.the Accordingly, special the feature, water,physical shouldbe potential investigation lake,needs further of other in located being location, a geographical of unusual tothemonasteries Lake Tana, the applicable thirteenth are equally the century Taddesse, Tamrat, Taddesse, The author visited has the monastery and takenphotographs of the sacrificial pillars and other instruments The first initiative foundto areligious shrine on the islands Lakeof Tana was perhaps While factors for the revival of monasticism throughout the country factors monasticism for revival the While beginning country the throughout of from Church and State inEthiopia, 189. 24 90 Legend has it that the site was changed intoa 91 CEU eTD Collection Athiopien 92 fact: has noted this Joachim Persoon its features. various stages of history Ethiopian up tothe presentrightsignificant time changes without in own norms and salient molding and itself intoits system establish aunique transforming civilization of Ethiopian to features. Joachim Persoon, “Ethiopian Monasticism is a foreign import to Ethiopia. However, it underwent a process of the author) the Fig. 2. Jewish sacrifice pillar in themonastery Tanaof Qirqos (photograph by 56(2003): 24. Monasticism and the Visit of the Holy Family to Ethiopia,” 92 It also continued as a public institution throughout the throughout institution public a as continued also It 25 Kirche undSchule in CEU eTD Collection 95 94 Asfa WossenAsserate (Cologne: Orbis Aethiopicus, 1998), 107. Ancient Institution in a Changing World,” In 93 inwhich restoration of the monksSolomonic Dynasty predated One protagonist the 1270. of phenomenon twelfth-century island wasalate on an space finding“liminal” a However, times. recent fairly to Stars?] Saints[Seven Nine so-called the by introduction its from world, geographically, socially andon edgeof spiritually the Human existence.” i.e.,environment, “the monks andnuns deliberately inhabitchoose to a starkly ‘liminal’ One of aspects of monasticismsettlethe wasto Ethiopian harsh ina geographically 1.3.1 The role of landscape inthefoundations contemporarythe political and developments religious during the time foundation. of to in relation be contextualized should that factors different by motivated were foundations in andpreservingtheearlyDespite this monastery uniformity practice the tradition, asceticism, which meant settling in mountains, caves, forests and deserts.” by be“the interpreted topursue monastic tradition communities’ the inclinations of eremitic point view,from of material This“liminality,” the world. again landscape, in of couldterms geographical from the alienation, total nuns’ themonks’ and demonstrates It monasteries. explanation indicationmonasticlandscape ofthe could impactof bean onEthiopian the Ibid. Joachim Persoon, “Ethiopian Persoon, Joachim Joachim Persoon, “From ForeignImport to Bulwark of EthiopianCivilization, EthiopianMonasticism -- an “Liminality,” therefore, was the main characterizing feature of monasticism of Ethiopian feature mainwas characterizing the therefore, “Liminality,” indigenous culture. with harmonizing local traditions, of emanation poetic of expression is an soil,local in which the rooted spirituality a heritage, of a lost elements regain valuablehelps and usto inexisted butalso Middle Europe East, the once what of glimpses gain to us enables only not Monasticism Ethiopian way life,of which once flourished elsewhere aMillennium The study ago. of of ...Ethiopia isinwhich aspects sense alivingmuseum, acertain preserves 93 Monasticism,” 23. Monasticism,” Athiopien Zwischen OrientundOkzident 26 , ed. Walter Raunig and Raunig Walter ed. , 95 94 This CEU eTD Collection of Ethiopia Debre Mariam; see also, George Wynn, Brereton Huntingford, Brereton Wynn, George see also, Mariam; Debre of Tadiwos and of Gugubie, Egzi Afekrene Mandaba, of Yesaye Gelila, Bahre of Zacharies Kidanemihiret, Ura monasteries they founded are: Hirutefamous Amlak of Daga Estifanos, Yohannes Ethiopianof Kebran Orthodox Church Gebriel, who are also known asthe Betre “Seven Stars” by Mariammedievalthe Church. They ofwere products of the 98 monastery of Debre Hayq founded by Abba Iyesus Moa. The “seven stars” and the 97 suggest themeaning between and Ethiopianmonasticism.water monasticism. of trends contemporary specific the with together general, in monasticism should be viewedin terms symbolicthe of meaning andphysical ofwatertoEthiopian namely,having Accordingly,foundation waterastheir central environment. physical their with a modified landscape, i.e., on islands. adapted thelandscapefor their needs,namely, tradition the continuing of fathers desertthe the choice of landscapeAccordingly, world. life secular of the from daily the alienated of being in least concept the seems monasticism, followed unbroken of at monksthe practice of the ontheislands Lake Tana to have been made of arrival lake.The onthe monasteries several founded and toLakeTana westwards traveled by the monks and it also seems they 96 territories. pagan remote monasticism the groupsexpansion ofmonks to to of produced thatcontributed Agaws. illegitimate the topple to conspiracy involved inthe was himself founder as the dynasty Solomonic the in role restoring a significant played Lalibela, Zagwedynasty, the formerof capital near the foundation monastery’s The Wollo. in Hayq in Lake island an on Stephen St. of monastery for the restoration process, Abba Iyasus-Mo'a, founded and become an abbot of the The foundations of some of the monasteries of Lake Tana are associated with the seven saints (monks) of the Taddesse,Tamrat, Paul Henze, Paul The fact that meaning central of the an island by isaland itsurrounded could water, in terms geography, a special of ofLake still place The monasteries Tana occupy It was one of these groups of monks, traditionally known as the “Seven Stars,” monasticism. This is not merely because of the visual association with ascetic with association visual the becauseof merely is not This monasticism. The image of inis with associated vividly Ethiopian water wilderness the (Oxford: ClarendonPress, 1965),6. 97 Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia Church and State in Ethiopia 96 This monastery also served as a school in the following centuries and centuries following inthe school a as served also monastery This , 158. (London: C. Hurst & Co., 2000), 53 27 The Glorious Victories of ' Ɩ mda 6 eyon, King 98 who CEU eTD Collection 101 100 99 landscape sufficeunderstand the not to thisdoes explanation However, reasons. for security made was choice landscape the that ahigh possibility havebeen to seems there Accordingly, destroy monasteries given the feebletechnology lakethe sailingof medieval in on the period. offers real seclusion and is out of the reach of any massive forces with theintention clearly to landscape This Ethiopia. medieval of upheavals political the to in relation monasteries monasteries. the drawn by irrigation canals from the lake, or naturally streams, created either are there this fact, to Pertaining monksfor water. its the at the centre of the building complexesas a sacred element to wash ofaway sins.most Accordingly, the landscape of may have been adopted by out of the reach of human existence, they still need to have water, not for its regular usage but suggest This although seems monasteries necessarily that areas shouldto be in located remote carry water from the edge of the Lake, as they do in villages.” Lake,asthey from all the edgeof other the do water carry “the have to women that Dek, hereported island, from thelargest lake.On the fetch water to had they that mentions he night, the spent he where monasteries the of most In use. daily their for water its for lake the on reliance communities’ monastic the witnessed Ethiopia, to traveler twentieth-century early famous the Cheesman, needs. basic their for monks Joachim Persoon, “Ethiopian Persoon, Joachim R. E. Cheesman, E. R. monasteries. ofsome centre the at streams or wells water small witnessed has author The The landscape also seems to have had another meaning for the foundation of the of foundation for the meaning another have had to seems also The landscape Besides its importance as a symbolic meaning, water might also have attracted the havealso might attracted water meaning, asa symbolic importance its Besides which approaches the life of the angels. of lifeelements something intoeveryday which timetranscends andspace, an essential life:monastic totransform of ability aspect mundane the the symbolizes all above but Christ), of baptism the (or Epiphany calendar, the of festivals celebrated popularly most the in centrally figures only not water Holy monasteries. most at feature arearegular springs holy at exorcism and healings Miraculous promise. perceived asavehicleblessing for healing,the and tangible sign of divine otherwisean to life bring rivers and streams gushing abundant where saints), nine harshcenters such as Waldebba (one of earliestthe monasteries established by the and barren landscape, but rather because of the way it is 100 LakeTana and the Blue Nile Monasticism:” 23. , 133. 28 99 101 CEU eTD Collection Muslim principalities. Muslim the of territories the on fought mainly were battles early The empire. Christian the of heart deepinside the military and penetrate defeat well-organized the get chanceto the not did 107 106 105 districts. their areasadjoining the confinedforces to was damage toreligious institutions will be discussed. 104 103 102 principalities organized less the tactics, guerrilla early in the Thus, line. a dividing as Ahmad of power Gragn to with coming the territories, Christian sacking Muslims the about invading Christians. monasteries were the main targets of the victorious Muslims as mosques were the prey of bevictorious usedtodemolishthus the destroyed. the with everything potential and Churches to favoringwere shifts invictory both sides in warfare. party The emergedthis protracted who Amdein in1332 andended Tsion 1543during Gelawdewos. reignthe Emperor of lasted almost half a century. medieval downand a series thatwore Ethiopia about of brought wars Muslim principalities control competition routes coupled landto trade for growingneed pasture with the among the empire found itself surrounded by anumberMuslim of principalities. anddestroy monks’ monasteries these tosave the of landscapechoice worked the them? landscapes? Were made founders the unreachable of any Lake attempts to choose Tana any attempts at religious persecution or assault on contemporary inland monasteries so that Werehide? there to want community thereligious did whom From for security. as achoice Ibid. Henze, Paul Ibid., 144. Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Ibid. Henze, Paul It canbearguedthat In the aftermath of the restoration of the Solomonic dynasty in 1270, the Christian Layers ofTime Layers Layers ofTime Layers Church and State in Ethiopia 105 106 For the purpose of this paper only the Muslims’ victory and their only paper purpose this Forof Muslims’ the victory the Accordingly, the destruction of religious institutions by the Muslim , , 83. 84. at the beginning of the Muslim-Christian conflict the Muslims the conflict Muslim-Christian the of beginning the at 103 The Muslim-Christian conflict started during the reign of , 132. 29 107 There are two kinds of sources 102 Immediately, a Immediately, 104 There CEU eTD Collection Christian conflicts before Ahmad Gragn came to power, and churches and monasteries beingmonasteries and and churches cametopower, Ahmad before Gragn conflicts Christian by promoted Muslim- environment unstable political given early the Lake Tana. However, on monasteries the of foundation the have influenced to late enough have happened seems to 112 111 110 109 Islam. to population whole the converting and Empire Ethiopian favor of the former. principalities of southeastern Ethiopia turned thedimension Muslim-Christian in of rivalries they of because safety offered.” monksthe to attractive originally Tana wereprobably “The Lake islands of that: noted who Paul Henze, occupy coulda landthat benot reached Muslimby the easily as can forces, one infer from his time, leads one toconclude that the landscape was chosen for security reasons, namely, to started during that of of andmonasteries Amde destruction the churches coupled with Tsion, time the builtduring of Tanawere monasteries mostLake of the fact that The its institutions. Muslim forces. This destruction, however, might have alerted the clergy to stand by protectto There is no clear evidence of how many churches and monasteries were destroyed by andchurches monasteries. the Muslim the hislasting forces defeatandthegave destruction of account of an rivalry, of the long- Ethiopia inaugurated thereby of and southeastern Muslims declaredwar againstthe 108 of Shewa. parts southeastern inthe churches the destroyed Ibid. Ibid., 86. Henze, Paul Ibid., 135. Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse The coming to power of AhmadThe in1520on power of side the Muslim Gragn the coming to and Manzih. Alltheseme leaguedagainst andme.surrounded monasteries were destroyed,… none of the them survived, and the land of Ziga river of From the HawashfrontiersBiqulzar. of to the Finsate of mefightfrom confines the to to ZabirThe people called Warjih and [thereGabal, who are experts in killing andwere] war, came also Muslims. And the churches and Layers ofTime Layers Church and State in Ethiopia 111 Thismilitant strong Muslim leaderhad goal the of sacking whole the , 73. , 134. 110 30 108 Amde Tsion, who officially 112 This historical episode 109 CEU eTD Collection 116 shown on the map. (See fig. 3) monastery by crossing the water on planks of wood shows that it was near the land, as is 115 on tradition. based described Cheesman what as same the as almost during the time the authorof this thesis visited the monastery interviewedand themonks the water levelwas 114 113 inland churches safety by reasons other therefor large of taken books piles are Gebriel, there such duringas books the invasion of Ahmad Gragn.For example, monastery atthe Kebran of hideescape religious and persecution materials important andmonasteries to churches to planks of wood.” on water the had crossed soldiers “whose inAhmadforces of by Gragn 1537, Iyasus wasburnt to the (Jesus), dedicated of monastery Galila, of the church original instance,centerpiece the For Ahmad Gragn. shore closer tothe andlocated churcheslooted lakeother of burnt forces were the of by the inaccessibility, its relative of because atdestruction escaped attempts the Qirqos While Tana theaccount of on Cheesman, based of Tana Qirqos, Monastery suffered destructionthat by ofAhmad armies the starting Gragn, with influential the monasteries of Lake Tana nor that he did not destroy any. There is evidence of monasteriesmonasteries. establish their the primary victims of Muslim attacks, the monks might have thought it a secure place to Ibid., 203. R. E. Cheesman, R.E. but traveled, Cheesman years the in rain the of intensity general the of because low was level water The Small local boats made of papyrus. However, this does not mean that Ahmad Gragn made no attempt to destroy the The islands of Lake Tana were also being seen as a safe place by other inland island and sack the church. the sack and island the onto get to century sixteenth in the Gragn Ahmad of efforts the frustrated tankwas on water which halfpermanent from amileof land by separated formerly the the island Thelake,round. year fall its during annual exposessix feet, betweenof a causeway the all island an as described be correctly longer no can Qirqos and…Tana the mainland. It is a local tradition that Tana Qirqos was 113 Lake Tana and the Blue Nile plied in every month of the year, the of month in every plied . 115 , 172. 