Medieval Ethiopia was home to one of the longest-lasting dynasties in history—the Solomonic Dynasty, which ruled from 1270 CE all the way to 1974 CE. Some Ethiopians even believe its roots go back to 982 BCE when Menelek I became the first emperor. Over those 700 years, Ethiopia underwent major changes in trade, land, and culture that shaped the modern nation we see today. This dynasty brought together different ethnic groups to create a unified state with shared values and traditions. While historians are still piecing together how the Solomonic Dynasty actually started, we can pull together what we know to get a better picture of its beginnings.
Opposition to the Zagwe Dynasty
The Zagwe Dynasty was in charge from 900 CE to 1270 CE and had a pretty stable run until the 13th century when some opposition started to rise against the king. While we know a lot about their long reign, the end of the Zagwe Dynasty remains a bit of a puzzle for historians. The last emperor is known as Za-Ilmaknun, which means “the unknown” or “the hidden one,” because later records just wiped him from history. Some historians think this ruler might have been Yetbarak, the son of King Lalibela.
In the 1260s, a regional leader in Ethiopia called Yekuno Amlak from Shewe began to gather power against the last Zagwe king. He had the backing of various Ethiopian saints and some ministers who were related to him through his mom. There’s a story recorded by later monks that goes like this:
“Hey, let me ask you something,” said Abuna Takla Hâymãno to Yekuno Amlâk. “Who taught you the scriptures?” Yekuno replied, “I learned them at Arbogenā. Abuna Yohannes of the Hidden taught me and told me I would be the king of Ethiopia.”
These lines really show how much religious support Amlak had. His position as the leader of Shewe and his connections in influential religious circles made him a strong contender against the last Zagwe king.
The Battle of Ansata
The map above shows the Zagwe Kingdom and the Shewe Sultanate, which Amlak had control over. As Amlak grew in power and influence, he gathered enough troops and resources to launch a full-scale attack on the Zagwe Kingdom. Just like other successful usurpers, Amlak waited for the right moment when the current king was weak before making his move.
By 1270 CE, Amlak had built up enough support to challenge Yetbarek more aggressively. He teamed up with the Gafat, an ethnic group from Medieval Ethiopia, as well as allies from the Shewa sultanate. This backing gave Amlak an advantage against the last Zagwe king, who was already losing power as Amlak rose.
According to the tale of the Battle of Ansata, after defeating the Zagwe army, Amlak chased Yetbarek into the Church of Saint Qirqos at Ansata. There, Amlak killed Yetbarek and took the throne by force. While some historians see this as a factual event, there’s still a lot of debate about how Amlak managed to overthrow the Zagwe Dynasty. The Battle of Ansata might be one of those epic battles we know very little about. The erasure of Yetbarek—or whoever the last Zagwe King was—from history has obscured the real story of what went down.
In other accounts, the last King of Zagwe was Naakuto Laab, who was Yetbarek’s brother. He supposedly agreed to hand over power to Amlak peacefully after realizing that the fall of the Zagwe Dynasty was unavoidable.
The Legends of Yekuno Amlaks Ancestry
So, Yekuno Amlak managed to kick out the last Zagwe king, but he had to figure out a way to make his claim to the throne legit so he wouldn’t get booted himself. That’s when he came up with this whole origin story that would keep Ethiopians backing him for ages.
Even though Yekuno Amlak never actually said he was the successor of King Solomon, a bunch of records started treating it like it was true. The idea that Amlak was a direct male descendant of Solomon helped push the narrative that he was bringing back the Solomonic Kingdom by taking down the Zagwe Dynasty.
This supposed family tree of Amlak turned into a legend and played a huge role in the long-lasting success of the Solomonic Dynasty for over 700 years. Kind of like how the Arthurian legends shaped Medieval England, the tales about Amlak’s lineage inspired an entire culture.
