The Acts of Lalibäla: a Collection of Fables or an Underestimated Historical Source?
The deeds and exploits of St. Lalibäla who was the most famous king of the Ethiopian Zagwe dynasty are still awaiting to be published in full. To the modern researchers this important medieval text is available only in excerpts published by J. Perruchon in the 19th century. The author argues that La...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
[2019]
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| In: |
Scrinium
Year: 2019, Volume: 15, Issue: 1, Pages: 335-339 |
| IxTheo Classification: | CG Christianity and Politics KAE Church history 900-1300; high Middle Ages KBL Near East and North Africa KCD Hagiography; saints |
| Further subjects: | B
Zagwe; Lalibäla his Deeds
B authenticity of B canonized King; Ethiopia B dynasties B Hagiography B Ethiopian; Lalibäla B Kings; Ethiopia |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | The deeds and exploits of St. Lalibäla who was the most famous king of the Ethiopian Zagwe dynasty are still awaiting to be published in full. To the modern researchers this important medieval text is available only in excerpts published by J. Perruchon in the 19th century. The author argues that Lalibäla's Deeds is far from being an Ethiopian folklore. They comprise valuable authentic data, e.g. the persecution of Lalibäla at the royal court, his escape into the desert, his marriage, his subsequent becoming a king, the organization of his army, taxation policies and history of construction of the famous monolithic churches in the centre of Lasta. The author also argues that the title wäldä nägasi, which is mentioned in his Deeds as well as its parallel wld/ngšy-n found in Middle Sabaean inscriptions is a sufficient evidence in favour of the military and political continuity between the Aksumite and Zagwe epochs. The Lalibäla's Deeds comprise many minute details about the everyday life, which suggests that the Christians of Ethiopia had a centuries long oral tradition of preserving and transmitting historical information. |
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| ISSN: | 1817-7565 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Scrinium
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/18177565-00151P22 |