31 116 114 The fact that the soldiers reached the reached thesoldiers factthat The and it was this channel that CEU eTD Collection 117 Adopted from: R. E. Cheesman, Fig. 3. Map of the monasteries of Lake Tana. Lake Tana and the Blue Nile 32 117 , Attached Map. CEU eTD Collection 123 thesis. monks excommunicatedthe forhim marrying his father’s concubine.further For information see page 15 of this 122 121 120 defeated theemperor battleat the of Aroghe in 1869. Tewodros (1855-1869) where the British army looted ittogetherwith other treasures of court the when they Gragn’s invasion for security reasons inthe 1530s, Ahmed Aksum duringmonastery from the takento was Luke.Thepainting bySt. painted of Mitraha once held a picture of Christ with the Crown of Thorns, believed to have been 119 118 institutions. Christian on assaults destruction; monasteries beingLakefew Ahmad the Tana of among survivors Gragns’ of their faith. One can see that the monks’ choice of landscape was of perfect treasures the and themselves in for places hiding terms as islands the chose monks of the avoidinginstitutions, persecution,forceful Islam, conversion destruction to and any of of kind Christian andforcedexileemperors into Christian with the badterms they were on while Whether, forreasons. security partly from monastery saved the total devastation. soldiers’ failure to hit the target, the central church, and the monks’mainland. effortthe from to fire put outthrew thewho fire however, Gragn, Ahmad by devastation at attempt original places. totheir were neverreturned that monasteries and R. E. Cheesman, R.E. when Libanos of Dabra monastery the of monks the and Amde Tsion Emperor between started clash first The Maryam. ofMithaha Monastery the from informants Anonymous R. E. Cheesman, R.E. R. E. Cheesman, E. R. Ibid., 155 Generally, the islands of Lake Tana seem to have been chosen by the founding monks founding the by chosen been have to seem Tana Lake of islands the Generally, islands. important mostfailed toLakeTana,reachthe wherehe his across way made and monastery, its island famous looted HayqinWollo, reached Lake burning churchesandmonasteriesforcibly convertingand Christians. He …he [Ahmad Gragn]launchedawell invasion planned highlands,of the 123 Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Lake Tana and the Blue Nile LakeTana andtheBlueNile 122 duringor the invasions ofAhmad Gragnfollowed by , 87. , 190 , 190. The painting was later taken to the court of Emperor 121 33 119 the monastery could not to escape an to not monastery could the 118 Similarly, the monastery Similarly, the 120 The CEU eTD Collection an idea of co-operation between the royal power and the monastic communities from from the communities andthemonastic between royal the power an ideaco-operation of churchthe bemaintained. had to tradition hagiographic The saintsof seven the supports thus makesendowments itseem adapting islands tothe wasinevitable that far as asharmony with state, namely, evangelizing the surrounding communities a in pagan as forduty state return the by them given mission the However, needs. their to landscape the adapted they that say pursued their andindependencereligious state the farawayfromboth can society. Thus,one choose. They founded the monasteries seemsto monks the that tosuggestto factor hadtheliberty this political Tana monasteries, enjoy royal patronage while at the Lake of foundation for the same asfactors least contributed at or mighthave served that factors time they (2003), 6. win to communities pagan local the andfounded evangelized lake, monasteries, the the seems monks to traveled thatthese It 124 every endowment stateprovided the that monasteries. to AsNiallFinneran wrote, enjoyed They Dynasty. Solomonic the to restoring Hayq, Dabra monastery, home of their because contribution of the with state the had apositive relationship SevenStars, monks, the of features. hadThefirst group monasteries founders two and the state between the the of founded. monasteries The political were whenthe relationship developments of period the The foundation andprocess the issueof adaptation can alsobe viewed interms of the 1.3.2. Political factors for monastic foundations NiallFinneran, “The Monasteries of NorthernShire, Ethiopia,” for these newly-established monasteries. for these newly-established holding systems land- andecclesiastical by materially endowed Emperor hiscohorts; the ( well werevery Monasteries integration. political for speedier allowed newsubjects emperor’s the of andtheChristianization effort, evangelization religious and political hadonce at monastic communities these of The founding connotations. The monasteries formed the spearhead of the gult ) played an important role in the generation of revenue of generation in the role important an played ) gult grants and enjoy royal patronage. As and abovetwo in enjoy grants the royal patronage. 34 124 Journal of theJournal Ecclesiological of Society 30 CEU eTD Collection different type of Church authority, independent of state control. state of independent authority, Church of type different diocese. Relations withandemergedatincorporating asanarchitect expert areasintohis newly the subjugated the courtstate, the of expansion the of worsened,height the and power Tsion’s Amde of apex at the 1337 about however, when Ya’eqob resorted to creating a 128 127 firstthe bishop of Ethiopian origin is appointed. Ethiopiaorfrom the time of Frumentius, who is saidto have introduced Christianity Ethiopia, to1951whento 126 above. mentioned ones the like sources 125 north. the to church The church-state confrontation that followed saw the exile of the leaders of the Ethiopian metropolitan, Egyptian the that notes Ethiopia Ethiopian Orthodox Church history such as Gebreyohannes Gebremaryam’s issource the chronicle ofAmde Tsion, his after composed death and cited invarious books of Libanos, the famous Dabara and Tagulat from withdrawal forced monks’ story the the of monasterynarrate that hagiography on the outskirts aswell. Lake region Tana inthe foundation processes of the capital. inThe onlylands relativelyin exile live and Tagulat, capital, the leave to monks of beyondnumber significant a led Tsion primaryAmde the control and Emperor Libanos Dabra monastic clergy of the between conflict The always peaceful. the of the empire.combined with the attempts at mission. These beginning,events must not have only influencedfrom the time theof the military and political expansion of the rulers Ibid. Tamirat, Tadesse The EthiopianChurch was dominated by Egyptian metropolitans from the introductionof Christianity to Icite James Bruce because itis an available translation inEnglish. The same story is related inAmharic However, the relationship between the Ethiopian medieval Church and state wasnot state and Church medieval theEthiopian between therelationship However, The reason for the confrontation seems less important than the effect for this paper. than effect important the less seems for theconfrontation The reason who Tamrat, Taddesse of studies in the given isalso story different A somewhat . 125 Church and State in Medieval Ethiopia 128 The accounts about the northward movement of the clergy do not 126 named Abuna Ya’eqob, who first entered Ethiopia entered first who Ya’eqob, Abuna named 35 , 186-187. There are no sources inthe nosources There are 127 Christianity in Christianity CEU eTD Collection Tana. 130 129 the adapted government, auspices of the whowentunder the groups, refuge. other The take choicespiritual left lakeastheonly the activities.to took worldly Theexilesalso and considering the availability of pagan communities to be evangelized and water for their daily forward. tothelandscape It couldbe can be they process rather by said that adapted put adaptation the determined that singleno reason Therefore, landscape. in special settle this to control their beyond factors by forced or will own their by driven either were backgrounds nutshell with mystery,in ofLake we can a conclude arestill Tana foundedshrouded monasteries the that they Although most of detailsthe origins about educational backgrounds and of monksthe who were hand, otherthe ledmonastic the and in and reform engaged competition often rivalry. the on results Ewostatewos, of house monastic the and hand, one the on Haymanot, Takla by founded theseEmpire. The monastery of Debra Hayq,founded byAbba Iyasus Moa, and Debre Libanos, monasticsecond half schools.of the thirteenth century Theseas partempire. of a general the in stay to were monksif they left choice other no had they monasticsince monasteries the to themselves reformof indifferent the Ethiopianby firstthe group monks.of hadbeen evangelized communities and some pagan of the hadbeen occupied course, partly choice that these exiled wasnotin control. state where the of empire, the south sameperiod during the monks made was to wereestablished move monasteries a numberof that is There evidence monasticism. place for to the islands of Lake Tana, which, of that the order of expulsion was to be applied throughout the territory of the Christian empire. is migration the about is known that All exile. into sent were who monks the of list a contain There is evidence of the existence of Christian communities in the area before the advent of monks to Lake to of monks advent the before area the in communities ofChristian existence ofthe evidence is There Tamirat, Tadesse Generally, most of the foundations of the monasteries of place inthe most of of Lake Tanatook of foundations Generally, the monasteries the suggest It seems monksleft the withthat possiblewere fewchoices to tofindanideal Church and State in Medieval Ethiopia, 130 Therefore, forced made this migration the monks adapt 36 190. 129 Theother CEU eTD Collection seem to have been engrossed by the safety that the islands of could of offer. Lake Tana islands by the that have safety engrossed the seem been to landscape to their needs to enjoy royal family 37 gult grants and other gifts. The founders also CEU eTD Collection spirit, have a vision or dream about a certain site (as most of the hagiographies of monks the hagiographies of mostthe a certainsiteof (as about dream or havevision spirit, a communal aspects life. local of monastic communal aspects place of private retreat for its founder.” for retreat private place of by being normally started “A anisolated monastic community words of Tamrat, Taddesse It has been argued that founding amonastery was anindividual enterprise in In Ethiopia. the 2.1. Royal patronage issue of with royal patronage royal burials. numerous burials of the royal family in some of these monasteries. I will closely examine the also are There identified. is closely name their which with monastery certain in a emperors they played in the foundation roles the However, onLakeTana. monasteries of founders as mentioned areoften Emperors are not clearly stated. This chapter addresses the role of the Harrassowitz:, 2007), 989. 133 132 131 ROYAL PATRONAGE AND BURIAL AT THE MONASTERIES OF LAKE TANA OFLAKE MONASTERIES ATTHE ANDBURIAL ROYAL PATRONAGE Alessandro Bausi, “Monasteries,” in “Monasteries,” Bausi, Alessandro Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Teshale Tibebu, Teshale The Making of Modern Ethiopia (1896-1974) Church and State in Ethiopia exempt them from tribute,exempt them from presents, andtheotherthings tobegiven to therulers…And lettheking assign toGoda part ofthe presents from his wealthfrom toeachofthem, according totheir rank. Heshall did. Let did. Let him notraise hishandagainst priests or God’s saints, so and of the and of spoils ofwar, askingDavid and other righteous kings that whatthat the evilkings of befell Israelandothers may notbefall Let thekinggive honorto the order of theclergy… Lethim give Encyclopaedia Aethiopica CHAPTER TWO 133 132 , 110. him The founding monk had to gofirst, guided by the This private retreat soon transforms intomore 38 [Fetha Nagast, ( (Lawrenceville: The Red Sea Press, 1995), 80. 1995), Press, Red Sea The (Lawrenceville: : He-N, ed. Siegbert Uhlig (Wiesbaden: Otto Canon Regum ), 272-73]. 131 CEU eTD Collection 136 137 135 134 community? monastic monastery couldcomplex? How the holyman support sustainabilitythe lifeof in the materials,Where etc., to construct he community? find didthe money, manpower, the skilled monastic a established he where land the on settle to permission man holy the gave Who is: here question important most The study. this of case in the lakes, and mountains, since he is close in time and space to the targets of this study. example is good a monastic revival, the Haymanot, Takla thirteenth-century propagators of are jumbled “In saints,As benefiting noted, thehagiographies miracles John Iliffe thepoor of Ethiopian together wanderingthe monks barehands, with traveled leavingall worldly behind.their possessions with all kindsof building a monastic complex or at least the central church would be conceived. of wonders, from winningto concede, getting permission that lord, some disciples, regional ideathe the disciples. some often whollysurroundings based impressionmadeand, hison the he that on firstvisitors, he could attract the from people few a of attention the caught gradually trivial.”then monk The chapter. previous the by emperor, bean ordered narrate), John Iliffe, John E. A. Wallis Budge, ed., Tamrat, Taddesse Ibid., 990. This is how hermits started their journeys to their destiny, i.e., to the desert, i.e., their to how hermitsjourneystheirThis is destiny, started to contrary I am multiplying it so that it may become a bond for me.’ Takla Haymanot said unto them, ‘I am not scattering my property, onscatter the abroadgathered together round about him, and said until him,all ‘whatfore dost thoukinsfolkhis this all and city the of men the when And propertywhatsoever. nothing him unto left atsaw length was there at misery…until onedie of to were ready who andthose widows, the among and time?’ needy, and the that poor the among them distribute to began he and Then he ourwas field, andin house the which wereinthe father goods all the He gatheredtogether giving the holy manaway broadcast all his possessions, they that clear is it hermits; Ethiopian most for inspiration great the was Anthony Saint As The African Poor: A History 135 It should It be after these getting thetasks surroundingof preliminary people Church and State in Ethiopia The Life of Takla Haymanot Takla of Life The 134 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987), 25. or or forced by of one like factors, the in war,discussed , 110. 39 , 2vols. (London, 1906), Vol. 1,90. 137 136 One of the of One CEU eTD Collection foundation. However, the factitwas aroyal because landgrants received monastery the conclusion that the leads to that most of the monasteries, Tsion, Amde by founded was Gebriel Kebran list. in this Tana Lake of monastery at least the targets of this study 142 churches receiving churches and monasteries the of list in the is Gebriel Kebran of monastery The Tsion. Amde of time 141 140 Twentieth Century 139 Tibebu, family, the nobility, the clergy, royal etc. ofthe It is themembers right to rulers, levy local -- tributehierarchy on power a certain ofthe territoryechelons lower (land). the to See emperor also bythe Teshale granted Gojjam. the Agaws, as such communities were there However, empire. the Christian of control under the not was Falashas, lake, already on monasteries the established such as Tana and sinceit Qirqos DagaIstifanos, and Christians loosely controlled under the pagan Kingdom of 138 of Amde Tsion. into empire time the the during later been incorporated monasteries areahad the after to the LakeTanaaround Here,it in chapter.) by suffices todiscussthe land next the grants state the of kingdom.this will (I thisinteractiondiscuss between monksthe and the pagan community Ethiopia. in northern reform monastic of which servedascenters thirteenth-century the Debre others Libanos, and Hayq, Debre inEritrea, monasteries, Shemazana, like present-day Yukuno Amlakfor earliest the underhis monasteries rule. There in aresources of land form grants the of AftermadelandAmlak Solomonic restoring the Dynasty,to Yukuno churches andthe grants Land grants2.1.1 tothemonasteries of Lake Tana LaVerle Berry,Richard Smith, “Churches and Monasteries of Lake Tana, Ethiopia 1972,” 23. Donald Crummey, Donald Crummey, Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Gult is anAmharic term which literally means immobile orstationary. Itwas a tribute-appropriation right The Making ofModern Ethiopia (1896-1974) The first recorded The first 140 Accordingly, the monks either had to face a challenge or negotiate with the lords with the negotiate or face achallenge had to monks either the Accordingly, (Chicago: University of Illinois, 2000), 36. Church and State in Ethiopia Land and Society in the Christian Kingdom ofEthiopia Land andSociety inthe Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia:Thirteenth From the to the gult during the reign of AmdeTsion. reign of duringEmperor the gult 139 grant to the monasteries of Lake Tana was made during the during made was Tana Lake of monasteries the to grant These land grants could not have been extended to the few the to extended been have not could grants land These , 160 (Lawrenceville: The Red Sea Press, 1995), 78. 1995), Press, RedSea The (Lawrenceville: 40 , 45. 