Document – Selection from The Glorious Victories of Amda Seyon

Abstract and Keywords

Amda Seyon was a fourteenth century king of the Solomonid Dynasty, which ruled Ethiopia from 1270 until 1974. The name of the dynasty, Solomonid, derives from the Ethiopian belief that the kings of Aksum (whom the Solomonids believed were their ancestors) were descended from King Solomon of Israel and the Queen of Sheba. The kings of Aksum and the later Solomonids were Christian, and their king Amda Seyon, led them into warfare in 1329 against Muslims in the neighboring state of Ifat (in north-east Ethiopia). The Solomonids also fought against other neighboring states, including Christians and animists; however, the Glorious Victories of Amda Seyon portrays the war between the Solomonids and Ifat as a religious war between Christians and Muslims. The following excerpt features the king encouraging his army to fight on, paraphrasing the book of Psalms in the process.

The Glorious Victories of Amda Seyon, King of Ethiopia, trans. and ed. G. W. B. Huntingford. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1965), 67, 69-71.

Document

….At this time Gemaldin the king of the Moslems came to the king with many gifts and said, 'I pray you, O king, return to your capital, since you have appointed me your (ruler), and I will do your will. For behold, the land of the Moslems is now ruined. Leave what remains (in) the country and do not ravage it again, that they may work for you by trading, because I and all the Moslem peoples are your slaves.' The king answered him angrily, saying, 'It is not when I am bitten by hyenas and dogs, sons of vipers and children of evil which trust not in the Son of God, that I return to my capital; and if I return before I have ravaged the land of Adal, may I become like her who bore me, my mother; may I not be called a man but may I be called a woman.'

After this the king went to another place (where) he called together his whole army, and on the 28th day of Sane addressed the assembly thus: 'In the east, in the west, in the north, in the south, in Tigre, in Guajam, in Waggard, in Damot, in Hadya, in all (the places) where we have fought, have we not conquered through the power of God, killed (our enemies), and taken prisoner the survivors, great and small, including their rulers? Now be not afraid in face of the rebels; be not divided, for God is fighting for us. And if they come against you with the bow and spear, you (also) have the bow and spear. Have you not heard what these Moslem rebels who not Christ say against the anointed of God: “When the Christians kill us we become martyrs, and when we kill the Christians we gain paradise”? Thus do the rebel Moslems speak, who have no hope of salvation and are (yet) eager to die. Why then do you fear the rebels, you who know the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who are baptized in His name, and are sanctified by the Blood? For long you have made yourselves ready to fight for me; now be ready to fight for Christ, as it is said in the Book of Canons, “Slay the infidels and renegades with the sword of iron, and draw the sword on behalf of the perfect faith.” Gird on then your swords, make ready your hearts, and be not fearful in spirit, but be valiant and put your trust in God, as says the Book of Psalms in Psalm “ God have I put mv trust; I shall not fear what living man can do to me. God will help me and I shall see mine enemies. ”And again it says, “All peoples surround me, but in the name of God I have defeated them.” And speaking with indignation the king declared to his army, 'You have left your courage behind you, but (now) put it in front of you, and cast away fear from among you. As for me, I have sworn by the living God, the creator of heaven and earth, that whether there is rain or whether there is drought I will not return to my capital till I have destroyed the rebels through the power of Jesus Christ my Lord, the Son of God. And whether we die or whether we live, we are in (the care of) God. I have strengthened my heart in Christ….

Review

  1. 1. What does the quoting of Psalms reveal about the textual history of the Solomonids?

  2. 2. What reasons does Amda Seyon give to his army to justify fighting the Muslims? Are his reasons religious, political, or some combination of the two?

  3. 3. From this excerpt, what is the role of the king in the Solomonid state? How much power does he have and what is the nature of that power?

Back to top