The Goggam Chronicle [Hardcover]

The Goggam Chronicleis a vital source for the history of church and state in Ethiopia. This English edition and translation addresses the needs of scholars, researchers, and all those interested in Ethiopian history, Amharic language and literature, and the Orthodox church.The Goggam Chronicleis 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 one of the principal regions of the medieval Ethiopian polity.

The chronicler, Alaqa Takla Iyasus, was a remarkable church painter and engraver. Although 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, as well as 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 collection of poems inspired by dirge, martial boast and religious devotion. As such the Chronicle was 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 previously known only to a handful of scholars (who used incomplete extant manuscripts kept by few private and institutional libraries). This new translation is based on careful study of all the manuscripts to produce an authoritative and coherent text, while omitting early mythical genealogical chapters and unfinished post-1901 material.The translation is based on a collated edition of the various manuscripts, therefore it is authoritativeDr Girma Getahunis an independent scholar and expert on Ethiopia. He is currently compiling an Amharic dictionary.