141 There is no other no is There gult 142 138 which from CEU eTD Collection Dawit I (1382-1411) andDawit Yishak (1414-1429). I (1382-1411) of Amde Tsion, from successors the grants receive to continued monastery The explanation. communities. monastic these faith strictly was discussed above. Hence, Amde Tsion might have denied any their grants forobserve and state the of influence the from independent be to wanted who communities monastic of presence duringthis The time. state the with relationship monasteries’ 145 144 early These in community. numbers monastic the fasting.” on spent was year founding monks ofLake Tana, could givea hint: mostmaster of the of the life Haymanot, the Takla abundant, of arenot of Lake Tana monasteries in the monks early the of life the about sources Although themselves. support to land demandtheir own to in situation not a were communities monastic early the seems that apparatus Lake Tanawould land. acomplexstate to partition havenecessitated that alsothe It 143 demanded land or grants gult Amde inreign he werefoundeddiscussedone, of the and Tsion only the during chapter gave Donald Crummey, Tibebu, Teshale E. A. Wallis Budge, ed., right to one church raises a question: What about the other churches? the other about What aquestion: churchraises one right to The exceptional Teshale also notes that amonastic community consumes less “as a good part of the whatsoever. of which hedranknowater dropped off… andafterwards he up on leg stood for sevenyears,four during had remainedstanding up for along time, one ofhis bones and broke thigh standironlargein inand enoughto walls. hadeightwhenhe spikes the Now where and heate drank only on Sabbath and occupied a cell which was just withdrew endthe his…towards he of desert, the life [Takla Haymanot] to of in region the organized community an of be absence could the explanation One The Making of Modern Ethiopia Land and Society in the Christian Kingdom ofEthiopia The Life of Takla Haymanot Takla of Life The gult gult 144 grant to the monastery of Kebran Gebriel still needs further needs Gebriel still Kebran monastery the of to grant rights during the rule of Amde Tsion, given also the very small very the also given Tsion, Amde of rule the during rights The disciples of Takla Haymanot thus seem less likely to have , 82. 41 145 , Vol.1, 92-93. 143 This tradition existed well into the sixteenth the into well existed tradition This gult grants can also suggest the , 45. CEU eTD Collection or monastery and the village to be identified with the beidentified with to village monastery the and or village. Itis common in Ethiopia until dayforthis acertain village have to oneparish church a was community in livinggiven to the inland acertain belonged monastery means to the need to be closely explained which things two withThere are Sarsa Dengil.before existed map)had Bad of (see region the the issue of abbotship. Firstly, infrom member lake a community the to abbotship the entrusting this source, According to the fact that the abbotship charter: the about comment his in noted Aregay As Gebriel. Kebran administering This is not a proper decree on the rights of land usage. It is rather about the privilege of 148 Dengel (r.1563-1597),” 147 century. sixteenth of the half second the usually is period modern early 146 by Qirqos Sarsa Dengel Emperor 1563 -1597).(r. century Merid Wolde Aregay, “Some Inedited Land Charters:” 96. Charters:” Land Inedited “Some Aregay, Wolde Merid Sarsa ofEmperor Charters Land Inedited “Some Aregay, Wolde Merid cf. I, see Appendix text the For This period isstill considered medieval in Ethiopian history. The dividing line betweenlate medieval and monastery itself. monastery memberits of monastichiswhoincommunity, had the habit received by a restored to an to themonastery rightwhich old wasgiven abbotship the monastery of isThis aland charter not butacharter conferring deed aprivilege on the St. Gabriel of the island of Kebran in Lake Tana. This charter bishop or by the words of thethe of patriarchs word the of by Alexandria.’it be Forever,manner, Amen.in any be absolved not he shall and earth; on Nicaea, and by the words of the saints of God, those in heaven as well as those infaith of of by words andand 318orthodox of the Paul, words the Peter by the word of the may andhe thischarter is throne-name becursed erases whose Màlâk-Sâgâd Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the sword-edged violates this word of the Abâkabot. By our command the clergy have anathematized, saying: ‘If anyone hebe a Kebran, monk of constitution this or violate a shall layman, one no that ordered have we And be he the governor of Bad or be they all the clans of governor of the of Bad Yohannes, governor the Enqo, leftand of the Tâklâ-Nâbiyat Mânadléwos, the Mânadléwos, the we and have thus, been has it ordered traditionally that us told have people thatElderly monastery. it be so; when the is appointed to the offices unless he has taken the cloth of a monk at [this] the offices of offices the Written by order of the powerful king... During our reign146 we [ordained] that and there is evidence of grants to the monasteries of Kibran Gebriel and Tana and Gebriel Kibran of monasteries the to grants of is evidence there and qés hase Annales d’Ethiopie Abba Giyorgis, the heburd-ed 148 bét tdbaqigéta and etégé 13 (2000): 89.(See also Appendix 1for thege’ez versionof text)the mmeher Admas-Mogâsa and of kingSârsâ-Dengel the Admas-Mogâsa of and liqd mâsané Keflé liqd mâsané Abba Zâmika'él and Keflé, the géra azaj be given to one person, and that no one no that and person, one to given be 42 sâraj masdré sâraj gojjam ndgash Bâhayla-Sellus, the tabot and the and was Abba Tâklâ-Wâld, was of that church or monastery. or church that of Prince Qozmoz, the Qozmoz, Prince qaqétach Bârâkât ddbtdra géta qdn azaj 147 . CEU eTD Collection Lake Tana. brings light involvementin royal to theissue the land of or Dabra Libanos. Yohannis. entails Thisin turn a thethat founderconclusion wasamong theexiledmonks of andthefounder,Za emperor between the relationship intoalive, aglimpse the gives monastery’sthe a abbotshipcommunity to livingoutside the lake while founderthe was still did notgrant land to the other monasteries and only to Kebran Gebriel. In contrast, entrusting livingan monastery heabbot could monastery.be thereason outside to rather why the This the to directly not was Gebriel Kebran for Tsion Amde by grant land the that indicates entrusting the administration of a community monastery the to living outside theland, 149 ( grants land of tradition the Therefore, Bad. of region the in lake the outside lands a communitywas to entrusted in inland,andabbot means an the which the monastery had administration of charter the case, In this monastery. of the aspects economic the charge of in is inland, living monastery the administering for is responsible who abbot, the Secondly, For the text see Appendix II, cf. Merid Wolde Aregay, “Some Inedited Land Charters:” 90. this...island...into enter of St. Qirqos...not he shall Christians... among from be he or governorship..., became strong... or be he a person who in future rises to a position of king or be she queen, be he the be queen, be she or king the Keflé, Géra; when the west Sankoris, the Sankoris, Zâdengel,...Mika'el, the the Nâbaré-Maryam, was the when forever; Admas-Mogâsa,... queen[is] the of name arenamedGod, throne-name [is] Sârsâ-Dengel and our Mâlâk-Sâgâd, andthe of Our Lady Mary.blessings Inthe fourteenth the yearwith and of our reign we who,Spirit by the grace Holy the of and Son the Father, the of glory the To Giyorgis, the Giyorgis, Sarsa Dengil’s land grant to the monastery of Tana Qirqos is well documented andit is Qirqos well documented monastery to the landTana of grant Sarsa Dengil’s qaqétat hedug ras ... Whoever violates this charter that we have granted, be he wehavegranted, that Whoever charter this ... violates sàraj masdré sàraj azaj dabtdra géta dabtdra ..., was Bâhaylâ-Sellus, the ras Hqa dabtdra 149 Yes'haq, the Yes'haq, Tâklâ-Wâld, the gojjam nagash Enqo, the Enqo, 43 Fetâ-Dengel, the Fetâ-Dengel, liqà mdsané bét tabaqi géta bét or ... be he a person who qdgn géta gult grants to the monasteries of monasteries the to grants Maryam-Zéna and Maryam-Zéna mà'zdmeran géta Hqa ma'emeran qés hase ...,the Zamika'el and géra géta Abba gult ) and ) CEU eTD Collection 155 154 153 152 usage. It can sometimes be translated as “abbot.” 151 150 the by told was Cheesman Galila Iyasus, of monastery example, atthe For inLakeTana. monasteries founded. were monasteries in the later time than started Lake Tana of monasteries tothe land grants landthe was made grant itis inalienablewas Therefore, it conclude an right. to possible that once that suggests also account The Qirqos. Tana been have should it community monastic Tsion be discussed(to in nextchapter).the Accordingly,if land was formallygiven a to is by Amde Egzi, monastery,there the of founder rescueof evidence Yafqiranna the of the the medieval lakethe period. throughout land at Gorgora Emperor Amde Tsion, Amde Emperor of grandson the Zacharias, Abuna by founded i.e., foundation, family aroyal was monastery it mayhis predecessors, be inferred the land that was made grant during his time. The Gragn byAhmed destroyed being after partially SarsaDengil by Emperor monastery was rebuilt the that given however, known, not are granted was land the when time the about Sources Medhanialem. Cheesman witnessed the presence of slaves who served the monasteries in monasteries the served who slaves of presence the witnessed Cheesman Medhanialem. at least during the time of Sarsa Dengil. The same is true for the monastery of Mandaba Ibid., 203. Ibid., 205. R. E. Cheesman, R.E. The northern tip part of lakethe (see map attached). Memihir Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse 154 Tana Qirqos was the earliest and most organized monastic community existed on that monastic organized community was andmost theearliest Tana Qirqos Besides this primary source there are oral accounts of the land grants of some of the and the emperor was granting land to other monasteries in Lake Tana founded by foundedmonasteries inLake other Tana land wasto andgranting emperor the literally means “teacher” and it is difficult to find an absolute meaning of theterm inits monastic Memihir 152 Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Church and State in Ethiopia and elsewhere on the monastery which is let to tenants who pay rent.” pay who tenants to let is which monastery the on elsewhere and 151 155 about the land possessions of the monastery. “The monastery owns monastery “The monastery. the of possessions land the about which leads conclusion that to monastery the received landgrants : 206. 150 , 171. It was not in hostile relations with the state since state the with relations in hostile not was It 44 153 CEU eTD Collection because of the presence of a relatively organized and densely populated monastic community.because presenceof anddenselypopulated of the a relatively organized monasteries or administer the to entrusted sake for the abbotship of the either monasteries, monks land. gave to Some exceptionalland made grants depended onthe unique nature of the the value low the indicate islands tiny on foundations monasteries’ the Clearly process. house of Takla Haymanot and those who were not given belongedApparently, tothe whoenjoyed landgrants house Ewostatewians. the of those monastic previousand discussion pro-state the of houseof Haymanot Takla the independent phases in several grants received them of some perhaps other words, it may mean hademperors tocertainmonasteries specialaffiliations towhichland In they rights. granted that different monasteries received grants in different periods or they nature.they Thishad a in absenceuniform of uniformity fragmentation of my sources, however, the grants should be found in a single document if grants do not seem to have been uniform to all the monasteries on the lake. I am aware of the Muzgadam, ten in Tigrai, ten in Agaw, ten in Mecha and ten in Shewa.” Amde gave fifty Tsion subordinate Debre Maryam from churches. Ten Dimana upto thatEmperor it Debrewas stated of Maryam theregister “In instance, For Ethiopia. medieval certain emperor since providing subordinate churches toamonastery as a settlements. Therefore, Daga’s control of the land might have been a been have might land the of control Daga’s Therefore, settlements. 158 157 156 Dek. Dengil. Sarsa of time had had monastery the that monks the by told he was and land the tilling Ibid., 164. Ibid., 127. Ibid., 199. 157 Dek Island is composed of churches and villages similar to most of the inland The issue of land grants shows that land was not a central issue in the foundation in the issue a central not was land that shows grants land of issue The Generally, there are accounts of accounts are there Generally, The monastery island biggestThe monastery theentire Istifanosalsocontrols of inLakeTana, Daga 156 gult 45 grants to the monasteries of tothemonasteries of grants Lake The Tana. gult . grants wereEwostatewians. grants This in leadwould turn tothe gult grants suggests that the 158 gult gult gult rightgiven by a grants since the was not new in new not was CEU eTD Collection 161 160 159 wouldstudents’ rooms, etc. be young thetask of students. building the other parts of the building complex such as the refectory rooms, individual cells, throughby and community contributions, constructed people, sponsorship king,rich the with houses inordinary thevillages. Once thecentral holdschurch which the similarity striking a show often buildings Monastic complex. monastic a in building invest architecture. mosthad of them simple monasteries, a fewnotable structure, a monolithic carved andmud buildings out madeand sometimes stone of began, their wheremonasticism Ethiopia, northern of regions mountainous the Accordingly, region. in the houses local and seems that imported.in havebeen Thisis thesimilarity buildingsto evidentmonastic the of community monastic the of arrangement the and buildings of function the of concept the only architecture. of style Alexandrian the have to said is Church Ethiopian The 2.1.2. Building themonasteries here. research of thescope the this isbeyond andbetween the state the monasteriescouldinfluenced alsohave although theland grants, Thenature of this relationshipinandthe landsupports argument. scarce as become region the well-organized were communities the after period later in the grants land of scale wider The patronage. In fact this explanation works for those monasteries built in the period when the when period the in built monasteries those for works explanation this fact In patronage. monasteries the of styles construction the of Some explanations. further need Tana Lake of monasteries of Lake Tana reflect the style of the royal palaces from which they got Teshale Tibebu, Teshale Ibid. Aziz Atiya, This that expense simplicity wasnothere suggests great money manpower to of and However, this is the general aspect of monastic architecture in Ethiopia. The in Ethiopia. monastic architecture of aspect isthegeneral this However, A History of Eastern Christianity The Making of Modern Ethiopia 160 which isa housing characteristictypical for of intheregion. Except (London: Methuen and Co., 1968), 161. , 82. 46 161 159 However, it is However,it tabot was CEU eTD Collection CA: ABC-CLIO, 2001), 179. 163 162 carvings byKing Lalibela himself. Accordinglegend, to the churches of Lalibela, centrethe of Zagwe Dynasty, were monolithic Ethiopia and the state’s role in it. Thisassociated. beviewedinshould wholeterms of process the monasticof in foundation a problem as to the monastery by a foundationcertain orthe king hisof monastery the during Thiscreates reign. role of an emperoremperors. However, itis not clear whether these sources are referring to the construction of a related isThere both oral and written evidence aboutthe building to of monasteriescertain byvarious a monastery with which he is style. architectural closely the through patronage royal the tracing from benefit not could one Thus model. a as serve to medievalestablishedcapital and royal wasnopermanent the palace whenthere period during ofGondar. of town the palace complex the reflect which typically like Sellassie, Narga (1632-1855) were built period during Gondarine the introduction of monasticism time from of the monasteries the the includes capital. This hadapermanent empire to the Zagwe dynasty and the later ones, especially those that monasteries of Lake Tana. For example, Emperor Amde Tsion gave Tana Qirqos fifty pounds materials, etc. construction, away from the palace, the emperors sent skilled manpower, gold tobuy the materials for church buildings, was supervisedclosely by kings.the churches Forthe and monasteries far Donald Langmead,Donald Christine Garnaut, Hespeler-Boultbee, J. Ethiopian emperors participated in construction of churches and monasteries. and churches of in construction participated emperors Ethiopian emperors. to areattributed monasteries somethe of of processes The construction Some sources indicate that there was royal support for the construction of some of the of some of construction for the support royal was there that indicate sources Some A StoryStones in Encyclopedia of Architecturaland Engineering Feats 163 , 101. The Gondarine palace, which is composed of complex of iscomposed which palace, TheGondarine 47 162 However, most of the monasteries were (Santa Barbara, (Santa CEU eTD Collection Times to the Rise of Emperor Tewodros II 172 171 170 169 168 167 166 coinage, whichwas only used by merchantsrich and traders. 165 and my informants in the monastery also confirmed this fact. investigation. involvement of archaeological have might stones these issue been periods needsthe used inlater This in re-building. buildingsoriginal Lakehave of Tana been destroyed byhumans either natural factors; or of Most the carry redstones. these to labor by corvée monastery ordering the buildingthe of to associated foundation with monasteriescontributed mighthave of inLakeTana certain the Tedda. placecalled in a special Lake of Tana, northeast Ethiopia of medieval capital the Gondar, buildings. monastic of the most construct used to hasbeen that redstone” is “pinkish a Lake Tana of monasteries of the Empress Mintwab (1730-1755). from project construction whole the for money received map), (see monasteries 164 monasteries under the order of the emperors. monasteries. other construction project. received also Istifanos Daga of monastery of gold expensesthe towards for construction when Egzi Yafqiranna it. rebuilt etc. militia, recruiting labor; corvée organizing taxes, collecting of hadthetask administrators local ofmedieval The apparatus Ethiopia. of political viewedthe shouldbe interms It lake? Richard Pankhurst, H. J. M. Claessen, Peter Skalník, Ibid., 7, 15. Ibid. La Verle Berry, Richard Smith, “Churches and lac Tana,” du Monasteries églises des etl’art of Lake “L'histoire Tana, Bosc-Tiessé, Ethiopia Claire 1972,” 7. LaVerle Berry,Richard Smith, “Churches and Monasteries of Lake Tana, Ethiopia 1972,” 16. R. E. Cheesman, R. Amole 171 The Ethiopian clergy also had the right touse this labor force to build churches and 169 Another important element of the royal families’ participation in the building projects building inthe participation families’ royal the of element important Another isabarof salt thatserved as currency Ethiopiain from Axumite times despite the long history of They also saw it in many churches, such as Mitraha Maryam, Mistle Fasiledes, and Fasiledes, Mistle Maryam, Mitraha as such churches, many in it saw also They Lake Tana and the Blue Nile 170 A Social History of Ethiopia: the Northern andCentral Highlands from Early Medieval The main issue here is who transported this massive material to the 166 167 In the later period, Narga Sellassie, one of the largest island largest the of one Sellassie, Narga period, later the In 168 Berry and Smith note that the origin of the stone is a quarry near The Early State (Lawrenceville: Red Sea Press, 1992), 121. , 174. This is not found in any sources, rather held in a tradition (The Hague: MoutonPublishers, 1978), 332. 48 amole 172 Therefore, the emperors who are closely who emperors the Therefore, 165 from Amde Tsion for part of its of part for Tsion Amde from Annales d'Ethiopi 16 (2000): 263. 164 The CEU eTD Collection 177 176 (2000), 44. 175 174 are buried there] [who kings with these gifts. these constituted in general etc. books, religious candlesticks, boxes, icons, drums, paintings, religious 173 features.” facial styled non- and detailed uncharacteristically with Madonna the of paintings century fifteenth preserved immaculately two and fourteenth, the from paintings line some with book Church bells,of traditionally clothes, emperors. the the king’s called hasdepend to on oral information. A whole thesis is notenough to list and analyze these gifts in and registered of one not chronicles emperors the the are however, These emperor. gifts, by a certain endowed monasteries eachof the find in item almost a certain common to Royal patronage can also be explained in terms of different items given to a 2.1.3. Giftsmonastery. in kind It is royal in confidence about twomonasteries. patronage these greater with conclude can one Accordingly, themonasteries. construct to labor organize the royal family would have given the money for the buildings or ordered regional lords to byAbbaMedhanialem, Asai, Amdeson ofEmperor constructed Tsion. brother Yishak’s as byAbbaNom, Emperor Rema Medhanialem during his life time. life his during monastery at the time of the kings’ burial. It is also most likely provided by the emperor Philip Briggs, Iwill discuss it in the chaopter.next Tana,” lac du églises des l’art et “L’histoire Bosc-Tiessé, Claire see gifts royal For R. E. Cheesman, R.E. R. E. Cheesman, R.E. Moreover, there are monasteries which were founded by monks of royal origin, such 177 It seems possible to conclude that these treasures had been brought to the to brought been had treasures these that conclude to possible seems It Ethiopia Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Lake Tana and the Blue Nile , 215. 175 For example in Daga Istifanos “several other treasures associated treasures other “several Istifanos in Daga example For 176 , 199. , 169. are stored in the mausoleum: old crowns, goat skin 49 kabba, 174 173 Annales d’Ethiopi Annales In this case the case this In and Mandaba and crowns, crosses, crowns, 16 CEU eTD Collection trend introduced a shiftin the tradition of royal burial,i.e., a burial out of the capital. Solomonicnewin ushered dynasty 1270,a chapter in burial. history the newof royal the The David Luscombe, Jonathan Smith (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), 597. 182 181 Lalibela. of churches as the hewnchurchescollectively known rock buried inseveral Zagwe were Dynasty them. commemorate to Aksum wereerected in is obelisks wereburiedand city the of unknown, them were there Aksum,many pagan the how of emperors excavations, successive archaeological although of these to According them. to attached obelisks the and tombs royal the between relationship 180 179 Cambridge University, 1995), 24. Ethiopia. Christian of church first the Tsion, uncovering the complex royal tombs of Aksum. Africa which(B.I.E.A.), launched its in excavation has1995, beeninstrumental in inEastern Institute British The city. the in mausoleums royal the to given been has focus more Much Ethiopia. of capital ancient the of material culture excavate the to archaeologists 178 year. same the as Menelik’sa responsetoEmperor to KingWilhelmrequest Berlinhis II during visitin to in the ancient city Aksumof were first carried out in 1906by a German expedition toAksum excavations Archeological history. country’s the throughout unbroken remained always has The customary andway right of dealing with deadin the Ethiopiaancient wasburial and this 2.2. Royal Burials Jean Richard, “The Eastern Churches,” ed. in. ed. Churches,” Eastern “The Richard, Jean Ibid. Philip Briggs, Ibid. David Phillipson, Ethiopia 178 The B.I.E.A. Aksum Excavations, Museum ofArchaeology and Anthropology Since then there has been a growing interest among different group of group different among interest agrowing been has there then Since 180 182 , 589. Their Christian successors made their burials in the church of Axum With the overthrow of the later dynasty and the restoration of the of restoration the and dynasty later the of overthrow the With The New Cambridge Medieval History: c.1024-c. 1198 50 181 Some of the remains of the kings of the 179 Inits report, explained group the the (Cambridge: , ed. , CEU eTD Collection 185 ou la liturgie commemorant la sainte famille et les saints y est celebree quotidiennement Eisei, and P. Masayoshi (Kyoto, 1997), 300, “Eglises et monasteres sont des lieux de memoire, dans la mesure Permanences et ruptures d’une stratégie royale,” in royale,” stratégie d’une ruptures et Permanences 183 As leader or a national concerns. meaningreligious beyond may havemonastery afunctional or church certain in a member family a royal of burial the However, clergy. the of services daily the by salvation attain souls their help is to in Ethiopia sites monastery and churches because: memory of places and monasteries could makechurches that elements themselves arethe buildings monastery and church the service, monastery and church the with associated above definition one can put forward a conclusion that the liturgical books, various artifacts they are and abstract, concrete ambiguous, and simple artificial, and natural once At things. complex “are memory memory. of desmemoir,” “lieux places of Place in theory of the to relation monasteries and Monasteres Royaux d’Ethiopie,” which endeavors to construct the history of royal churches et and Pennec“LesEglises by this to isthearticle An royalDerat burials. exception the 184 14. daily.” celebrated are saints and family holy the commemorating is liturgy the memory? therealm arewithin of monasteries and functional.” Ibid., 7. Nora, Pierre, M. L. Derat and H. Pennec, “Les Eglises et Monasteres Royaux d’Ethiopie (XV d’Ethiopie Royaux Monasteres et “Les Eglises Pennec, H. and L. Derat M. Despite these archaeological discoveries, there are no detailed historical analyses of analyses historical no detailed are there discoveries, archaeological these Despite As in any part of As in of any Christian the part primary the buryingworld, concern deadin of the longer nobecause such things as amatter happen of course. documents andauthenticate eulogies, pronounce organize celebrations, archives,markanniversaries, memory,hence thatwemustcreate spontaneous Lieux dememoire Derat and Pennec argue that “churches and monasteries can be places of memory as memory of places be can monasteries and “churches that argue Pennec and Derat 183 Realms of Memory: Rethinking the French Past The most important point here is: what aspects or elements of the churches lieux -- lieux arises out of the sense that there is no such thing as places, sites, causes -- in three senses: material, symbolic, and symbolic, material, in senses: causes-- three sites, places, Ethiopia in Broader Perspective 51 (New York: ColombiaUniversity Press, 1983), 185 e , XVI , ed. F. Katssuyoshi, S. Katssuyoshi, F. ed. , . ” e , etXVII 184 From the e siècles): CEU eTD Collection administration sphere and received special donations from the emperor are considered tobe built thelimits within tradition thechurches andmonasteries thatare emperor’s of the all varied in considerably.foundation monasteries Ethiopian of Lake Tanain In particular the in and general in region the in played they roles The monasteries. the of foundation monastery he founded. Dengil instance,patronage hadthey Sarsa in buried For given. the RemaMedhanialem, was buried at Daga Istifanos. Samra,was Krestos and Maryam Mitraha of monasteries the of foundation with the credited On the contrary, Yukunoby symbolizingburial. actof dynasty example,For Amlak,asan their I, the Dawit some royal burials predecessor, their were andfollowed monasteries the to donations have general made seem to made in respect of the credited with founding hisburial and doesnotnecessarily meanmuch. families The royal during their of period rule However, seems significant. monastery the iswhich emperor the royal burial in Lake Tana, the emperor’s contribution for the establishment of the monasteries monastery. buriedtohisthe relationship between the prior death and the person and monastery in member a certain family royal the whoburied parties the of investigation be familiesroyal represented to in wanted Lake Tana? inneedsfurtherThis turn Why Lake burials the the and monasteries of did Tana. royal the between meaning attached isfind in to purpose this sub-chapter of monasteries LakeTana. empire, The basic to the the incorporated newly been had that region the to taken were remains these enough, Surprisingly the transportationhave happenedduringhis of specific period rule. of themember of a rulinghis/her family,must burial a symbolize historicalcertain event that could remains of the royal family out of the provisional capitals. I have already discussed that different emperors playeddifferentrolesemperors I havealready that inthe different discussed of could bementioned that asadeterminant factor moreany than other Accordingly, saw Ethiopia medieval capitals, inthe burial royal of tradition old the to contrary In 52 CEU eTD Collection king and part of of by king out their andpartestablishmentfunding from was carried emperors. the the of protection were under special that monasteries some were There explanation. this suits appurtenances of or churches realm.”the proprietary leastpartially,at royal were, and of kings the general,the to contrast protection of bishoprics,all monasteries, andreligiousinstitutionsother which the special,enjoyed in “comprised as monasteries and churches defined royal Bernhardt fact. agree on this seems to 189 188 (Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 1993), 71. 187 monasteries. 186 sources. Istifanos. I list the amongsources different sources on the lists of the emperors who areburied in the monastery of Daga and chose theis there noconsensus inalatertime. Forexample, moved monasteries tothese have been emperors most frequently could theserulers of bodies the in other places, place took burials royal the of some debated, mentioned in differentface one significant problem. Furthermore, the chronological sequence of theseburials is also Istifanos. family burials.royal Hence,discussion burial about in LakeTanawill on concentrate Daga royal several accommodating for is famous that monastery this was also It Amlak. Yukuno monk who belonged monasteries. of group latter the belongs to Daga Istifanos, chapter, to the main of The this target emperors. gifts of the generous still the enjoyed ones latter area. The royal family, the controlled empire Christian before the were built that monasteries alsosome were there Abuna Hiruta Amlak, the nephew of Emperor royal churches and monasteries Tamirat, Taddesse, Tamirat, See 2.1.2 Bernhardt,John and churches royal as king by certain a built monasteries the and churches the list Pennec and Derat The relationship between the monasteries of Lake Tana and the contemporary state contemporary andthe ofLakeTana monasteries the between The relationship The analysis of this aspect of monastic life in the Lake Tana region, however, has to has however, region, Tana Lake in the life monastic of aspect this of analysis The Itinerant Kingship andRoyal Monasteries inEarlyMedieval Germany, C.936-1075 Church and State in Ethiopia .186 Literature on the royal churches and monasteries also monasteries and churches royal the on Literature 187 , 136 53 189 It was constructed by a 188 Yet, CEU eTD Collection 193 journeys. data are most probably related also to the living oral tradition of the monasteries he has visited during his 192 191 190 willbeperiod not acritical problem since they are beyondframework timeof the this paper. on the presence of four emperors. Thelists agree three other isthatthe variations table of An this advantage sources. fitother with that burials in the burials of royal families very list royal give inonly odd families with two DaretandPennec a DagaIstifanos. buried of the later sources. from collected different Figure 4. list of members of the royal family buried in the monastery of Daga Istifanos Dengil) Lebna(Daughter Qeddusan Walatta ) of Na’od (Daughter Amata Tsion Gelawdewos Lebna Dengil Yishak Baeda Maryam Zàr’a Yacob and Pennec Derat The author has visited and collected all the possible information from Daga Istifanos Monastery. Islands,” Its and Tana “Lake Cheesman, R.E. Philip Briggs, Derat and Pennec “Les Eglises et Monasteres Royaux d’Ethiopie,” 307, There is a significant variation on the lists among different sources on the royal the on sources different among lists the on variation significant is a There Ethiopia 190 , 214. Susenyos (1607-32) Fasiledes (1632-1667 Susenyos (1607-32) Zàr’a Yacob Zàr’a Yacob (1434-1468) I (1428-30) Dawit YukunoAmlak (1268) Philip Briggs 191 The Geographical Journal 54 Izur Fasiledes Dengil Za Dawit YukunoAmlak (1721-1730) Bakaffa R.E. Chessman 85, No.6 (1935): 496. Cheesman’s 192 My own Lists Fasiledes Dengil Lebna Dawit YukunoAmlak Zàr’a Yacob 193 CEU eTD Collection monastery which did notbelong histo territory indicates a symbolic (maybe political) act. As a to later transported Amlak was Yukuno body the of fact that The later transportation. the transported the remains of YukunoAmlak. Thus, Iwill only explain the symbolic meaning of who emperor the and period the about known is evidence no However, Ethiopia. medieval in if is of such Whattraditions There later tothishis body evidence monastery? was moved there. Amlakwasalsoburied Hiruta Abuna since family cemetery of asort were establishing they that suggest to seems also This Istifanos. Daga of monastery the at burial king’s the for reason the been have might founder the and emperor the between relationships personal these momentous role in the restoration of the Solomonic dynasty. Hence, one can conclude that all and the monk. Abuna Hiruta king the between formsaffiliations of other also are There theSolomonic dynasty. reinstated Amlak was the disciple by be in substantiated monastery’s construction 1276, of Abba Iyasus Mo’a, who played a 198 1. fig. Seealso calendar. Gregorian 197 196 195 YukunoAmlak; tohim.nosingle hebuiltLake Tanais monastery of churches andmonasteries the attributed in thebut listsof monasteriesamong domain, his own several he fact, puzzle. established In east the of Muslims the with and plateau Shewan 194 Lake Tana of region the include lists and he is most likely buried at Daga Istifanos. However, the fact that his empire did not R. E. Cheesman, R.E. According to legend, the monastery is saidtohave been1268founded in (Ethiopian Calendar), 1276 in the Ibid., 171 Ibid., 126. Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse 198 The doubt still remains, however, and this explanation could not answer the question: the answer not could explanation this and however, remains, still doubt The However, Abba Hiruta Amlak, the founder of Daga Istifanos, was the nephew of nephew wasthe DagaIstifanos, of founder Amlak,the AbbaHiruta However, The of restorer Solomonicthe YukunoAmlak,in dynasty, appeared four of abovethe 196 Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Church and State in Ethiopia he could have received financial support from from Thisidea hecan have emperor. financial support the could received 194 and his focus of his andterritorial tothe expansionwaslimited focus of , 169. , 136. 55 195 197 makes his burial in Daga Istifanos a only only six yearsafterYukuno Amlak CEU eTD Collection 200 199 notalso does It hisdeath. immediately after wasburied officially emperor the place where in the its owndifficulties tracing This legendhas is exceptional. death caseafter Yaeqob’s hisAccording to chronicle: and he is saidthis for example a typical to is Yacob Zara havedeath. after emperors holy and saints of movedmovement around the monasteryof some of the Ethiopian emperors givefor an account of a strong beliefabout in the miraculous seven wouldmakeyears thein burial Dawit I andof Zara Yacob The chronicles Lake questionable. Tana after his death.terms of serving as a center of monastic reformation, building, and statistics of the monks, adynastic cemetery. establishing monastery, hence burial at the Amlak’s in Daga Istifanos as a symbolicAmde Tsion, whomade the region of Lake Tana an integral part of acthis empire. might have beenperspective motivatedsince the region of Lake Tana was already part of their empire. They reigned after by the presencefrequently of Yukuno in different sources, Dawit I and Zàr’a Yacob, should be viewed from ofmemory. aplace an act of establishing a different that land into the area of the kingdom. can inlater alandconquered be incorporation seen as a of asymbolic justification, of kind he wasakeyfigureof dynasty lineage), of royal the re-founder (symbolic placinghisbody 202 201 Taddesse Tamrat, Iwould like to thank my supervisor, Joszef Laszlovsky,this for suggestion. R. E. Cheesman, R.E. 185. Ibid However, the burial of Amde Tsion in Debra Libanos, a well-reputed monastery in This tradition in Ethiopia even works for the burial of inThis for theburial even although Zara Ethiopia tradition works of people,ordinary soil in hiswhich spiritcould beatrest, he was buried. consenthebeto ought to buried, he “Da”. only Havingreplied, found Daga, a in response his to servant’sand constant suggestionmonastery, to that the time had arrived monastery when from country the round wandered he had period afterhe years this During died. seven sitting He [ZaraYaeqob] wasfound appear names whose period medieval the to belong that emperors other Two Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Church and State in Ethiopia, 199 , 138. This symbolic representation beconsidered as can Thissymbolic representation 132. 56 202 200 Their burial 201 CEU eTD Collection already abandoned. Nonetheless, itinerant basic the concept of i.e.,kingship, moving the differsitinerant from kingship since splendidthe permanent before capitals this wereperiod slightly in Ethiopia concept The kingship. itinerant as scholarship international in known and military camps.” morenotemporary than were often which capitals, ‘instant’ roving, period: or of medieval the features most characteristic the capitals such as Aksum or Lalibela, were things of the past. They had been replaced by one of “…stationary wrote: As Pankhurst etc. animals, slaves, soldiers, guards, families, their all medieval emperors ruled from rovingseat. capitals. They used to moveDebre from Brihan place toand place gave with itfounded who ZaraYacob, byEmperor made in theone (as attempts some some were there fact, features of a capital city) to establish a permanent political 206 205 207 capital. a permanent of absence the was period of this characteristics typical One of the 204 203 period medieval The 2.2.1. Royalburials intheageofwandering capitals issue with the political developments of the period is required other factors to explain their AmdeTsion,their grandfather, was buried? account takingintoThis in burial necessitates turn at Lake Tana. Special where capitals their temporary nearerto famous monastery hada treatment while they center theirfrom and contextualizing solve thethe query of a need tobe represented in Lake Tana. Why did they seek a burial place far Richard Pankhurst, Ibid. Horvath, Ronald J, “The Wandering Capitals of Ethiopia,” Ethiopia. in period medieval of the beginning the as regarded conventionally is 1270 year The . 205 Otherwise, until the foundation of Gondar in 1632 by Emperor Fasiledes,by foundation almost Otherwise,all ofGondarin1632 until Emperor the This phenomenon is well known from the Middle Ages in different political entities political in different Ages Middle the from known iswell phenomenon This The Ethiopians: A History 203 ushered in a new era in the history of inEthiopia. of cities the capital history usheredinanewera the of (Oxford: BlackwellPublishers,1998), 62. 57 206 The Journal History ofAfrican No.2 (1969):10, 204 In CEU eTD Collection 209 208 207 have about Amlakseemsto in beenconcerned Yukuno was thefirst Therefore, this regard. flourish region the Lake of DagaIstifanos beginning around Tana. to newwere monasteries that fact the with story coincides This Lake Tana. of his inthemonasteries led burial haveto of a church or monastery with the status to accommodate a king’s burial would quite possibly nonexistence capital the with coupled great of a absence The his ceremony. about coronation the issue of a permanent capital. This is perhaps one of the reasons for not having information with have been ruled.monarchsconfronted Hemight had Zagwe Lalibela, where the capital, the new Christian empireaffected the burial traditionnorthwards of the royal families. have might phenomenon historical this that propose hereby I view. of point economic to the Kingdom from have process historical effects of with thethis and social,the causesand political, dealt of Shewa Central Africa.” thehighlandlakeEast kingdomsof region throughout and abandoned“Likewise, itinerantintokingships existed nineteenththe incentury andinEthiopia the the century. oldnineteenth the until Ethiopia in existed tradition this that mentioned himself Further analysis of this theory in the Ethiopian context may not be needed since Bernhardt noted that: Bernhardt context. Ethiopian reasons economic political, because and court of administrative, Ibid., 218-219. Ibid., 46. JohnBernhardt, “ Shortly after he restored the Solomonic dynasty, Yukuno Amlak (1268- 1283) moved 1283) Yukuno Amlak Solomonichethe (1268- Shortly dynasty, restored after realm. of the possessions asactual it, aswell kingtooksymbolic institution the Through government. of society’ssecurity. Inthis identified-even way king-in-motion the embodied- the centerand pronounced honors, justice, foughtenemies rivalsand and ensured general part theirgathered in peoplethem, around conferred took ofsolemnities, gifts power; ship.They oftheirruler presence felt bonds reinforcing the personal and and chiefs orconstantly … Kings moved theirterritoriesthroughout makingtheir the royal progress itself became the major Itinerant Kingship 208 , 46. 58 207 finds commonality in the 209 Many Ethiopianists CEU eTD Collection 211 fig.5) (See seat. fromdynasty its in restoration 1270 tothe establishment of Gondar in 1632 hadnopermanent (1454)byZaraYacob.” founding of DebraBerhan more apparently little than we even theemperor; a periodic for residence 1412,seethe after seemed tohavehis had butitwas (Amde Tsion)in acapital predecessors and Tagulat, Tagulat, did not have all the features land.a forcing beremote burial aroyal a factor ceased to to of permanent capital. seems question the of that was temporarily capital itsolved andthisa permanent means In the words wasof also constructed during hisHorvath: reign near his capital and he is buried there. During his time it Libanos, Debre reformation, monastic “He century fourteenth the of reforms major the hosting 210 that he ruled from a better capital city, Tagulat.YukunoAmlak andAmde Tsion beto a cause of any further explanation in chapter. this between emperors of the burial about the scant is too literature As aresult, burials. and their popularity, theiraffect rule, to have continued seem to factors same the Accordingly, capital. work of Amdeof power didnot tochangethestatus their Emperor (1313-1344), Tsion in andemperors who theruled midst of chaos political to disturbances coming the until and strong basis. makinghis burial symbolic in a churchormonastery which was established on permanent Ronald J. Horvath, “The Wandering Capitals of Ethiopia:” 207. Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Nonetheless, some scholars argue that the town Nonetheless,some by Amde wasestablishedthat argue town scholars that the Tsion, A slightly different tradition is seen in the burial of Emperor Amde Tsion. It is said It Tsion. Amde Emperor of burial inthe seen is tradition different A slightly andseveral Amlak, (1283-1294), of Yagba Tsion Yukuno The sonandsuccessor Church and State in Ethiopia , 167. 59 210 A great monastery, which is known for 211 According to Horvath, the Solomonic CEU eTD Collection 212 that given basis stronger a on established secure and more them to have appeared seems to Tana of Lake monasteries worship. The of places as great continuation their of security monasteries, they did notprovisional. than more no was use them Yacob, Zara by Brehan Debre of foundation as the with even capital, the of their status the Horvath, burial places,look forstrived apermanent to accommodation of burials.theirmentioned by As above probably seats, of their political nature unstable the realized who I andZaraYacob, Dawit successors, because theyDebre had Libanosno monastery of magnificent the However, Lalibela. and Aksum its antecedents, as as splendid might have been takenFigure 5.Table showing the capitals ofvarious emperors in history.Ethiopian as an excuse Ababa Addis for his orMekele his family’sMaqdella burial. capitals Regional His Gondar Roving capitals toroving capitals) (transition Tagulat Lasta capitals Axum and its neighborhood Capital Ibid., 207. Although Dawit I and Zara Yacob also founded their own royal churches forAmde Tagulat Tsion opted for his burial, he though knew hiscapital that was not and 60 1890-present 1886-9 1855-68 1755-1855 1636-ca.1755 1412-1636 1268- ca.1412 12 ?B.C. – 12 Period th cent.- 1268 cent.- th century A.D. 212 CEU eTD Collection and Manueland Ramos (Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing, 2004), 4. Ethiopian Art: OnPortuguese Ethiopian Contacts intheSixteenth toSeventeenth Centuries Turkish, theirand Portuguese, IndianConnections,”and in 213 capital, Infranz. Falasha the of heart atthe center made his He region. LakeTana the of to Shewa region itpolitical whofrom was SarsaDengilCapital seat, theRoyal the shifted (1563- 1597) see to by his suitability the forof Lake like Minas (1559-63) a area predecessors of the Tana region infig. Although visits tothe foundation weresome the 6.) of there 1632. (See Gondar capitals after Tagulatmoved towards the region of Lake Tana until the tradition changed with have beentofollowwandering couldof Themobile capitals the direction rovingthe capitals. quality. have churches the the could not capitals andmonasteries establishedwandering high around Richard Pankhurst, “A Tale of Four Cities: Late Sixteenth and Early Seventeenth-century Ethiopian Capitals Ethiopian Seventeenth-century Early and Sixteenth Late Cities: of Four “A Tale Pankhurst, Richard Another possible explanation for royal burial in Lake Tana in relation to the to in relation Tana Lake in burial royal for explanation possible Another 213 He was also buried inRema Medhanialem,founded during his time on the 61 TheIndigenous andthe ForeigninChristian , ed.Isabel Boavida CEU eTD Collection 214 Adopted from: Ronald J. Horvath, “The Wandering Capitals of Ethiopia:” 208. ofEthiopia:” Capitals Wandering “The Horvath, J. Ronald from: Adopted Fig. 6. Major Capitals of Ethiopia 214 62 CEU eTD Collection 216 215 inisburied Lake Accordingly, a Tana. remains there highpossibility the that of a royal All werealso offoundedby Fasiledes (1632-1667). northeast lake, the emperors these of at northern the Gorgora founded tip (1607-1632); and bySusenyos lake, the of Gondar, of founded lake,inby the part Lake eastern the SarsaDengil; around Tana wereInfranz, The capitals wereestablished. monasteries the Tanaafter of Lake region the around capitals of aconcentration finds one because of capitals establishment the followed burial royal ways have inboth seems been to relationship reciprocal. Hencethe burials. by his of have predecessors’ presence Lake the be saidtoattracted Tana been towards could inhis march Infranz, hemade hiscenter Amlak before were buried as andDawit Yukuno I such If emperors betrue. canalso these inverse Still, act. the asarepresentational considered Therefore, if these emperor’s burials were transported later by him or his successors itmay be andsuppressing revolts theircontinuous before Dengil Sarsa made his center among them. Dawit I and Yishak, also had an enormoussuch as predecessors, Dengil’s Sarsa Tana. Lake on ones established well relatively to later role in incorporating transported been have might the capitals, Falasha temporary previous the near intomonasteries and churches the empire the in buried been had who emperors, The deceased. the of family the or emperor another by edgeofhis thewestern capital. time on Medhanialem, ifheand even not, it is did hismonastery still foundedhissince it during was Therefore, it ishis capital, by and a royal family member, Abba grandsonNom, the ofAmde Tsion. possible to conclude can be in Themonastery seen near terms royal of his time, during established patronage. was that to the capital. lake, nearest the he sideof eastern had sponsored the construction of the Rema Ibid. R. E. Cheesman, R.E. Transportation of the royal family remains in the later periods would also mean mean that would periods in also family later royal remains the the of Transportation later transported been have might that burials the on light sheds event historical This Lake Tana and the Blue Nile , 169. 63 215 Sarsa Dengli’s burial in Rema Medhanialem Rema in burial Dengli’s Sarsa 216 CEU eTD Collection 217 themselves. burials royal the to threat as adirect hand, other the on and, above, discussed as burial royal of tradition the changed dramatically royal burialAccordingly, this historicalis phenomenon can be viewed fromconcerned. two angles as far as the issue of On the one hand, as a cause for wanderinghad to defend itself from different forces. Horvath wrote: empire Christian the when century, capitals,seventeenth the until continued tradition This enemies. whichemperors had to design the and military soldiers time as full fight hadto force working The Lalibela. capital, former the tactics that couldgiven enough settletime to permanently they after restored Solomonicthe dynasty leftand help them control the werenot emperors capital. Christian movement The a itpermanent country denied the was that conflict of the their of consequences political major the of One perspectives. different from analyzed been ofhas this historical theconsequences,etc. period courses, causes, The on the subject. this highland and lowland Christian empire is thesouthern Muslim Literature principalities. rich northern the between conflict the was Ethiopia medieval of features characteristic the One of 2.2.3. Royal family burials during theMuslim-Christian conflict capitals. capitals in the vicinity families mighthave beenmovedof inthelater periods partly because of of establishment the the lake and to get the royal burials as close as possible to these Horvath, Ronald J. “The Wandering Capitals of Ethiopia:” 213. do battle alternatively with Islam, the Galla, and Europe. a seriesby of invaders since threatened been the had classical period. Christian civilization Ethiopian peoples Christian had this to of existence very the that We military canappreciate in to considerations. primarily Gondar response I contend that capitals in Ethiopia moved about prior to the foundation of 64 217 CEU eTD Collection 222 Egypt and Nubia, and the Ethiopian Chronicles) institutions except those that could not be reached easily were wiped out. Debre Libanos, the Libanos, Debre out. wiped were easily be reached not could that those except institutions Muslim army.According to his chronicle: by receive progressing the asthey were threatened to his remains hesitant The monks were kept moving northward and finally he became a fugitive andhe neardied Aksumin 1540. 221 220 219 Damo, 218 in 1527, Kure of battle Shimbra Ahmadat the Gragn burials of the emperors. the accommodate to reluctant became leaders monastery and church contemporary the result, As a ones. (public) than ordinary the more endangered were burials their accommodated Christians. prey were the Muslims asmosques of main victorious of the targets invading the be demolishmonasteries destroyed.the with potential the were Churches everything and to warfare. of favor inboth sides this protracted Theparty emerged thus victorious who to used ended in1543during the reign Gelawdewos. Emperor of Ibid. Wallis BudgeWallis Harold Marcus, Ibid., 144. Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse 221 This Muslim threat continued to be well organized and most of mostbe of Christian the and wellorganized continued to This Muslim threat finally Debretaken to Damoand buried with pomp. kingthe of plead monks, the Bahir Negash, Yishaq, to and remains the were of the Bahirto bury the Emperor at theNegash monastery. His body was taken Debaroa,to the seat (presentmonks were so afraid of his wrath that they refused to allow the royal retainers day the it, surround that cliffs sheer the to due Damo Debre assault successfully Eritrea), Ethiopiaand after Finally inWanag Seged,King Novemberof some 1540, LebnaDingle, Kings of of considerable time died at Debre Damo. Although Gragn had been unable to The Muslim-Christian conflict started during the reign of Amde Tsion in 1332 and Lebna Dengil, the first Christian emperor to suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of one of the nine saints’ monasteries. Following his defeat by the Muslim army he 219 The Christian institutions that were the royal family foundations and foundations family royal the were that institutions Christian The , A HistoryEthiopia, of & Nubia Abyssinia: (According totheHieroglyphicInscriptions of A History of Ethiopia Church and State in Ethiopia (London: University of California Press, 1994), 32. (Methuen: London, 1928), 328. , 132. 65 220 was the first to be buried at Dabra 218 222 There were shifts in victory in in victory shifts were There CEU eTD Collection most of all, the territorial annexation following the monks’ preaching to a pagan community monks’ preaching to following the annexation mostall, territorial of the were not on good terms withachievements the state and thatwere wereinclined meaningfulmonastery that enjoyed it. Thisto may alsostrictly be explained as a reward for the monasteries’to the observestate. the with special affiliation Itemperor’s wasthe of royal patronage feature their One common may alsofaith. suggest But that some when stateactivities in the meaningfounded. inrelation were monasteries the period to the monasteries havehad another to seems of monasteries Lake Tana of the thepatronage However, return. It is clear that the emperors were patrons of the monasteriesconstruction materials, organizinglabor for buildingthe presenting process, gifts in etc. kind, to get prayer from the monks in Commercial Printing Enterprise, 2000), 308. 224 empire. the controlled overwhelmingly Muslim-Christianconflict, i.e, the battle forthe first time went infavor of the Muslims and they 223 associated with this defacing of the emperors’ memorials by Muslim forces. Amde burial, it Tsion’s isthough known hewasburiedthat in mightDabra Libanos, be to avoid destruction by Muslim forces. The lack of information about the whereabouts of I andZaraDaga Istifanos buried Amde Dawit at were Yacob, burial hissuccessors, Tsion, of families whotheir and/or areemperors the of concerns buriedprimary the were dead the depositing atpermanently Lake Tana. by Thoughmemory securing of issue the and threat no Muslim the sources that likely more is it Hence, are known about the fate of the Takla Haymanot: Muslim invasion and was by destroyed Ahmadof forces the Gragn. were atarget of that monasteries wasamong the buried, Amde Tsion was where monastery Abba Ayele Teklehaymanot, Ayele Abba Ahmad Gragn was the leader of Muslim lowlanders whose coming to power changed the dynamics of the Generally, royal patronage can be seen in land ( land in seen be can patronage royal Generally, monastery was anddestroyed again ravaged many monksand diedmartyrs. Muslim 1559),andby army Christians (1540- ruled the Gelawdewos 1559 between Ahmadof ofMarch23, battle the same During Gragn. the army Muslim the by 1532 in time, first the for destroyed, was monastery The Ethiopian Review “Miscellaneaof Cultures: Aethiopica” 66 gult ) grants, providing) grants, for money 223 According to Ayele to According (Addis Ababa: (Addis 224 CEU eTD Collection meaning in the theory of places of memory. In fact, the explanation must be two-fold. On the On be two-fold. must explanation the fact, In memory. of places of theory in the meaning Ark Covenant. of the the housing for known best the far by been had which Qirqos, Tana exceeding by family, royal the of burial the with coincided which onwards, century fourteenth the from popularity and fame great attained Daga Istifanos of Monastery the for example, individual cases, Treating family also established its dynastic cemetery and it seems that the result was a mutual benefit. memory whatever the reason waswere buried. that they where ledmonastery same at the not was investment the their though even predecessors their royal family to were buried in a monastery they where had sponsored foundation the followedand still others be buried there.significantimpact on the burials of the emperors on Lake Tana. Hence,The some of the emperors royal traditionkeepingearlier to the werededicated family membersroyal of later thatthe the suggests turn of royal periods.in This later Lake of monasteries to the Tana familyweretransported of royal the burial remains the that possibility the also is There monasteries. and churches the for families aroundroyal thememory, capitals. the confessionchurches andmonasteries couldthat assurecontinuity and beworthy preserveenough to emperors The made issuebefore includeburial mobile absence tradition conflict, the capitals,the of the of Muslim-Christian their deaths,of royal and of royal centers ofLakeTana made that monasteries the factors major These of period. the donations patronage by some of features mainly which major were characteristic by the factors thebeenvarious motivated have also had a moremeanings than toroyalprayer patronage. were there that suggest to seem monasteries in certain families royal the of burials the and The group of find of monasteriesthe burialsThe Lake Tana,then, of can at emperors’ group of aplace Lake Tana of monasteries madethe family royal the of burial the In sum, to seems Lake Tana of monasteries andthe burial royal between The relationship 67 CEU eTD Collection advantage to become to advantage the took Lake Tana of monasteries the burials, families’ royal the accommodate to chance the lost capitals medieval wandering when that seems it Thus, is reciprocal. relationship the memory is realm freshthe kept passageof of and alive that through Hence, the generations. in hence putthem burials and the kings’ monasteries accommodated hand, On the other the memory. aplaceof monasteries the thereandhenceawarded kings hand,the areburied one lieux dememoire . 68 CEU eTD Collection 226 225 religion. astate as Christianity buildingembraced and state of process the Amharasand started Semitic the Tigres varies in significantly terms of periodthe of incorporation in to Christianthe empire, albeit group ethnic Each diversities. religious and linguistic, ethnic, different of mosaic a been medieval be will Ethiopia) discussed. in regions other to expansion caseof in the as was any, (if there state the and missionaries the between assistance mutual and faith their into region the of inhabitants the integrating in monks the awaited that challenges The domains. Christian the the of by affected was that region composition population the with starts It communities. monastic the with interaction Tana Lake of region the to empire Christian the and Christianity of expansion monks missionary the and state expansionist the both In the second half of the thirteenth century, the region of Lake Tana attracted the attention of and churchmoved towardsubduing it. Theindependent kingdom of Gojjam, immigrant the nineteenth century A.D. to draw its present map. the of turn the until history country’s the of span whole the almost took expansion of process control apparatus to wholeregionthe by using Christianity agent. as a unifying THE UNSIGNED PACT: EXPANSION AND EVANGELIZATION AROUNDLAKE EXPANSIONANDEVANGELIZATION THE UNSIGNEDPACT: Ibid. Tibebu, Teshale Since its appearance in the realm of history, the society of the Empire of has of Ethiopia Empire the society of history, of the realm inthe appearance Since its The region of Lake Tana hosted a great deal this diversity before the Christian court Christian before the diversity deal this agreat hosted Lake Tana of The region The Making of Modern Ethiopia 225 It was ethnic who Itdevelopedthese astate two groups CHAPTER THREE TANA , 30. 69 of Ethiopia.of deals Thischapter with the 226 and its This CEU eTD Collection Tana] accelerated in the fourteenth century reign Amde the of in Tsion.” during century fourteenth the Tana] accelerated 232 231 organized way and highly on effortsthe dependent individualof monks. less in a process continued, evangelization the Yacob, andAbuna AmdeTsion between power. Ya’eqob, was Ethiopian in appointed who heightthe patriarch Amde Tsion’sof 1337, at Abuna Metropolitan Egyptian the to is credited clergy the by region the evangelize to effort Solomonic dynasty. the of restoration be from the its traced canonly center amonastery at or with a church community Christian awell-organized Axumite andZagweLake Tanaduring the dynasties, overwhelmingly engulfed them. Then their reaction to the strangers will be discussed. domination Christian of spread the before communities these of settings religious 230 229 228 227 control. of independentstate somehow authority typeChurch of a different tocreating turned Abuna Ya’eqob when into empire Christian the region of the absorption the itbefore fell saw magic apart this charm However, alargescale. entities on peripheral pagan medieval on thus of andincorporating process the embarked the Christianization Ethiopia LakeTana. around organized communities loosely the of majority the constituted Waitos the and Agaws, indigenous the Falashas, monastic ambience. This radical move alienated him from himfrom move court.” the monastic This alienated radical ambience. state. “Yaeqob had tobreak this historic connection and bring hisitsback chair natural to receive permission and co-operation from the secular clergy, who were the right handshadhe to However, regions. of of pagan the genuine evangelization carry theout determined to Taddesse Tamrat, Church Tamrat, Taddesse Ibid., 175. Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Ibid. Ibid. Henze, Paul 230 Although some scholars argue that there were Christian communities in the region of intheregion communities Christian were there that argue scholars some Although Abuna Yaqob’s expertise in organization Abuna inYaqob’s expertise and organization most expansionist the king of Layers ofTime Layers Church and State in Ethiopia 228 As Paul Henze has argued, “Christianization [in the region of Lake and State in Ethiopia , 73. , 175. , 193. 227 70 I will trace the origin and the political and 232 Despite the clash the Despite 231 229 Ya’eqob was Ya’eqob The primary The CEU eTD Collection Ark of the Covenant and the first Jews came to Ethiopia as guardians of King Menelik I. Judgingby legendconnectedthe totheFalasha, their history withstarted arrival the the of 235 234 Information, 2008), 223. existence in Ethiopia as early as 200 B.C. E. 233 Solomonic dynasty.” Ethiopian the founded it, has legend who, -- Sheba Queen the and Solomon King of son the -- I Menelik of bodyguard Jewish the to ancestry their “trace themselves They phenomenon. The presence3.1. The Christianization oftheFalasha of Falashas, Ethiopiancan be stated? Jews,for a common good even after the clash? How can the scalein of conversion and incorporation the societyregion react to the alien religionofboth andthe Lakepolitical state power?and theTanaWas were easyprey entity for political aloosely who and awaited apagansociety there organized theremonks. any kind Whois of clearedcommon an goal the hadfull toengulf contemporary emperors theirempire.Third, within appetites any territory ancient way for evangelization? the Second, ofLakeTana. theregion to monksall went the First, overlap. stories different How did the localreason they had, they discovered a new area to carry out their evangelization missions. Three Paul Henze, Paul Ibid. Jamie Stokes, Jamie 600 years on the island of Tana Qirqos before being transferred to Aksum. Jerusalem bringing the country’s first This tabot. from in whenheEthiopia arrived shore Lake Tana’seastern have to come … Emperor Menelik Ison of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, is said to The factors that forced the monks to migrate were discussed in chapter one. Whatever one. in chapter discussed were migrate to monks forced the that The factors Layers ofTime Layers Encyclopedia of the Peoples ofAfrica and the Middle East, 233 Greek sources support this powerful legendby this Falashas’ the support tracing Greeksources powerful , 73. 234 71 tabot was allegedly kept for Vol. 1 (New York: Diagram Visual 235 CEU eTD Collection 239 Publishers, 1992), 54. 238 237 fig 1. 236 South Arabian Jews, immigration orcultural eitherthrough permeation. them attribute the course of Falasha diffusion to the earlier contacts of the Ethiopians with the from an archaeological point of view by dealing with findings that trace their origin. Some of Qirqos. Tana century, day and frompresent the of descendants Falasha of the presence the from come have might artifacts fact This Dembya. thatand Semen, Begemdir, of provinces the arein Tana Lake of north the to stillFalashas speaking displayed in their center of worship from the fifth will cite Pankhurst’s concludeparagraph to the difficulty studyingof their origin. society. Here it is sufficient in thelegacyof and Lake Tana monasteries the interaction theirof surrounding with the to substantiate isdiscussing it worth theirChristianity against or resistance to their conversion rather, thesis, their existence around Lake Tana. Therefore,brought with them, remained for the next 800 years. I group islandarrivedlatter atthe of Qirqos Tana of Blue Nile. course the the otheralong The following River,the directions: Tekeze one two in central the provinces to They Meroe. traveled toEthiopia through Jews immigrated B.C., in410 ElephantineIsland,Following Egypt, of destruction the on templethe Yahweh of region to in thethe elements presenceof Jewish attest the andworks recent debate isanongoing Falashas direct entry of the Israelites to Ethiopia via Egypt in about 400 B.C. Ibid. Graham Hancock, Graham Henze, Paul I have been there and took a picture of the sacrificial pillar and other relics related to it in Tana Qirkos. See There is also a tradition among Ethiopian history scholars of locating Amharic- Another group of authors are preoccupied with analyzing the history of theFalashas of history the analyzing with arepreoccupied authors of group Another An attempt to reconstruct the origin of the Falashas is not the main objective of of not the mainobjective this is reconstruct originFalashas the to An attempt of Layers ofTime, Layers The Sign and the Seal: The Quest for the Seal:the TheQuestfor The Signandthe LostArkof Covenant 236 73 . 72 where the Ark of the Covenant, which they which Covenant, the of Ark the where 239 237 The origin of the (New York: Crown York: (New 238 CEU eTD Collection 244 243 242 turn of the fourteenth century, scale of their conversionthe Christian to Christianity. diocese of could advent before the Lake Tana of region Nile the and of Blue source the around settlement Most be certainly scholars traced, argue very that little it took is knownplace about around the time the and the 241 Affairs 240 made by monks’Yafqiranna-Egzi. The influxEwostatewos be taken can as acounterweight were attempts early However, Tana. Lake of monasteries the to directly be attributed cannot meansChristianization thattheir Ewostatewos house by theFalasha the activities among of house Ewostatewos. of the by monks the out carried predominantly of Lake Tana. shores. and eastern northern Ethiopianthe Jews. From geographicalof the point view ofLake Tana,they occupied the Empire Axumof and southwest of the medieval Kingdom of Zagwe was under the domain of ancient of the south region Tana.The of in theLake region their existence dealing with the first years of the reign of Amde Tsion. Amde of reign the of years first the Ibid., 197. Ibid., 191. Taddesse Tamrat, Church Tamrat, Taddesse Taddesse Tamrat, Church Tamrat, Taddesse Setting,” Ethiopian Christian Their in Ethiopians, or Judaic Felahsas, “The Pankhurst, Richard 91, No. 365(1992), 567. Most of the historical aspects of the Falasha are highly debated. Although their Despite the difficulty of tracing their origin, however, there are corpuses of literature of corpuses are there however, origin, their tracing of difficulty the Despite Christendom. and Judaism,blended in amanner virtually unknown in elsewhere strong Jewish been has long remarkably under immemorial,have time livedsince Falashas influence,however, and that Therecan, interest. more than speculative of scarcely are firm evidence, in Ethiopiabe on originthe in but, people of no havebeenpropounded, the absencethe of any denyingthe two contradictory probably Various ever. for documentation, will theories remains religions, thatlackinfor of mystery, and, Falashas areshrouded of The the origins early Christianity Ethiopia, the Christian country in which the Yafqiranna- Egzi Yafqiranna- Egzi had 240 and State in Ethiopia and State in Ethiopia 241 already established Christian communities around Lake Tanain 242 which coincides with the advent of the monks to the region the to monks the of advent the with coincides which , 196. , 197. 243 73 Early missionary work among the Falasha was Falasha the among work missionary Early 244 The evangelization African CEU eTD Collection 248 Tana. of Lake north mountains inaccessible pushed empire ahugebase of folk,the tax-paying reached theFalasha campaigns country. Vigorous thus Falashasof Gabra-Iyasus. Histo theactions early been haveas as could Falasha the against march AmdeTsion’s missionaries. campaigns move the of side the to over it in brought territory thefor desire the monks, firstEwostatewosian fromantagonistic half of the fourteenththeir century, territory which gavemention of directmission work amongthe the Jews Ethiopia.”of in Christianthe in of this teaching is story the initsregion, Gabra-Iyasus explicitunique Dambyaexplains his effort: “Of all the traditions we have about the fourteenth-century effortand tospread Begemidir theincorporation empire. Christian Tamrat Falashainto breaking Taddesse the for the of to the 247 say One cannot in AmdeTsion that was successful the subduing Falashas and fully communitiesmentioned which I atthe were outset made during time this by Yafqiranna-Egzi. missionary work of the monks of Lake Tana. Thus, the initial efforts to evangelize these 246 245 San. Tana. Lake of in region Infranz, district, same in the Falasha the among activities evangelical his toArmenia. master death the Upon of heEwostatewos returned homehis andstarted with journey his to prior Falasha, the of land the Infranz, to assigned been has Iyasus Gabra- andEwostatewos had hismaster followed exile into inArmenia.According his to wasof a discipline to lake onthe credited them.being Gabra-Iyasus from isfarmonasteries to the expansion of the house of Takla Haymanotinto the region,but the issue of establishing Ibid., 196. Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse R. E. Cheesman, R.E. Ibid., 198. 246 245 On the side of the state, although there was waspath- endeavor Gabra-Iyasus’s evangelize Falashas, allthe failure to his Despite no deliberate action to help the In order to seal his triumph, he founded a monastery among the Falasha, Dabra Falasha, the among monastery a founded he triumph, his seal to Inorder Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Church and State in Ethiopia , 78. , 198. 74 248 This created a moment suitable for the 247 gedl , CEU eTD Collection 251 Journal of African History 250 249 monks the and expansion of campaign their launched kings Christian the before Falashas of central highlandthe control had kingdom. It loose Agawsof integrated and partially Gojjam. of immediately edge Gojjam south was apowerful pagan kingdom Tanaatthe Lake Ethiopia. southwestern Lake to and Tana Ethiopia crossed innorthern from their place Metekel and Agawmedir in settled they how and when about however, evidence, little is There this paper,Ionly onthe Gojjam focus Agaw theAgaws who or settled LakeTana. around Christian the highland into kingdom. andintegrated were assimilated Zagwe dynasty.the dynasty, Afterown their established later and theircivilization Axumite main downfall the to peripheral under the conspiracies Ezanaof the Solomonic dynasty,and theyinand itexistcontinued to among the successors of inscriptions,these asin inscriptionsthe of the sixth-centuryEthiopic inscriptions. One of inscriptions, first the the Adulis inscription, containsname their the Ethiopianwork region since time immemorial. ofTheir existence in theCosmas. region is attested documentation locale isAgaw origin in and their for concerning preserved better Relatively by early 3.2. TheChristianization andAgaw ofGojjam from by whom aggressive acts any those to they preached. gave them state protection and the of of tempoexpansion the as monksregulators wereused DawitEmperor (1380- 1412), also worked to control them. incorporating them into his empire, since there is evidence that his successors, such as Ibid. Agaw,” ofthe Case The Society: in Ethiopian Interaction of Ethnic Process “Tamirat, Tamrat, Taddesse Ibid., 199. Another section of population that can be treated closely with the Agaw people is people Agaw with the closely betreated can that population of section Another 29, No.1 (1988), 7. 75 250 In the later periods they as they stayed In periods later the 249 One can still conclude that the that conclude Onecanstill 251 For the purpose of The CEU eTD Collection 255 254 Centuries,” 253 252 region. inthe mission their commenced control of the pagan Gojjam king, Zankomir. king, Gojjam pagan the of control Gojjam.When Yafqiranna-Egzi madehis toTana journey theislandQirqos, was Yafqiranna-Egzi domain. Christian called Agawmedir.” Agawmodern intosubstantial has survived population in intimes Gojjam central district the fought from the late thirteenth century to the beginning of the fifteenth century were Agaw. A Gojjam includesAgaws because, “the paganemperors kingsof Gojjam Ethiopian the whom ofevangelization? course was the what and initiative the is:Whotook still it. Thequestion evangelized of Lake Tana monasteries monks of the the that conclude factto palpable Lake a Tana, of from area the came Christianize kingdom to this attempts the Falashas, earliest map).Agawmedir the Unlike (see Agaws, laylake andof between the capital the center the the that scholars agree Most empire. Ya’eqob who managed(1434-68), tostabilize thealready frontiersdefined of Christianthe Zara controlof reign the sealedduring state complete was brought that The finalstamp campaigns first in 1330s.domain duringAmde Tsion of thegovernment of central the the into absorbed fully was region Tana Lake the times, later until delayed was supremacy the king to enter to the monastery of Tana Qirqos. According to church tradition, the Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Henze, Paul Tadesse Tamirat, “A Short Note on the Tradition of Pagan Resistance to the Ethiopian Church, 14 Paul Henze, Paul The Kingdom The Kingdom Gojjam of originally resistance stiff provided expandingthe against shouldIt here benoted thatany medieval aboutthe discussion Kingdom pagan of obscure. still are Gojjam of Kingdom pagan medieval the of limits territorial The 253 Journal of Ethiopian Studies Layers ofTime Layers Layers ofTime Layers Church and State in Ethiopia 254 , 73. , 78. 10, No.1 (1972): 152. , 199. 252 in of charge inaugurating missionary activity in 76 Even though the consolidation of Christian of consolidation the though Even 255 The former had to receive permission from receiveformer permission had to The was under the under was th and 15 and th CEU eTD Collection 262 261 260 259 258 Widim of When than messenger the former. stiffer the even fierce opposition mainland of ofBada sanctuary,the in southwest region the and thekings agreed toprotect well-beingthe of monksthe and monasteries.their Tsion Amde of campaigns early the under collapsed soon Agaw the and Gojjam the among means“anti-dress” and allegorically means “anti/enemy of monks.” This boldness early 257 256 Jan Chuhay. Widim, of under himimprisonment successor the faced cost opposition that Yafqiranna-Egzi, phase another lake, of whichinaugurated evangelization. the of shores southern the on activities missionary initiated and Gebriel Kebran of monastery Gebriel,Abba ZaYohannis, shedslight obscurity. on this Abbafounded ZaYohannis the founder Kebran Bada and the of the region outof of about story confrontation.this The back by force…” him totake go… and they wanted to refused saintheard message,the the havingplace’ … king of Gojjam and said tohim,“Why are you stayingin districtthe of Bada? Returntoyour monks, the from epithet an him brought Zankomir of defiance Ibid., 198. Ibid., 196. Ibid., 196. Ibid. Ibid. Taddesse Tamrat, Taddesse Tana of Lake monasteries the from informant Anonymous Inspired by early this success Abba Yafqiranna- Egzi launched amission to the many of them in the name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. preach of baptized deceased subjects the the continuedamong and to king refused…and they him killed and releasedZa yohannis. Then fatherour between youme.’ his and kingordered messengersThe if he JanChuhay monk, releaseyounot saying:thereshallbenopeace ‘If this soliders do remained a inheardKingprisoner many Amedamit. andsent AmdeTsion him…Andyohannisbeatarrest Za him men hisand to [Jan Chuhay]ordered inThis account Yafqiranna-Egzi’s 261 259 Church and State in Ethiopia , 198 gedil 77 is vague and leaves the main historical result historical main the leaves and vague is 257 260 (See fig. 3). Here, too, he faced Tsara Qamis, He, likehis predecessor, 256 262 258 which literally which came to the CEU eTD Collection 266 Research inValues Philosophy,and 2002.) 265 Department of History, 1984,4-7. 264 Department of History, 1984,4-7. 263 the Christianity, than Rather conversion. their about known is little but environs, its and lake the on depended economy their where Tana, Lake of shores the inhabited have to known Ahmad Gragn. however, were converted Woytos, to Islam in century by sixteenth the forces invadingthe of Most forgotten. are former of religion andtheir and rites motherthe tongue ceremonies Their Ethiopia theAmharas. They before received Christianity, abandoning their original religion. pagans. also were they and Agaw, neighboring the from different language own their had have inhabitants of earliest lakeshore. the and These fishinghunting are to believed communities be the to believed are who Woyto, the are Tana Lake of environs the in and Gojjam of North 3.4. Incorporating theWoyto the community, Za Yohannis would not have faced resistance. and hemight in havereturned vain. is had This because, he been insuccessful Christianizing successful not evangelize community was this to by earliestYafqiranna-Egzi the attempt that seemssuggest Abba and KingJan to The battle ZaYohannis Chuhay Gojjam between the evangelization of natives. these of evangelization subsequent about Semitization the andbrought the century, twelfth the sources around R. E. Cheesman, R.E. N. S. Kirabaev, University, Ababa Addis MA thesis, Tana,” Lake of Woyto “The Selassie, gebre Haimanot Tekle University, Ababa Addis MA thesis, Tana,” Lake of Woyto “The Selassie, gebre Haimanot Tekle No sources refer directly to the missionary activities among the Woyto. They are Woyto. the among activities missionary the to directly sources refer No of plateaus the reached are Hamiticpeople who Woyto the arguethat Some authors 263 But the advent of the Amhara to the region, which began according to some 265266 Values inIslamic Cultureand the Experienceof History Lake Tana and the Blue Nile 264 , 50. 78 (Washington, DC: The Council for CEU eTD Collection 268 center of religious and political activities in the coming centuries. As numerous Christian numerous As centuries. coming in the activities political and religious of center a became area the Thus, north. the to south the from centers their shift to started institutions both Empire, Ethiopian the into incorporated and is Christianized region the Once expansion. of the pagan rulersChristianization of a certain community. Hence, the protection of the monks from wasthe dangers a payment had state the Christianity its central as ideology, its expansion was highly depended on the for theirAs simple. very incorporation of process the made communities these of activity evangelization The of clearingrescue when some of the rulers of these pagan communities threaten the life of the monks.the ground wentforthe The state activities. religious their carry out to anopportunity created shores for the state highawarded them with degree of the pagancommunities whoprivacy, living were the along Whileit islandsof LakeTana. in the concern selecting monks’ suggests the process primary evangelization The church. and the state the of relationship the explain best could that event Church. Orthodox Ethiopian the of laws dietary strict the given Woyto the evangelizing in energy remainsmayinvest abovemonks obscure,the explanation theirexplain didnot why the monasteriesthe of Lake andTana theinvasion ofAhmad Gragn in the sixteenth century 267 completely.” cutthem likehippopotamus,enough consumptionoff of ‘unclean’to food, was Woyto’s The by their co-religionists. of weresegregated main Islam, of tenets the acceptance monks becauseof impurity theirin “The terms of food. Teshalenoted: Woyto, despite their conversion of populationthe living along the shores of lake.the Woytos are better known as Muslims. There is evidence of Ahmad Gragn’s forced Teshale Tibebu, Teshale Paul Henze, Paul Generally, the expansion process seems to have been the most important historical important most the been have to seems process expansion the Generally, There is a possibility that the Woytos were not subject to the missionary work of the of work missionary the to subject not were Woytos the that a possibility is There 268 Layers Layers of Time Although the religion of the Woytos in the period between the foundation of foundation the between period in the Woytos the of religion the Although The Making of Modern Ethiopia , 79. (1896-1974) 79 (Lawrenceville: The Red Sea Press, 1995), 69. 