The Ethiopian Infante Who Died at Alcácer Quibir

In 1578, a young Ethiopian prince—an infante named Thomas—died fighting alongside King Sebastian of Portugal at the Battle of Alcácer Quibir in Morocco. How did a scion of the Solomonic dynasty end up in North Africa, commanding Portuguese troops? This episode follows Thomas's extraordinary journey: sent as a child hostage to Portugal, raised in the court of King Henry, trained as a military commander, and finally dispatched to join Sebastian's doomed crusade. We explore the Portuguese-Ethiopian alliance against the Ottoman-backed Adal Sultanate, the diplomatic missions of Francisco Álvares and João Bermudes, and the tangled web of hopes that sent Thomas to his death on the sands of Ksar El Kebir. Along the way, we uncover the story of Prester John, the mythical Christian king who haunted European imagination, and how Ethiopia's real kings used that legend to their advantage. The episode ends with a reflection on what might have been—if Thomas had survived, could he have brought Portuguese firepower to Ethiopia's war with Adal? And we touch on the modern legacy: the Ethiopian community in Portugal, the descendants of those who never came home. #Ethiopia #Portugal #BattleOfAlcacerQuibir #ThomasOfEthiopia #PresterJohn #SebastianOfPortugal #AdalSultanate #SahleSengel #FranciscoAlvares #JoaoBermudes #KsarElKebir #16thCentury #EthiopianEmpire #OttomanEmpire #HornOfAfrica #History #FexingoHistory #EastAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo