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The Goggam Chronicle (Fontes Historiae Africanae)

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Description

The Goggam Chronicle is a detailed regional history set within a framework of the traditional historical narrative of Ethiopia. Goggam, an ancient province bounded almost entirely by the Blue Nile, is without doubt one of the principal regions of the medieval Ethiopian polity.

The chronicler, Alaqa Takla Iyasus, was once a remarkable church painter and engraver. Even though he enjoyed the artistic favour and friendship of King Takla Haymanot he wrote the Chronicle without royal patronage or censorship. His unconventional views and commentaries, in addition to his take on some decisive events such as the battle of Embabo (1882), or religious controversies such as those between the followers of the Unction and Union doctrines are highly interesting. Of particular importance are the choice of poems inspired by dirge, martial boast and non secular devotion. As such the Chronicle was once and still is a goldmine for scholars of history, students of Amharic language, and early Amharic literature, and for those interested in the study of genealogy, church painting, migration, and settlement.

The Chronicle was once in the past known only to a handful of scholars (who used incomplete extant manuscripts kept by few private and institutional libraries). This new translation is in accordance with careful study of all of the manuscripts to produce an authoritative and coherent text, whilst omitting early mythical genealogical chapters and unfinished post-1901 material.

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