Religion and Power in the Horn of Africa (13th-17th Century)

Catalog description

The historical presence of the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) in the Horn of Africa (HOA) is well documented. However, the story of these religions in the HOA is also a story of political power. This course explores the relationship between political power and religion in the HOA from the medieval to the early-modern period, approximately the 13th to the 17th century. Some of the questions addressed in this course include: How was religion mobilized in claims of power? What role did religion have in conflict and diplomacy? How did religion influence the organization of HOA societies? and more. To answer these questions, we will examine a variety of oral and written sources translated from Ge’ez (Classical Ethiopic), Amharic, Arabic and have origins in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt and the entire Horn/Red Sea region.