Page 12 - Issue17

issue 17
March 2020
11
ELITE
EGYPT IN THE ETHIOPIAN HERITAGE : A
STOCK OF HOLINESS AND DISTRUST

Geʽez language scholars believe contains a clear confusion between
mythological and historical material. Some of the texts formed from
Dahlia M. Saad El -Din
PhD Student in the History Department, Institute of African ancient Egyptian origin, the Old Testament and some Islamic sources,
Research and Studies, Cairo University. She has written, as well as the Apocrypha. The Kebra Negast, described how the Ark
presented and published a number of papers, as well as of the Covenant was brought to Ethiopia, and how Solomon seduced
the book "Ethiopia : Expansion and Establishment of the Sheba, Makeda; the Ethiopian queen who replaced what Jews and
State" Muslims have been widely believed; that the renowned Queen of
Sheba was actually an ancient Queen named Belkis, and ruled the
kingdom of ‘ Saba ’ , that has been an ancient kingdom located in the
southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, in what is today
Yemen.

The Lord willed that the Ethiopian queen "Makeda" visit King
"Solomon" in Jerusalem; she married him to give birth to him a son;
"Menelik I" who has grown up at mother's kingdom. So after a
while, "Menelik" visited his father the king "Solomon" to obtain his
father's blessed and to baptise him by the holy oil. Nevertheless
"Menelik" stole the "Ark of the Covenant" and kidnap twelve priests
of the judges' sons, in order to establish the earthly "David kingdom"
in Ethiopia. The legend recounts that the "Ark of the Covenant" has
been flying towards Egypt for crossing lands to reach Ethiopia
speedily (see Map 1).

As for another viewpoint of suspicion and trepidation, those have
Figure 1: 17th-century AD painting of "
been related by medieval events of religious persecution and its
Map 1: The geography of Menelik ’s
Makeda" the Queen of Sheba from a church
shadows on political matters; since such era was the Crusades! E.g.
route according to the Kebra Nagast
with Jerusalem in Palestine and Msr
in Lalibela, Ethiopia and now in the National by the thirteenth century small Islamic emirates had existed in
(translated to mean Egypt).
eastern of Ethiopian Highlands. As since Egypt has been controlling
Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa
world trade in addition to the Coptic Church of St. Mark was in
Egypt has been associated at Ethiopian Folk patrimony with two
Alexandria, as well Egypt was a confrontational state against the
contradictory viewpoints: one of which is holiness and gratitude, and the
Crusades. Thus, Egypt considered being as masters for those small
other is dominated by feelings of doubt and suspicion; which was related by
Islamic emirates; so they have controlled the trade routes into and
religious persecutions, and its dire social and economic effects resulting
from the Ethiopian highlands. Subsequently; Ethiopian kings of
from the wars that the Ethiopian society has been suffered from during
Zagwe dynasty (1137: 1270 AC) considers that Coptic Church has to
medieval era. An as long time ago; Egypt has been an origin of passion and
be an accomplice with the Arab governors who ruled Egypt. Or
sanctification of Ethiopian people; due to both Christianity and Islam have
perhaps such authority may have influenced and pressed the Church
entered Ethiopia from Egypt through Nubia's medieval kingdoms. The
to appoint Egyptian patriarchs to the Ethiopian Church they could
Ethiopian narrator found a very rich source of inspiration and prophecies
exert considerable influence on Christian Ethiopia, as it was the
in: "Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush will submit herself to God" (Psalm
Coptic Patriarchate of Alexandria who appointed the Bishop of the
68:31); that Ethiopian patrimony considered that the tow Christian Coptic
Ethiopian Church. Due to putting pressure on the Patriarch to ensure
monastics who have come from Egypt; the prodigies figures who saved the
that the interests of those Somali Islamic emirates merchants were
ancient Kingdom of Kush/ Aksum from the darkness of paganism. As well:
safeguarded in Ethiopia.
"Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were among

her allies" (Nahum 3:9), religious nationalists considered it a prophecy that
And according to Al-Maqrizi in his book Al Selouk L eme'refatt Dewall al-
announces the domination of the black man's rule in future, after eras that
Melouk (about Mamluk history in Egypt); vol. 2, 1997 : 495- 496; by 1321;
during the reign of Mamluk sultan, al-Nasir Muhamma d ibn Qalawun; his
white man has lasted ruled that world had been suffered during; to the
second reign (1299: 1309), has happened persecution of the Copts Christians
scourge of wars and the spread of famines. Also, considered as a prophecy
of Egypt, that demolished and burned many churches. In response, Amde
of strength Africa that its salvation by unity.On the other hand,
Siyon (1314: 1344 AC) increased the military campai gns against the Somali
emirates of the Horn of Africa.

as well as Egypt and its people have associated by the Holy Family's journey, as so
To talk about Egypt in Ethiopian folk patrimony; it may have
it linked to the myth of the transmission of the ch osen people into Ethiopian
endlessly. Whether it was a popular heritage in which the myth
instead of Israelis, as quite well the Lord's choic e of the founding the Solomonic
overlapped with the superstition in narrating the events of the
dynasty ruling Ethiopia by Divine will. According t o the Ethiopian holy book;
common history of both countries. Or an official history, some events
may be deliberately have been dropped! That both reality and future
"K ëbra Nagast/ the Glory of Kings", which is one of th e masterpieces and
indicate together to what has been modified or cancelled from the
magnificent Ethiopian popular literature.
historical episodes of these two levels of narration. In the history of
As scholars have differed in its formation's time, in between the sixth and
Deir es-Sultan" on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in
thirteenth centuries AD, however, most of the schol ars' opinions agreed to
the Holy Land, we have the most sincere evidence. However, its
approval that it has been written in the thirteenth century. reality reflects some visions of suspicion and mistrust towards Egypt
in the Ethiopian folklore on the popular level, which is used for
benefit of into the political field and level.

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