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  • Qedamawi Haile Selassie: Ethiopia's Modernizing Emperor

    Qedamawi Haile Selassie: Ethiopia's Modernizing Emperor
    2026/06/15
    This episode explores the reign of Haile Selassie I, Ethiopia's last emperor, from his regency as Ras Tafari Makonnen through his exile during the Italian occupation and his return to power. We discuss his efforts to modernize Ethiopia, including the 1931 constitution, abolition of slavery, and his role in founding the Organization of African Unity. We also examine the controversial aspects of his rule, such as the 1960 coup attempt and the 1973 famine that led to his downfall. Key figures include Empress Menen Asfaw, Prime Minister Aklilu Habte-Wold, and the Derg leader Mengistu Haile Mariam. We touch on the Battle of Adwa's legacy in shaping Selassie's nationalism and the famous 'Selassie's Address to the League of Nations' in 1936. The episode ends with his death in 1975 and the legacy of the Solomonic dynasty. #HaileSelassie #Ethiopia #RasTafari #LeagueOfNations #ItalianOccupation #Adwa #SolomonicDynasty #Modernization #Constitution #AbolitionOfSlavery #OAU #Mengistu #Derg #1960Coup #1973Famine #EastAfrica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    6 分
  • Ethiopia's Zara Yaqob: The Emperor Who Banned Demons

    Ethiopia's Zara Yaqob: The Emperor Who Banned Demons
    2026/06/15
    Emperor Zara Yaqob ruled Ethiopia in the 15th century, a period of religious reform and authoritarian control. He centralized the Orthodox Church, burned pagan shrines, and instituted a vast network of spies. But he also promoted literacy, commissioned theological works in Ge'ez, and attempted to end internal strife. This episode explores his reign—how he used religion to unify his empire, the controversial 'dinner and sleep edicts' that regulated daily life, and his legacy as both a reformer and a tyrant. We discuss the Mashafa Berhan (Book of Light), his persecution of the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews), and the brutal punishments he meted out for perceived heresy. Was Zara Yaqob a visionary who preserved Ethiopian independence or a paranoid despot? The conversation examines the tension between his cultural achievements and his repressive policies. #ZaraYaqob #EthiopianHistory #Tewahedo #MashafaBerhan #DebreBerhan #BetaIsrael #Ge'ez #SolomonicDynasty #15thCentury #ReligiousReform #OrthodoxChurch #AksumiteLegacy #EastAfrica #Emperor #History #FexingoHistory #EthiopianEmpire #Reformation Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    9 分
  • Emperor Iyasu the Great: Gondar's Forgotten Reformer

    Emperor Iyasu the Great: Gondar's Forgotten Reformer
    2026/06/14
    After a century of Gondarine prosperity, Emperor Iyasu the Great (Iyasu I) ascended the throne in 1682 and attempted to reform Ethiopia's church, military, and court. This episode explores his early campaigns against the Oromo, his controversial church councils that sought to limit monastic land and curb what he saw as doctrinal drift, his building projects in Gondar including the Qusquam complex, and the tragic mystery of his abdication and murder. We also discuss his famous letter to the Coptic Pope in Cairo demanding a new abun, his patronage of Ge'ez scholarship, and the shadowy politics of the Oromo warlords who would later dominate the Zemene Mesafent. Lucas and Luna dig into why Iyasu is remembered both as a saint and a tyrant—and why his reforms ultimately failed. #IyasuI #Gondar #EthiopianEmpire #Tewahedo #Ge'ez #ZemeneMesafent #Oromo #Qusquam #Abun #CopticChurch #Gondarine #History #FexingoHistory #EastAfrica #ReligiousReform #Monasticism #Emperor #17thCentury Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 分
  • Lalibela's Hidden Chambers: The Zagwe King Who Carved Heaven Into Stone

    Lalibela's Hidden Chambers: The Zagwe King Who Carved Heaven Into Stone
    2026/06/14
    Emperor Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty didn't just commission eleven rock-hewn churches in the 12th century — he orchestrated a spiritual and architectural revolution that turned the remote highlands of Lasta into a New Jerusalem. This episode follows the king's vision from the intricate cruciform of Bete Giyorgis to the subterranean galleries of Bete Medhane Alem, exploring the logistical miracle of carving entire cathedrals from solid volcanic tuff. We discuss how Lalibela's reign unified the Christian kingdom after the decline of Aksum, the debated role of Templar or Aksumite architectural influences, and the living tradition of priests who still serve the tabots in these caves. We also touch on the Zagwe's complex legacy — labeled usurpers by Solomonic propaganda yet creators of Ethiopia's most iconic sacred site. For anyone coming with us through these conversations about East Africa, this is the story of a king who believed faith could move mountains, one chisel stroke at a time. #Lalibela #ZagweDynasty #EthiopianHistory #RockHewnChurches #BeteGiyorgis #BeteMedhaneAleem #LastaRegion #NewJerusalem #MedievalArchitecture #Tewahedo #AksumiteLegacy #EastAfrica #History #FexingoHistory #Christianity #12thCentury #Roha #SacredArchitecture Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    6 分
  • Emperor Zara Yaqob and the Ethiopian Orthodox Reformation

