The purpose of this reading is essentially to establish a plausible story behind the claim that, “the Emperor of Ethiopia is the firstborn and eldest son of Solomon,” and the whole kingdom of the world (belonged) to the Emperor of Rom and the Emperor of Ethiopia” (16). This claim, albeit somewhat historically dubious, provides a strong basis for the establishment of a strong Ethiopian center for Christianity; a direct connection to a central figure of Christianity as well as a claim of historical power and possession creates a strong historical background for a group of individuals surrounded by other cultures and religions. Specifically, by establishing a lineage for the royalty of Ethiopia and linking this directly to King Solomon, the people of Ethiopia likely developed a stronger sense of meaning and solidarity.
This week’s prompt specifically asks us to identify how the Kebra Negast positions Ethiopia and creates value and status. In this passage, the Queen of Sheba (Ethiopia) meets with King Solomon and many remarks are made about her appreciation of his wisdom, beneficence, and eloquence (22, 24, etc.) Specifically, many references are made to King Solomon’s achievements, many of which are somewhat implausible; ships capable of flying through air and complete mastery of masonry, woodworking, and architecture- really? Even if these claims are somewhat inconceivable, they do show the presence of a “divine touch”, and this concept is nicely expressed by King Solomon himself when he notes that “this speech of mine springeth not from myself, but I give utterance only to what He maketh me to utter...He hath fashioned me in His own likeness and hath made me in His own image” (26). Although a direct reference to man’s creation by God is evidenced by these passages, it seems like King Solomon’s life has been particularly touched by God. However, for this influence to be spread to Ethiopia, a strong connection has to be made.
The most obvious way that the Kebra Negast accomplishes this is by establishing a lineage for the royalty of Ethiopia and connecting this to the decedents of King Solomon. The circumstances around the creation of the Queen of Sheba’s son, Menyelek, are fairly entertaining, although I’m not really sure if this aspect of the text was originally intended. Having a woman eat a lot of spicy food, tricking her into believing that she broke a promise so she can have a drink of water, and then having her release you from your promise not to “have your way with her”...and then having your way with her? Although King Solomon’s method of seduction was somewhat suspect, it certainly worked (as evidenced by Menyelek...the text specifically notes that the Queen of Sheba was a virgin). This son would grow up to be Emperor of Ethipia, and given his royal (and biblical) heritage, he would supposedly go on to do great things; as King Solomon noted earlier in the reading, “my children shall inherit the cities of the enemy, and shall destroy those who worship idols” (31). This connection is fundamental for establishing Ethiopia’s heritage and claim as a Christian center.
The Kebra Negast clearly draws connections between King Solomon and the royalty of Ethiopia, and this creates a strong sense of meaning and history for the Christian people of Ethiopia as a whole. Furthermore, many of the desirable traits of King Solomon seem to be present in Ethiopian royalty according to this text, as noted on pages 38-39. These traits, including most importantly the “divine touch” that I alluded to earlier, serve as a strong foundation for the legitimacy of both Ethiopia’s nobility and claims as a Christian center. By elaborating and reinterpreting a classical Christian story, the Christian people of Ethiopia have effectively constructed a strong national and religious identity for themselves.
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