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Zagwe polity       Search catalogue 294945326

APP
2002-02-12

INP
2002-02-12

STA
Approved

UPD
2012-07-20

DUT
Zagwe polity

IND
1

MIS
HR. Some time between the 10th and mid-12th century, depending on the source, a new dynasty known as the Zagwe succeeded the Aksum emperors. Its capital was at a place called Adafa, not far from the present town of Lalibela. The Zagwe period is one of the most obscure and poorly documented in Ethiopian history, for it left remarkably few written records. Moreover, no known foreign traveller described the country at this time. Subsequent writings on the Zagwe tend to be hostile, for their successors chose to view them as usurpers. Three members of the dynasty, however - Yemrahana Krestos, Lalibela, and Na'akweto La'ab - were renowned as church-builders and were canonized by the Ethiopian Church. Despite the charge that they had usurped power from the rightful Aksumite rulers, the Zagwe certainly continued Aksumite Christian traditions, then well over half a millennium old. The Aksumite dynasty returned with the 'Solomonic Restoration' in 1270.

PPN
294945326

UDC
340.141.1Zagwe

SN
between 10th and mid-12th century-1270.

MRF
321Zagwe

BT1
Ethiopian polities

UF
Zagwe Kingdom

BSO
09.01.02 NAMED POLITIES

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