1995), Press, Red Sea The (Lawrenceville: 267 CEU eTD Collection the strong religious foundation of the monasteries. tip tip of Ethiopia which kept pushing Christianthe Empire northwards. 269 Muslim and the Oromo by the forced was region the to advancement emperors’ the fact, In capital region. its the towards shifted empire the Tana Lake of monasteries the modeling built were institutions There was a large scale population movement of the Oromo in the sixteenth century that from the southern the from that century sixteenth in the Oromo ofthe movement population scale a large was There 269 assault,however, their choice seems tohave been made because of 80 CEU eTD Collection the thirteenth century, the major political features of the period, the physical environment of physicalenvironment the of period, features the major political century, thirteenth the the of monastic reform general of the can be from wide perspective the seen factors the centuries, seventeenth and thirteenth the between founded were monasteries the Since event. historical this affect to together joined context historical own their and times in different emerged that factors Lake Several Tana. of monasteries the march towards monks to the influenced that Thereis factor nosingle compelled byvarious factors. or motivated century thirteenth expansion of the two institutions in this region, the following conclusion has been drawn. and the state, foundationchurch and thefrom relationship process, of analyzing the ofLakeTana. Thus, region wasthe parties two of the activities theseexpansion attracted that in regions of the One domains. their possible andterritories as manysubjects include as remarkable thesethat institutions development underwentwasaprocessof expansion to Lake Tana. Thus, to achieve this objective of conflict. astate inharmony or were they --either inhistorical perspective close were very I closely looked theinvolvingchurch alone, without is state, the insurmountable because institutions an task both relationship of the twoEthiopian history. At the outsetin of writing this thesisthe I realized that dealing with in the region Ethiopian position their analyze to thereby and of institution Christian a as contribution their evaluate role, to asignificant played that parties the trace founded, to were Lake of Tana monasteries the which under circumstances the investigate isto thesis present ofthe objective The core THE PLACE OF THE MONASTERIES OF LAKE TANA WITHIN ETHIOPIAN WITHIN TANA LAKE OF OFTHEMONASTERIES THE PLACE The monks first traveled to the islands of Lake Tana in the second half of the of half second the in Tana Lake of islands the to traveled first monks The most The institutions. political and religious in evolution an saw Ethiopia Medieval CONTEXTUALIZATION ANDCONCLUSION CONTEXTUALIZATION HISTORY 81 CEU eTD Collection healthy. However, even their conflicts served as factors for pushing the monks to region monksthe to for pushing the factors served as eventheir conflicts However, healthy. consistently not was parties two the between relationship the hand, other the On confidence. donations of of land state, the protection monks grants the of andthe bypaganrulers, from offensives different The be could demonstrated. state-church relationship that the Itwasatjuncture this factors. kinds might have encouraged Falasha. among the the Lake Tana of vicinities northern the on concentrated activity ofEwostatewos’ house the monks to facebelonged groupamongmonks ofLake tothis Many the founding agree Tana.scholars that challenges group of monks, no although specific information is the individualknown about monks that with also a supplied of The house Ewostatewos Lake theregion of Tana. to Christian the church Hayq DabraLibanos,wereinstrumental and inled training themonks that of theexpansion DabraTwo famous monasteries, produced. inwhichtheywere milieu monastic religious and origins difficult. tracingTana makes their most life the Lake of information monks of the of about monastic Lackof of houses. these frontline disciples of the wason of the Lake Tana in andtheregion regard this instrumental were and Haymanot Takla of Ewostatewos houses the that construe can generally one However, settlein pagan territories. to competition the accelerated that sects monastic different created monasteries,butalso inleaders numerous monastic that established turn islands. the monks andcontributed adventof tothe leadersthe monastic to state between also the dispute the lake, and the religious significance itsof environs. The Muslim- Christian conflict and the These founding monks walked out of their monastic schools because of different one Despite failure todefinebackground, monks’can infer thegeneral individual The monastic a in century not theonly produced reform number thirteenth of 82 CEU eTD Collection inclined towards religiousinclined towards independence, and such thehouses as of Ewostatewos of some the were who monks the hand, other the On patronage. royal enjoyed state the with relations maintain pleasant to were able that monasteries Accordingly, those state. the to affiliation have However, seemby donations these determinedpatronage. monasteries been the to providingbountiful gifts of differentitems, etc. were the mostimportant elements of royal land ( Granting onthemonasteries. variety treasures of a wide bestowed The mainly state but state. parties, the itinvolvedhad different for monasteries the between the state and the monasteries. This phase was a complex chapter in the foundation of construct the actual buildings of the monasteries,unexploited forest which was a source of food in medieval whichEthiopian monasticism. is another whichwater, hasa symbolic practical and meaning functional monasticism, in Ethiopian and area monasticism, ofof principle basic the the is which environment, relationship isolated an monks the promised it security it could offer, it is composed of the natural elements required for monasticism. Thus, monasteries are among the few surviving Christian institutions. these because lake, the of monasteries the choose monks the why suggests phenomenon monastic communities to look for a secure place. Evaluating the effects of this historical forcedhavemight the institutions on Christian devastatingresults andthe capital, Tagulat, tothe nearest regions inother theclash of nature earliest the of experience the However, sinceto it political factors other the appeared later monasteriesthan were founded. the the foundation ofmonasteries on theislands of Lake Tana. Itseems less influential compared in monksLake Tana. of region the the distributing in contributed state the unknowingly, or knowingly Therefore, Tana. Lake of Once the monks had settled in the monasteries of Lake Tana, the next stage wasto stage of next the Lake Tana, in monasteries hadsettled the Once monks the landscapeThe itself natural was by a subject of selection Besides monks. the the The Muslim-Christian conflict that afflicted medieval Ethiopia was also a factor for 83 gult ), ordering corvée labor, CEU eTD Collection remains the when ofcertain not is it However, thedeath. before confessions their on royalbased were Tana Lake families were taken to the monasteries and this makes it difficult to memoir become to advantage took the Lake Tana of monasteries the burials, families’ royal the accommodate to chance the lost capitals medieval while roaming itthat seems could andcampaigns, memory. of insure a mobile absence the Thus, spontaneous capital that Ahmad in Gragns’ wakeof the state to the whowere affiliated againstthose especially institutions, Christian for security of problem the been have to seem factors major the Rather, Istifanos, it is hadwhich Daga most families of royal patronized the However,since they madedonations. difficult to say to in they or wereburiedfounded monasteries the few emperors monasteries. Very different that royal burial in burials the concerning arrangement nohavebeen special to seems There on Lake Tana. and patronage buried royal families intention of later havethe been to the seems memory of the dynasty the were closely relatednourish to and continuing cemetery adynastic establishing LakeTana, region the of to went issues. who bemotive the Solomonic emperors restored can identified first dynasty with andthe Whilethis thein region empire. had Christian thedomain of the who incorporated emperors it in was these as region the represented to besymbolically wanted emperors the likely that is It LakeTana. of in monasteries the burials royal of concentration the for reasons several are There andstate. monasteries between the defines relationship subject that themultifaceted expansion and getting prayers to wash away their sins were among the important ones. such as compensating the monks Amde Tsion and several his in successors.of The state’s donations had differentobjectives, return for their effort to makedisciples a of Taklafertile Haymanot, did not receiveground grants from thefor state, at stateleast during the time of Some justifications, based on tradition, say the reasons that emperors were buried in buried were emperors that reasons the say based ontradition, justifications, Some The royal burials which the monasteries of Lake Tana are famous for is for famous another Tanaare Lake of monasteries burialswhich the The royal . 84 lieux de CEU eTD Collection to establish permanent capitals in Infranz, Gorgora, and Gondar, respectively, although it was tried Fasiledes, finally and Susenyos, Dengil, Sarsa suchas emperors, later the Accordingly, establish to capitals them.for among emperors’ fertileattempts the permanent ground alsoprovided communities Christianized Lake The newly Tana. intheregion communities of havewere living by camps seemto intemporary presenceof beenattracted Christian the who The emperors of empire. geographical the later on center the hadmore effect aenduring empire. their into them integrating of task emperors’ for the became easy lived laketargets theedges of the around who Jews (Falasha) captured by had Themonks pagansandEthiopian or who been threatened pagan rulers. the totherescue reachedis who out of andthere emperors monks backedthe they evidence the Hence, fired. beforewas agun empire Christian of the make part pagan regions the effort to monks’ the appreciated have they would Accordingly, empire. of the limits territorial the was characterized by Theinvolved emperors incooperation. were bloody battles toexpand non-Christian expansion between iscommunities towards relationship demonstrated, two the societies in the region of Lake Tana under their dominion. Unlike any other field in which the be buriedLake Tana. on to preferred emperors the and burials royal accommodating for famous are monasteries The mutual. is benefit the so nostalgia, families royal gave monasteries the hand, other the On family. royal certain in to or tothe state general ismonastery affiliated closely whetheron the highly dependent monasteriesofLake the isthus Tana among reputation Popularity the of monasteries. the role inescalating Tanaplayed asignificant of Lake in burial monasteries the royal reasons, these of spite In monasteries. the to in relation burial royal of meaning the further explain Besides supporting the expansion project of the state, monasteries of the Lake Tanaproject expansion of state, the the Besides supporting the incorporate to attempt in their climax its reached relationship The church-state 85 CEU eTD Collection footsteps, which shapedfootsteps, laterpolitical religious and institutions For the of country. the their left Tana Lake of monasteries the Therefore, Lake Tana. of themonasteries around Therefore, the state in buildingits empire andfounding apoliticalmade seat theirfocus state. for the elements attractive became ideology, itbased its on which state, medieval the existence for the of whichwerehighlyimportant invadingreligiousforce,the institutions the from area Besidesthe of theremoteness seat. apolitical ideal establishing place appeared an Tana Lake of monasteries the Thus, centuries. sixteenth and fifteenth the in forces Muslim Muslim-Christianto is rivalries. Thisas true argument was state Christian the pushed by memory spontaneous alive. royal family deposited their remains asan act of symbolic representation and keeping the where place the as served also They expansion. of project state’s the for evangelization by at state helpedrulers. in preliminary work beginning Themonasteries the turn assisting financing with the monasteries in waysdifferent and rescuing them from pagan monks forLake Tana, in of region the the factor andapositive asanegative started It ways. were driven by to find factors various way their Lake Tana.to the houses of Ewostatewos and Takla Haymanot. The disciples of thesemonastic houses were Lake Tana of in region feltthe wasstrongly influence whose monastic houses important two The certain principles. otheron each to were antagonistic who sects produced reform This century as acommon denominator. of thirteenth secondhalf the monasticthe of reform founding monks of monasteriesthe had Lakebackgrounds, Tana of different theyhadthe Aksum Lalibela. ofits splendor predecessors, and repeat the the latter who was successful in altering the tradition of the mobile capital that was able to Most scholars attribute the movement of the Christian set to the region of Lake Tana Lake of region the to set Christian the of movement the attribute scholars Most canbe indifferent explained andthe state monasteries between the The relationship In general the results of this study can be summarized as follows: Although the 86 CEU eTD Collection crucial crucial for understanding the of medieval shouldbeEthiopia done. fear oflosing Hence,investigation heritages. these the of asupervised every lakeof on the monastery reaching Ifaced.share werethe majorproblems monks’ the difficulty is the and them, who inneedof with a researcher collaborate to lack willingness of monks’ the monasteries, of the manuscripts of the catalogues organized the of inaccessibility closely with monasteriesshouldthe associated be conducted. are that events later historical aclose analysis of in of medieval hadEthiopia, Lake Tana monasteries the that impacts the understand further To region. the in period medieval the of of and religious practices any bepolitical center atthe monasteries launchedto the by placing empire-building in the region has not been considered. Thus, I hereby call forfurther researchin monasteries the of impact the However, forged. was century seventeenth the of half first the and sixteenth inthe relationship Ethio-Portugal the asan area where and capital medieval the “the melting pot” of “the word” (of the Bible) and the “sword” (of the emperors.) become region andthe in later centuries activities andpolitical of center religious important an region madethe and eachother cooperated two The gains. makemore territorial to of expanding the horizon Christianity of later followedand were which bythe intendedstate, purpose for the region Tana the of Lake to monks advanced conclude I that Thus, centuries. followed and theirfootsteps by itself ended in forestablishing region the coming four for the advent of the statemade his capital at the heart of their land, in Infranz. Therefore,into the monks cleared the ground the region.instance, had Oncethe Falashanot been at least partially evangelized, Sarsa Dengilthey would not have set the stage for expansion, the state I do not claim that this study has exploited all the available sources. The sources. available the all exploited has study this that claim not do I as a many scholars for of attention been a center has Tana Lake of The region 87 heritages which which are heritages CEU eTD Collection 2. LandGrant to the monastery ofTana Qirqos 1. Entrusting the Abbotship of Kebran Gebriel toacommunity member living in the region of Bada Appendix 88 CEU eTD Collection Burton-Christie, Douglas. Budge, Wallis. James. Bruce, Briggs, Philip. Bosc-Tiessé. Claire, “Dabra Maryam,” In “Dabra Maryam,” Claire, Bosc-Tiessé. Berry, La Verle and Richard Smith. “Churches and Monasteries of Lake Tana, Ethiopia ______. “L’histoirel’art______. et deségliseslac du Tana,” Amlak.”In “Hiruta ______. Claire, Bernhardt, John. 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