Medieval Ge’ez land grants of Aṣe Waša Maryam church in Wägda (1344-1432)

Abstract

The old district of Wägda was situated on the frontiers of the ancient sultanate of Šäwa. It is said to be one of the core Christian settlement areas in Šäwa during the power struggle of King Y ekuno Amlak (r. 1270-1285) against the Zagwe king Yetbaräk. King Yekuno Amlak would have recruited soldiers from the Wägda Christian community to establish the Solomonic dynasty in 1270. Land grant documents from the present church of Aṣe Waša Maryam in Wägda demonstrate the early presence of medieval kings. Oral informants indicate that Aṣe Waša Maryam was established by King Säyfä Ar’ad (r. 1344-1380), when he installed his royal camp in this place. Three Ge’ez land grants mention lands chartered to the two churches of Maryam and Mika’el, and in memory of a dignitary called ras Baro during the reigns of King Säyfä Ar’ad, King Dawit (r. 1380-1412), and of the rarely referred to King Ḥezbä Nañ (r. 1430-1432). These land donations were probably documented successively during the reigns of the aforementioned kings. They witness the expansion of the Christian kings in Wägda that was dominated for centuries by the sultanate of Šäwa. This paper intends to present the Ge’ez land grant documents that were donated to different churches in Wägda during the reigns of Kings Säyfä Ar’ad, Dawit, and Ḥәzbä Nañ. It also introduces additional information on the political organization of a regional court of this period.