King Susenyos: Ethiopia's Catholic Emperor

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the remarkable and controversial reign of Emperor Susenyos (r. 1606–1632), who converted Ethiopia to Catholicism and allied with the Portuguese—only to see his empire torn apart by religious war. We dive into Susenyos's rise from exile to power, the role of Jesuit missionaries like Pedro Páez, the theological debates between Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity and Roman Catholicism, and the brutal rebellions that ultimately forced Susenyos to abdicate. Along the way, we visit the castle of Susenyos at Dänqäz, the stone church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar, and the historical crossroads where Ethiopia nearly became a Catholic nation. This episode sheds light on a pivotal but often overlooked chapter of Ethiopian history, revealing how Susenyos's reign shaped the country's religious identity for centuries to come. #Ethiopia #Susenyos #EthiopianHistory #Jesuits #PedroPEz #Catholicism #TewahedoOrthodox #DNqZ #DebreBerhanSelassie #Gondar #PortugueseInEthiopia #Fasilides #ReligiousConflict #Abdication #17thCentury #History #FexingoHistory #AfricanEmpires #AksumiteEmpire #Lalibela Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo