Regnal lists of Ethiopia

These regnal lists were used to prove the longevity of the Ethiopian monarchy and to provide legitimacy for the Solomonic dynasty until its fall from power in 1974.Ethiopian traditions record a range of different monarchs from earlier times whose existence has not been verified by modern-day archeology.[5] Notable legendary Ethiopian monarchs include: Historian Manfred Kropp noted that numerous regnal lists exist that date back to the 13th century and these are reliable documents.Such lists were written for the purpose of proving the legitimacy of the ruling Solomonic emperors and had information drawn from chronicles held in monasteries.[7] Kropp believed that Ethiopian regnal lists were intended to fill in the gaps between major events, such as the meeting of Makeda and Solomon, the arrival of Frumentius and the beginning of the Zagwe dynasty.The great variation in names and order between regnal lists was likely because this process took place across several different monasteries and were also passed on orally.However, he felt that this was because any regnal lists or chronological works held in Axum were likely burned or destroyed before Yekuno Amlak ascended the throne in 1270.He felt that it was clear that the chronographers of Abyssinia from the 13th and 14th centuries "did not know how many kings had reigned over [their country] from the time of Makeda [...] or the exact order of succession".Budge theorized that while the regnal lists showed evidence that they were based on legend and tradition, some parts of the list suggested that the scribes did indeed "[have] access to chronological and historical documents of some kind", including Coptic and Arabic texts which were possibly brought over by monks fleeing Egypt and Nubia during the time of the Arab conquests.[8] Both Páez and de Almeida stated that the Ethiopian emperor lent them books from the church of Axum containing the regnal lists.[8] European travellers James Bruce, Henry Salt and Carlo Conti Rossini all published different regnal lists in Europe between the late 18th and early 20th centuries.According to Ethiopian tradition, an evil serpent named Arwe ruled Ethiopia before he was defeated by Angabo, ancestor of Menelik I.[28] However, a different tradition recorded by E. A. Wallis Budge instead claimed that "20 or 30 kings" descended from Arwe ruled in Tigray for 400 years.[43] E. A. Wallis Budge theorised that the existence of multiple king lists suggest that these represent rival claimants to the throne.Because of this, Henry Salt deliberately altered the placement of Abreha and Atsbeha on his list so that the thirteenth year of their joint reign would fall correctly on the date when Christianity was introduced to Ethiopia instead of contradicting this tradition.[47] Salt suggested that this change may have been caused by colony of Syrians who were placed by Alexander the Great near the mouth of the Red Sea according to an account written by Philostorgius.[47] An unpublished history of the kings of Axum states that a queen named "Ahiyewa" was the mother of Abreha and Atsbeha and she ruled for three years during the minority of her sons.[65] This confirms that the ruler named "Ahywa" who preceded Abreha and Atsbeha in this line of succession was a queen who ruled as regent during their minority.If Abreha and Atsbeha can be identified with the historical Ezana and Saizana, as Henry Salt did in his list,[59] then this suggests that "Ahywa" is another name for Sofya, wife of Ousanas.[99] Pedro Páez stated that the next three kings after Abreha and Atsbeha on his regnal list were brothers who reigned together and divided each day into three parts between themselves.Bruce believed the short reign of Ayzur followed by the accession of Dil Na'od as an infant, as well as an epidemic disease spreading around Axum, all aided Judith (Gudit) in her conquest and usurption of the throne.Rossini's "List G" includes these kings before Gebre Meskel instead: Asfā Sāhel, Asged, Mesēr, Ar'adu, Elā Adobā, Alāmēd, Tāzēnā and Kālēb.[119] Recorded in Carlo Conti Rossini's work Storia d'Etiopia,[116] Eduard Rüppell's Reise in Abyssinien[120] and René Basset's Études sur l'histoire d'Éthiopie.[124] Recorded in Eduard Rüppell's Reise in Abyssinien[120] and Carlo Conti Rossini's "La caduta della dinastia Zague" (p. 295).This regnal list first received attention in the Western world when it was published in Charles Fernand Rey's 1927 book In the Country of the Blue Nile after he had been given a copy by the Prince regent Tafari Makannon.