The Kebra Nagast
The Kebra Nagast is the first text to lay out the family tree of the Solomonic rulers, and there are other stories that back it up. This lineage is a big part of Ethiopian pride, with the 1955 Ethiopian Constitution even claiming that the emperor comes straight from Menelik I, who was the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.
The Kebra Nagast tells Ethiopia’s national story, which many Ethiopian Christians hold as truth. Written over 700 years ago in Geez by Nebure Id Ishaq from Aksum, the main tale focuses on how the Queen of Sheba had a child with King Solomon — Menelek I. According to the story, the Queen visited Jerusalem during her reign, bringing gifts for Solomon, and they ended up having a child together. When she returned home, she gave birth to Menelek I, who eventually became the first emperor of Ethiopia. He kicked off the line of rulers from the House of Solomon, which lasted for thousands of years until the Zagwe Dynasty took over.
In Chapter 95 of the Kebra Nagast, it talks about the direct link from King Solomon through the Axumite Kingdom to the Solomonic Dynasty. The narrative suggests that the usurpers of the Zagwe Dynasty actually had a legitimate claim to the throne. So when Amlak took down the Zagwe Dynasty, he was just putting the throne back where it belonged.
The Kebra Nagast also highlights Ethiopia’s shift towards Christianity. It’s a source of pride for Ethiopians, who have been committed to Christianity and its teachings throughout their history, marking the moment when they embraced the Christian faith.
Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church played a big role in helping Yekuno Amlak gain power, thanks to his connections with key people in the church. However, during his time as ruler, his strong loyalty to the church caused some tension with foreign relations, particularly with nearby Muslim countries. His ambition to become an Abuna (bishop) only made things worse.
Amlak really made his mark on the church while he was in charge. Historians say he was behind the construction of the Church of Gennete Maryam, which is home to some of the oldest wall paintings in Ethiopia. Plus, his claimed lineage from King Solomon helped craft a narrative of Christian revival that supported the Solomonic Dynasty’s long reign.
After Amlak, the emperors who came next also leaned on Christianity to unite the diverse ethnic groups in Ethiopia, especially when expanding their territories. The respect and significance each emperor from the Solomonic Dynasty gave to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church showed just how central it was to Ethiopian society back then.
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Territorial Expansion
While Amalak was trying to build good vibes with his neighbors, Ethiopia was steadily losing land and people to different Muslim sultanates by the 13th century.
Fast forward to the 1310s, and Amda Seyon I kicked off a series of wars in all directions, taking over border areas and growing Christian Ethiopian territory. His wins against Ethiopia’s Muslim neighbors really solidified the power and stability of the new Solomonic Dynasty. Many later dubbed him the founder of the Ethiopian Empire because of his smart military moves in North Africa. He brought people together into one community that shared a language, religion, and economic success, creating a level of dominance in the region that hadn’t been seen before.
A bit over a century later, Emperor Zara Yaqob kept the Solomonic tradition of expanding territory alive. He pulled together the lands gained by earlier rulers like Amda Seyon I into a single state. He did this by building a bunch of churches and laying down laws about Ethiopian Christian practices. Yaqob recognized how much strength the Solomonic Dynasty got from its religious ties and used that to unify the territory under similar cultural values and, ultimately, the same leadership.
In the years that followed, Ethiopia saw ups and downs in territory under the Solomonic Dynasty, evolving from its medieval roots into the modern nation it is today.
The Development of the Solomonic Dynasty
Check out this pic of Haile Selassie from 1970! So, the Solomonic Dynasty really shaped Ethiopia in a bunch of ways throughout its long history. With different leaders at the helm, they changed up trade, religion, the economy, and culture, bringing together various regions and peoples into one nation.
This dynasty lasted for over 700 years but came to an end when the Derg kicked Haile Selassie out in the ’70s, turning Ethiopia into a dictatorship. Even though the Solomonic Dynasty is no more, the stories of its emperors and their heritage are still a big part of Ethiopia’s national identity.
