Axum's Queen of the Desert: The Bahr Negash of the Red Sea Coast

In this episode of The Kingdom of Axum: Rome's Forgotten African Rival, Lucas and Luna explore the role of the Bahr Negash, the 'king of the sea' who ruled the Red Sea coast for the Axumite Empire. They discuss how this powerful governor managed trade from Adulis, collected tribute from the Beja nomads, and often acted as a kingmaker in Axumite politics. The episode focuses on the 16th-century Bahr Negash Yeshaq, who allied with the Portuguese against the Adal Sultanate, and later rebelled against the Ethiopian Emperor. Lucas explains how the Bahr Negash's control over the port of Massawa and the highland trade routes made him a crucial but sometimes dangerous figure. The conversation also touches on the earlier Bahr Negash under King Kaleb, and how the title evolved from a naval commander to a regional strongman. This is a deep dive into a often-overlooked piece of Axumite and Ethiopian history, revealing how coastal power shaped the Horn of Africa. #BahrNegash #AxumiteEmpire #EthiopianHistory #RedSea #Adulis #Massawa #KingYeshaq #PortugueseEmpire #AdalSultanate #CristovaoDaGama #Kaleb #Beja #HornOfAfrica #Tigray #MaritimeHistory #History #FexingoHistory #EastAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo