Gondar's Envoys to Jerusalem and Europe

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Ethiopian emperors from Gondar sent diplomatic missions to Jerusalem, Rome, and European courts. This episode follows the journeys of envoys like the Armenian Yohannes T'ovmacean and the Ethiopian monk Abba Gorgoreyos, who traveled to the Vatican and the French court of Louis XIV. We explore the motives behind these missions: securing alliances against Ottoman and Muslim neighbors, seeking religious recognition, and acquiring books and artisans for Ethiopia's churches. The episode also delves into the cultural exchange that resulted, including European paintings in Ethiopian churches and the arrival of Portuguese and Italian craftsmen. We examine how these contacts reflected Ethiopia's sense of itself as a Christian kingdom surrounded by enemies, and how European powers like France and Portugal saw Ethiopia as a potential ally in the Red Sea. The episode ends with the fading of these ties in the 19th century, as colonial interests shifted. #Ethiopia #Gondar #Diplomacy #Jerusalem #Vatican #LouisXIV #YohannesTovmacean #AbbaGorgoreyos #RedSea #Christianity #EthiopianOrthodox #17thCentury #18thCentury #CulturalExchange #Fasilides #IyasuI #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo