Islam and Christianity
"Two Women Smiling, Adama, Omo Valley, Ethiopia" Eric Lafforgue.
Axum had been shielded from the consequences of Arab Muslim expansion for a while. Emperor Constantine divided the world with his fellow Christian emperor at Axum. King Asham gave hospitality to companions of Mohammed, and Asham’s son and successor, Arma, was also kind towards Islam when Muslims came to offer condolences upon the death of Asham. Mohammad even excluded Axumites from the enemies of Islam. Asham was held to be a convert to Islam, but Christianity grew again from 800-950 AD. Axumite withdrawal from the North-East was a loss of maritime trade to Arab Muslims. Christianity retained its hold over the highland population. Christianity’s stronghold can be attributed to a blending of Old Testament stories with local legend.
Christian Axum was a powerful and prosperous kingdom until the rise of Islam in the 7th century. However, Axumites did remain friendly with Muslims for about a century. In the 8th century, Muslims destroyed the main port city of Adulis, closing off access to the Mediterranean Sea, and crippling trade with North Africa. This loss of networks led to the decline in the power of the kingdom, thus Amhara Ethiopians, who believed they were the descendants of King Solomon, took over.
Axum was only indirectly affected, as turmoil in the Byzantine Roman world affected Axum due to trade relationships. Axum then directed its attention to the South rather than the Red Sea for many generations.
The Christian state resumed expansion in 1150 after a period of a warrior queen of Kushitic Sidama of Damot rallied animists to block expansion, which had the Axumite dynasty overthrown by Agew commander of Iasta.
Animism: the doctrine that all natural objects and the universe itself have souls
Agew and Axumite had long intermarried and were devout Christians. For literary purposes and the liturgy, they, like all Ethiopian Christians, adopted Ge’ez as the spoken and written language. Clergy always kept monasteries alive and flourishing during these trying times.
Christian Axum was a powerful and prosperous kingdom until the rise of Islam in the 7th century. However, Axumites did remain friendly with Muslims for about a century. In the 8th century, Muslims destroyed the main port city of Adulis, closing off access to the Mediterranean Sea, and crippling trade with North Africa. This loss of networks led to the decline in the power of the kingdom, thus Amhara Ethiopians, who believed they were the descendants of King Solomon, took over.
Axum was only indirectly affected, as turmoil in the Byzantine Roman world affected Axum due to trade relationships. Axum then directed its attention to the South rather than the Red Sea for many generations.
The Christian state resumed expansion in 1150 after a period of a warrior queen of Kushitic Sidama of Damot rallied animists to block expansion, which had the Axumite dynasty overthrown by Agew commander of Iasta.
Animism: the doctrine that all natural objects and the universe itself have souls
Agew and Axumite had long intermarried and were devout Christians. For literary purposes and the liturgy, they, like all Ethiopian Christians, adopted Ge’ez as the spoken and written language. Clergy always kept monasteries alive and flourishing during these trying times.