185:"He whom they made Ichee was also held to be a man of holy life, and he had been a Moor. As he was a great friend of mine, he told me all his life and said to me that when he was in his sect he heard a revelation, which said to him: 'You are not following the right path; go to the Abima Marcos, who is head of the priests of Ethiopia, and he will teach you another path'. Then he came to the Abima Marcos, and related to him what he had heard, and the Abima Marcos had made him a Christian, and had taught him, and considered him as a son; and therefore the took this monk who had been a Moor for governor of this monastery... . This man had so much affection for me that he used not to leave me and always went about with me. also mastered the Portuguese language, so we both understood one another very well."
311:'Ěnbāqom discusses the process of his own coverstion to Christianity, which began when he heard a passage from the Qur'an discussing Jesus in the divine plan. According to 'Ěnbāqom, many Muslims then held three false beliefs about Christianity: that God had a wife and a son; that Christians worship trees, stones, and images; and that Christians admit of three Gods.
314:
Two original arguments made by 'Ěnbāqom have been noted. First, that the Qur'an relies on only one language, Arabic, and the Judaic scriptures on Hebrew with some
Aramaic. The Christian Gospels, however, communicate effectively their spiritual message in many different languages. Second, the Qur'an
200:
Yet 'Ěnbāqom next entered a long period of turbulence. He was accused of disloyalty to the
Emperor Lebna Dengel, then tried and, in lieu of death, banished. A year later the Emperor forgave and recalled him, but he may not have returned as Abbot. Instead, he may have withdrawn further southeast to
293:('Ěnbāqom relied on his memory for many of these). The book is polemical, however, and was never popular. The arguments employed by Enbaqom "seem mostly drawn from the standard Arab Christian responses to Islam." For example: Jesus in the Qur'an has greater stature than many Muslims will admit.
224:
In 1532 the monastery at Debre
Libanos had been torched, enveloped in flames due to the forces of Ahmad Gran. 'Ěnbāqom in that year sent a letter in Arabic addressed to Ahmad Gran, writing that he should stop destroying churches and monasteries (whose libraries held the literary history of the
252:
returned 'Ěnbāqom to favor, making him his councilor in war. Perhaps too the learned 'Ěnbāqom influenced
Galawdewos when he wrote his well-known "Confession of Faith" which diplomatically presents a theological and liturgical response to the Catholic Church. The next Emperor
240:
Because of his unusual background, 'Ěnbāqom was better able to address
Christian Ethiopians about effective ways to understand and to resist Islam. From such a partisan point of view, he was in an "admirable position to meet their needs, and his presence was seen as
260:
Abba 'Ěnbāqom sought "to provide spiritual and intellectual leadership for the
Ethiopian Church, and to translate works and ideas from the rest of Christendom, thus bringing a richer theology from abroad and higher standards of clerical education... ." The
115:
father in Yemen. He was a devout Muslim in his youth up until he grew intensely involved in questioning his religious affiliation. Eventually, after much reading and discussion, he decided to convert and become a
Christian. His teacher Petros, then
322:
is an argumentative work, written in the midst of long-term and widespread chaos, destruction, and death. In it 'Ěnbāqom demonstrates familiarity with
Christian doctrine and prior Christian polemics, and also with Muslim religious literature.
189:Álvares says that the new Echage also knew how to write Latin in good style. This, of course, sounds like 'Ěnbāqom; yet Álvares gives his name as Jacob. Van Donzel, however, assures us that Enbaqom
181:. Later this priest visited 'Ěnbāqom at the monastery, teaching him Portuguese and Latin. Álvares reports that in 1520 he was at Dabra Libanos when the Emperor Libna Dengel installed a new Echage:
857:(Cambridge University for the Hakluyt Society 1961), two volumes. Here an 1881 English translation is revised, with commentary, and edited by C. F. Beckingham and G. W. B. Huntingford.
209:
which destabilized the region and threatened the continued existence of
Christian kingdom. During these decades of chaos and anarchy, 'Ěnbāqom kept on the move, relocating westward to
308:
night, when the Deity came here to earth, the night of his birth, when bands of angels filled the sky singing, "Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth!"
525:
E. J. Van Donzel at 20-21. Van Donzel also states that
Enbaqom was baptized not by Abuna Marqos (per Álvares) but by the former Echage Petros (as mentioned here above ).
99:, the second highest ecclesiastical office, as well as head of all Ethiopian monasteries, and was often regarded as the most influential person in the Ethiopian Church.
598:. In their defeat, with destruction and death about them for many years, Christians were likely to become confused and susceptible to conversion. Eventually, in 1541 a
304:
commemorates the first revelations of the Qur'an to Muhammad, when it is said that the angels and the Spirit will descend until dawn. For 'Ěnbāqom this refers to Noel,
457:
priest of Egypt, chosen by the Patriarch in Cairo and sent to Ethiopia as its Abuna or Metropolitan, becoming head of the Ethiopian Church. Taddesse Tamrat at 107-108.
982:
594:
J. Spencer Trimingham at 76-98 discusses these events and Ahmad Gran . Much of his early victories were due to the firearms and the soldiers supplied him by the
623:
E. J. Van Donzel at 9-12. Van Donzel gives 1543 as the end of Gran, saying that the subsequent Christian reconquest of lost lands met with little resistance.
139:
After further prayer and learning 'Ěnbāqom circa 1500 became a monk at Debre Libanos. By his study he acquired many languages, including: Arabic,
977:
962:
957:
315:
and the Judaic scriptures give prescriptions for war and the like. Christian scriptures do not, but are addressed to the welfare of the poor.
225:
people), and that he should stop killing priests and monks. Ahmad Gran evidently replied in effect that as a Muslim he respected the Jewish
972:
967:
262:
80:
614:
then being the Emperor. The Muslim threat would recede after 1542 when Ahmad Gran was killed in battle. Timingham at 77, 87-89.
879:
599:
174:
117:
96:
506:
The editorial notes to Álvares do not address the identity of "Jacob", the new Echage or Ichee (which Álvares translates as
551:
245:. While Ahmad did all he could to capture and execute him, 'Ěnbāqom moved from place to place comforting the faithful."
835:
in its alphabet and the French translation; Van Donzel's introduction and scholarly apparatus are at 1-164 and 265-302.
193:
this Jacob who Álvares describes in some detail. Accordingly at the death of Petros, 'Ěnbāqom had become the eleventh
143:, Coptic, Hebrew, Syriac, Armenian, Portuguese, and Italian. Throughout his clerical life he worked to translate into
390:
The Echage (or Etchegé or Ĕčägē) was "a position no other foreigner has held, before or since." David Buxton at 133.
992:
987:
257:
allowed the monk to become the Echage again at Debre Libanos. In a few years later 'Ěnbāqom would see his last.
695:
Richard Pankhurst. Pankhurst (perhaps following Van Donzel) dates his death to 1565, when over 90 years of age.
417:
The site at Debre Libanos (Däbrä Lībanos) was chosen and the monastery founded by the revered Ethiopian saint
585:
Contra: Getachew Haile, who writes that 'Ěnbāqom was the Echage at Debre Lebanos for "close to forty years".
170:
611:
508:
249:
152:
177:, i.e., the Abbot at the Debre Libanos monastery. While at court 'Ěnbāqom also met the Portuguese priest
197:
at Dabra Libanos, which was the second highest office in the Ethiopian Church (after the Coptic Abuna).
607:
233:, so he would not burn churches and would limit the killing to those who resist. 'Ěnbāqom book in Geez
842:(Roma e Napoli), at 13: 91-120 (1954); 14: 69-107 (1959). This is a translation from the Geez of the
289:. It is perhaps the only Ethiopian Church writing with so many quotations from and references to the
178:
156:
659:
Adrian Hastings at 145. Hastings dates the firing of Debre Libanos to 1540, and the letter to 1542.
539:
56:
285:, was an expansion and scholarly development of his 1532 letter in Arabic to the Muslim invader
205:. Then during the years 1526-1543 there came upon them very destructive raids led by the Muslim
479:
in 1515. Francisco Álvares, the editors' (Beckingham and Huntingford's) "Introduction" at 2-3.
254:
242:
136:; while the Hebrew name signifies "savant", the Ethiopian has the connotation of "professor".
34:
214:
46:
475:
Father Álvares had accompanied the Ethiopian ambassador Matewos when he returned home from
148:
886:, edited by Gerald H. Anderson (Grand Rapids, Michigan: W. B. Eerdman's Publishing 1998).
801:
E. J. Van Donzel at 35-39, 57-59. Yet Enbaqom is not without errors, e.g., at 162 , 255 .
668:
J. Spencer Trimingham at 90,n1 dates the book to circa 1550. Contra: Van Donzel at 38,n1.
838:
Lanfraco Ricci, "La Vite di Enbaqom e di Yohannes, Abbati di Dabra Libanos di Scioa" in
595:
418:
297:
173:, the chief ecclesiastic in Ethiopia. During this Emperor's reign 'Ěnbāqom became the
951:
121:
92:
831:(Leiden: E. J. Brill 1969). The text of Enbaqom is at 165-263, with facing pages of
829:Ěnbāqom, Anqaṣa Amin (La Porte de las Foi). Introduction, texte critique, traduction
516:) at the Debre Libanos monastery. Francisco Álvares. Cf. at I: 262-263 (Chapter 67).
603:
210:
163:
421:
in the 13th century. Däbrä Asbo was its original name. Taddesse Tamrat at 169-174.
896:
846:
of Enbaqom and of Yohannes, both Abbots at the Dabra Libanos monastery in Shewa.
202:
372:
Francisco Álvares at I: 262, note 2 by the editors Beckingham and Huntingford.
286:
206:
564:
305:
218:
722:
Enbaqom near the start of his book refers to Ahmad Gran using his title of
290:
133:
76:
301:
230:
147:, the language of the Ethiopian Church, many Christian writings, e.g.,
112:
476:
897:
Richard Pankurst, "Abba 'Enbaqom, Iman Ahmad Ibn Ibrahim, and the
296:'Ěnbāqom on occasion draws some interesting parallels. The Muslim
226:
167:
125:
88:
73:
832:
723:
454:
348:
282:
144:
140:
108:
860:
Galawdewos, "Confession of Faith" at 104-107 in J. M. Harden,
925:(Oxford University 1952); reprint: Frank Cass, London, 1965.
466:
Van Donzel at 21-22. Lebna Dengel reigned from 1508 to 1540.
851:
Verdadera Informaçam das terras do Preste Joam das Indias
853:(Lisbon: Luís Rodrigues 1540), edited and translated as
269:(corresponding to April 29) in the liturgical year.
534:E. J. Van Donzel at 19, quoting from the Ethiopian
217:, both regions located south of the Abbay River or
52:
40:
28:
21:
862:An Introduction to Ethiopic Christian Literature
820:(Cambridge 1928), 4 volumes; translation of the
771:E. J. Van Donzel at 90-91 , 189, 201, 227, 237 .
779:
777:
120:or Abbot of the leading Ethiopian monastery at
818:The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian Church
884:Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions
563:Banished to Gunei, probably located south of
497:Francisco Álvares at I: 262-263 (Chapter 67).
8:
440:
438:
436:
918:(Oxford University: Clarendon Press 1972).
347:E. J. Donzel at 17-28, who references the
18:
363:E. J. Donzel at 29-43 (see Bibliography).
944:(Metuchen NJ: The Scarecrow Press 1981).
381:Chris Prouty and Eugene Rosenfeld at 53.
159:. For his writings he won wide respect.
331:
237:grew out of this letter to Ahmad Gran.
983:Ethiopian Oriental Orthodox Christians
916:Church and State in Ethiopia 1270-1527
907:, November 25, 2003, reprinted by the
686:Galawdewos in J. M. Harden at 104-107.
201:Warab by the headwaters of the river
128:, baptized him, giving him the name '
7:
166:, 'Ěnbāqom become the friend of the
940:Chris Prouty and Eugene Rosenfeld,
265:celebrates his life on the 21st of
68:(c.1470 – c.1565) born Ab'ul-
753:E. J. Van Donzel at 73 , 187-188 .
453:The Abuna then by tradition was a
81:Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
14:
942:Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia
874:Storia della letteratura etiopica
726:. E. J. Van Donzel at 169, 171 .
677:Adrian Hastings at 143-145, 147.
610:landed and evened up the fight,
83:, translator, and author of the
893:(Oxford University Press 1994).
891:The Church in Africa, 1450-1950
107:'Ěnbāqom was born c. 1470 to a
855:The Prester John of the Indies
762:E. J. Van Donzel at 183, 185 .
399:Lanfraco Ricci at 13: 102-103.
