About the book
From the 14th century onward, political and religious motives led Ethiopian travelers to Mediterranean Europe. For two centuries, their ancient Christian heritage and the myth of a fabled eastern king named Prester John allowed the Ethiopians to engage the continent's secular and religious elites as peers. Meanwhile, back home the Ethiopian nobility came to welcome European visitors and at times even co-opted them by arranging mixed marriages and bestowing land rights. The protagonists of this encounter sought and discovered each other in royal palaces, monasteries, and markets throughout the Mediterranean basin, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean littoral, from Lisbon to Jerusalem and from Venice to Goa. Matteo Salvadore's narrative takes the reader on a voyage of reciprocal discovery that climaxed with the Portuguese intervention on the side of the Christian monarchy in the Ethiopian-Adali War. Thereafter, the arrival of the Jesuits at the Horn of Africa turned the mutually beneficial Ethiopian-European encounter into a bitter confrontation over the souls of Ethiopian Christians.
Editions of The African Prester John and the Birth of Ethiopian-European Relations, 1402-1555
- EBook
- ISBN 9781317045458
- PDF
- ISBN 9781317045465
Read an Excerpt
From the 14th century onward, political and religious motives led Ethiopian travelers to Mediterranean Europe. For two centuries, their ancient Christian heritage and the myth of a fabled eastern king named Prester John allowed the Ethiopians to engage the continent's secular and religious elites as peers. Meanwhile, back home the Ethiopian nobility came to welcome European visitors and at times even co-opted them by arranging mixed marriages and bestowing land rights. The protagonists of this encounter sought and discovered each other in royal palaces, monasteries, and markets throughout the Mediterranean basin, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean littoral, from Lisbon to Jerusalem and from Venice to Goa. Matteo Salvadore's narrative takes the reader on a voyage of reciprocal discovery that climaxed with the Portuguese intervention on the side of the Christian monarchy in the Ethiopian-Adali War. Thereafter, the arrival of the Jesuits at the Horn of Africa turned the mutually beneficial Ethiopian-European encounter into a bitter confrontation over the souls of Ethiopian Christians.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The African Prester John and the Birth of Ethiopian-European Relations, 1402-1555 about?
From the 14th century onward, political and religious motives led Ethiopian travelers to Mediterranean Europe. For two centuries, their ancient Christian heritage and the myth of a fabled eastern king named Prester John allowed the Ethiopians to engage the continent's secular and religious elites as peers. Meanwhile, back home the Ethiopian nobility came to welcome European visitors and at times even co-opted them by arranging mixed marriages and bestowing land rights. The protagonists of this encounter sought and discovered each other in royal palaces, monasteries, and markets throughout the Mediterranean basin, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean littoral, from Lisbon to Jerusalem and from Venice to Goa. Matteo Salvadore's narrative takes the reader on a voyage of reciprocal discovery that climaxed with the Portuguese intervention on the side of the Christian monarchy in the Ethiopian-Adali War. Thereafter, the arrival of the Jesuits at the Horn of Africa turned the mutually beneficial Ethiopian-European encounter into a bitter confrontation over the souls of Ethiopian Christians.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The African Prester John and the Birth of Ethiopian-European Relations, 1402-1555?
History and Archaeology > History
Where can I read a sample of The African Prester John and the Birth of Ethiopian-European Relations, 1402-1555?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781317045458
Is The African Prester John and the Birth of Ethiopian-European Relations, 1402-1555 part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Transculturalisms, 1400-1700
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The African Prester John and the Birth of Ethiopian-European Relations, 1402-1555?
Matteo Salvadore
Who is the Publisher of the book The African Prester John and the Birth of Ethiopian-European Relations, 1402-1555?
Taylor and Francis
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The African Prester John and the Birth of Ethiopian-European Relations, 1402-1555 is available as ebook(ISBN 9781317045458) and pdf(ISBN 9781317045465)