    Emperor Zara Yaqob and the Ethiopian Orthodox Reformation
    2026/06/13
    Long before the religious upheavals of Europe, Emperor Zara Yaqob (r. 1434-1468) transformed Ethiopia through a sweeping religious reformation. This episode explores how this Solomonic ruler centralized the Tewahedo Church, enforced strict orthodoxy, and used the power of the Ark of the Covenant to unify a fractured kingdom. We delve into his controversial campaigns against pagan practices, his construction of Debre Berhan church after a miraculous light, and his brutal suppression of the Betä Ǝsraʾel (Ethiopian Jews) who resisted conversion. Zara Yaqob also compiled the Mashafa Berhan (Book of Light) and the Mashafa Milad (Book of the Nativity), theological texts that shaped Ethiopian Christianity for centuries. Yet his reign was marked by paranoia and harsh punishments, including the execution of his own wife and children on suspicion of witchcraft. Join Lucas and Luna as they unravel the legacy of a king who sought to make Ethiopia a pure Christian kingdom, leaving a complex imprint on faith, art, and identity. #ZaraYaqob #EthiopianOrthodox #Tewahedo #DebreBerhan #MashafaBerhan #MashafaMilad #BetäƎsraʾel #ArkOfTheCovenant #SolomonicDynasty #EthiopianHistory #FexingoHistory #EastAfrica #15thCentury #ReligiousReformation #Ge'ez #Aksum #Lalibela #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    5 分
  • Zagwe Dynasty: Ethiopia's Rock-Hewn Church Legacy

    Zagwe Dynasty: Ethiopia's Rock-Hewn Church Legacy
    2026/06/13
    Before the Solomonic dynasty proclaimed its descent from Menelik I, the Zagwe rulers of Lasta built Ethiopia's most astonishing architectural marvels: the eleven rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Zagwe dynasty's origins among the Agaw people, their capital at Roha (later renamed Lalibela), and how King Lalibela commissioned a 'New Jerusalem' carved from solid volcanic tuff. They discuss the political and spiritual motivations behind the churches, the engineering techniques used to excavate them from the ground down, and the legends of angelic assistance and divine speed. The conversation also touches on the rivalry with the Solomonic claimants, the role of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and why the Zagwe—despite being dismissed as usurpers—left a legacy that rivals Aksum's. Specific names include: Zagwe, Lalibela, Agaw, Lasta, Roha, Tewahedo, St. George (Bete Giyorgis), St. Mary (Bete Maryam), and the Ark of the Covenant (tabot). #Zagwe #Lalibela #RockHewnChurches #Ethiopia #Agaw #Lasta #Tewahedo #BeteGiyorgis #BeteMaryam #Roha #MedievalArchitecture #Christianity #ArkOfTheCovenant #Tabot #EthiopianHistory #History #FexingoHistory #EastAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 分
  • The Siege of Magdala: British Empire vs Tewodros II

    The Siege of Magdala: British Empire vs Tewodros II
    2026/06/12
    In 1868, a British expeditionary force of 12,000 soldiers marched into the Ethiopian highlands, confronting Emperor Tewodros II at his mountain fortress of Magdala. This episode unpacks the diplomatic crisis triggered by Tewodros's imprisonment of British envoys, the Anglo-Ethiopian War that followed, and the dramatic siege that ended with the emperor's suicide and the looting of his treasury. We explore Tewodros's complex character—the modernizer who alienated his nobles, the devout Christian who demanded respect from Europe, and the tragic figure who chose death over capture. Learn about the Napier Expedition, the role of Queen Victoria's government, and how this brief but violent encounter shaped Ethiopian attitudes toward European powers. We also discuss the cultural artifacts taken from Magdala, some of which remain in British museums today, and the legacy of Tewodros's reforms in paving the way for Menelik II. A story of pride, miscalculation, and the collision of worlds. #History #FexingoHistory #Ethiopia #TewodrosII #Magdala #BritishEmpire #NapierExpedition #Siege #19thCentury #EastAfrica #Colonialism #EthiopianEmpire #QueenVictoria #RobertNapier #Maqdala #Tewabech #KassaHailu #Africa Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    9 分