354:of Enbaqom per Lanfraco Ricci.
155:, and the story from India of
1:
978:Ethiopian Orthodox Christians
963:16th-century Ethiopian people
958:15th-century Ethiopian people
792:E. J. Van Donzel at 148-151.
735:Cf., E. J. Van Donzel at 60.
338:Gädlä Énba-qom, Ricci 1954ff
162:At the court of the Emperor
91:at the leading monastery of
744:Adrian Hastings at 145-146.
1009:
973:16th-century Yemeni people
968:15th-century Yemeni people
937:(New York: Praeger, 1970).
840:Ressagna di Studi Etiopici
567:. Map in Van Donzel at xx.
79:, religious leader of the
880:Getachew Haile, "Enbaqom"
864:(London: S.P.C.K. 1926).
132:, the Ethiopian form of
16:Ethiopian Orthodox abbot
921:J. Spencer Trimingham,
783:Adrian Hastings at 146.
713:E. J. Van Donzel at 29.
704:Adrian Hastings at 147.
650:E. J. Van Donzel at 36.
641:E. J. Van Donzel at 23.
576:E. J. Van Donzel at 23.
488:Adrian Hastings at 145.
430:E. J. Van Donzel at 21.
408:E. J. Van Donzel at 17.
187:
153:Epistle to the Hebrews
606:under the command of
183:
151:'s Commentary on the
899:Conquest of Ethiopia
816:E. A. Wallis Budge,
157:Barlaam and Josaphat
868:SECONDARY SOURCES:
849:Francisco Álvares,
827:E. J. Van Donzel, '
929:TERTIARY SOURCES:
909:Awdal News Network
632:Richard Pankhurst.
608:Christovão da Gama
540:E. A. Wallis Budge
229:and the Christian
57:Oriental Orthodoxy
993:Ethiopian writers
923:Islam in Ethiopia
914:Taddesse Tamrat,
889:Adrian Hastings,
812:PRIMARY SOURCES:
552:Richard Pankhurst
179:Francisco Álvares
62:
61:
1000:
988:Ethiopian saints
872:Enrico Cerulli,
802:
799:
793:
790:
784:
781:
772:
769:
763:
760:
754:
751:
745:
742:
736:
733:
727:
720:
714:
711:
705:
702:
696:
693:
687:
684:
678:
675:
669:
666:
660:
657:
651:
648:
642:
639:
633:
630:
624:
621:
615:
592:
586:
583:
577:
574:
568:
561:
555:
549:
543:
532:
526:
523:
517:
504:
498:
495:
489:
486:
480:
473:
467:
464:
458:
451:
445:
442:
431:
428:
422:
415:
409:
406:
400:
397:
391:
388:
382:
379:
373:
370:
364:
361:
355:
345:
339:
336:
263:Ethiopian Church
248:The new Emperor
19:
1008:
1007:
1003:
1002:
1001:
999:
998:
997:
948:
947:
935:The Abyssinians
810:
805:
800:
796:
791:
787:
782:
775:
770:
766:
761:
757:
752:
748:
743:
739:
734:
730:
721:
717:
712:
708:
703:
699:
694:
690:
685:
681:
676:
672:
667:
663:
658:
654:
649:
645:
640:
636:
631:
627:
622:
618:
593:
589:
584:
580:
575:
571:
562:
558:
550:
546:
533:
529:
524:
520:
505:
501:
496:
492:
487:
483:
474:
470:
465:
461:
452:
448:
444:Getachew Haile.
443:
434:
429:
425:
416:
412:
407:
403:
398:
394:
389:
385:
380:
376:
371:
367:
362:
358:
346:
342:
337:
333:
329:
275:
149:John Chrysostom
105:
53:Honored in
45:
33:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1006:
1004:
996:
995:
990:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
950:
949:
946:
945:
938:
933:David Buxton,
927:
926:
919:
912:
905:Addis Triburne
894:
887:
877:
866:
865:
858:
847:
836:
825:
809:
806:
804:
803:
794:
785:
773:
764:
755:
746:
737:
728:
715:
706:
697:
688:
679:
670:
661:
652:
643:
634:
625:
616:
587:
578:
569:
556:
544:
527:
518:
499:
490:
481:
468:
459:
446:
432:
423:
419:Tekle Haymanot
410:
401:
392:
383:
374:
365:
356:
340:
330:
328:
325:
298:Laylat al-Qadr
274:
271:
104:
103:Life and views
101:
95:he became the
60:
59:
54:
50:
49:
42:
38:
37:
30:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1005:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
955:
953:
943:
939:
936:
932:
931:
930:
924:
920:
917:
913:
910:
906:
902:
900:
895:
892:
888:
885:
881:
878:
876:(Milan 1956).
875:
871:
870:
869:
863:
859:
856:
852:
848:
845:
841:
837:
834:
830:
826:
823:
819:
815:
814:
813:
807:
798:
795:
789:
786:
780:
778:
774:
768:
765:
759:
756:
750:
747:
741:
738:
732:
729:
725:
719:
716:
710:
707:
701:
698:
692:
689:
683:
680:
674:
671:
665:
662:
656:
653:
647:
644:
638:
635:
629:
626:
620:
617:
613:
609:
605:
602:force of 400
601:
597:
591:
588:
582:
579:
573:
570:
566:
560:
557:
553:
548:
545:
541:
537:
531:
528:
522:
519:
515:
511:
510:
503:
500:
494:
491:
485:
482:
478:
472:
469:
463:
460:
456:
450:
447:
441:
439:
437:
433:
427:
424:
420:
414:
411:
405:
402:
396:
393:
387:
384:
378:
375:
369:
366:
360:
357:
353:
350:
344:
341:
335:
332:
326:
324:
321:
316:
312:
309:
307:
303:
299:
294:
292:
288:
284:
281:, written in
280:
272:
270:
268:
264:
258:
256:
251:
246:
244:
238:
236:
232:
228:
222:
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
198:
196:
192:
186:
182:
180:
176:
172:
169:
165:
160:
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
137:
135:
131:
127:
123:
122:Debre Libanos
119:
114:
110:
102:
100:
98:
94:
93:Debre Libanos
90:
86:
82:
78:
75:
71:
67:
58:
55:
51:
48:
43:
39:
36:
31:
27:
20:
941:
934:
928:
922:
915:
908:
904:
898:
890:
883:
873:
867:
861:
854:
850:
843:
839:
828:
821:
817:
811:
808:Bibliography
797:
788:
767:
758:
749:
740:
731:
718:
709:
700:
691:
682:
673:
664:
655:
646:
637:
628:
619:
604:arquebusiers
590:
581:
572:
559:
547:
542:at III: 818.
535:
530:
521:
513:
507:
502:
493:
484:
471:
462:
449:
426:
413:
404:
395:
386:
377:
368:
359:
351:
343:
334:
319:
317:
313:
310:
295:
278:
276:
266:
259:
247:
243:providential
239:
234:
223:
199:
194:
190:
188:
184:
164:Lebna Dengel
161:
138:
129:
106:
84:
69:
65:
63:
320:Anqasa Amin
279:Anqasa Amin
273:Anqaṣa Amin
235:Anqasa Amin
111:mother and
85:Anqaṣa Amin
952:Categories
612:Galawdewos
600:Portuguese
287:Ahmad Gran
250:Galawdewos
207:Ahmad Gran
822:Synaxaire
565:Lake Tana
536:Synaxaire
306:Christmas
277:His book
219:Blue Nile
596:Ottomans
213:then to
134:Habakkuk
77:polyglot
47:Ethiopia
903:in the
538:; cf.,
302:Ramadan
300:during
267:miyazya
231:Gospels
130:Ěnbāqom
66:Ěnbāqom
32:c. 1470
23:Enbaqom
477:Lisbon
455:Coptic
291:Qur'an
215:Bizamo
195:Echage
175:Echage
171:Marqos
118:Echage
113:Muslim
109:Jewish
97:Echage
74:Yemeni
72:was a
64:Abba '
514:abbot
509:prior
327:Notes
255:Menas
227:Torah
211:Gafat
203:Awash
168:Abuna
126:Shewa
89:Abbot
87:. As
35:Yemen
844:Gadl
833:Geez
724:Imam
352:Gadl
349:Geez
318:The
283:Geez
145:Geez
141:Geez
70:Fath
44:1565
41:Died
29:Born
882:in
512:or
124:in
954::
776:^
435:^
221:.
191:is
911:.
901:"
824:.
554:.
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