The Diversion of Abbay/ Nile by Ethiopian Emperors: Claims and Disclaims
Abstract
After Egypt occupied by the Arabs in 641, the relationship between Christian Ethiopia and Muslim Egypt was quarrelsome. Successive Muslim leaders of Egypt continue to convert Christians forcefully and this kind of maltreatment against Copts worsens the relationship between the two countries. In retaliation, Ethiopian Emperors took different measures against Muslim leaders. Sometimes they have invaded Upper Egypt and at another time diverted the course of Abbay so as to compel Egyptian Sultans with their request. Accordingly, Egyptians had been encountered a terrible famine because of the diversion of Abbay, to mention some, from 963 to 969, 1066 to 1072 and, 1199 to 1202. Regrettably, however, the ability of Ethiopian Emperors to divert the course of Abbay in order to stop the persecution of Copts considered as a myth. This paper attempted to examine medieval sources of Egypt and Ethiopia and offers substantial evidence as Abbay was diverted by Ethiopian Emperors.
References
Abba Gorgoryos. Yä Ityopia Orthodox Bétä Kristian Tarik. Addis Ababa: Tensae Zägubae Printing Press, 1993.
Bairu Tafla. “The Father of Rivers: The Nile in Ethiopian Literature,†in Haggai Erlich & Israel Gershoni (eds.), The Nile: Histories, Cultures, Myths. Boulder &London: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc. 2000.
Bianquis, T. “Autonomous Egypt from Ibn Tulun to Kafur, 868-969,†in Carl F. Petry(ed.), The Cambridge History of Egypt: Islamic Egypt,640-1517. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Vol. 1, 2008.
Blundell (ed.), Weld. The Royal Chronicles of Abyssinia, 1769-1840. London: Cambridge University Press, 1922.
Brook, M. E. Prester John: Re-examination and Compendium of the Mythical Figure who helped Spark European Expansion. Unpublished Ph.D Dissertation, The University of Toledo, 2009.
Bruce, J. Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, in the Years, 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773. London: Gregg International Publishers Ltd, Vol. 2, 1972.
Budge, E.A. Wallis. A History of Ethiopia, Nubia and Abyssinia. Oosterhout N.B.-The Netherlands: Anthropological Publications, Vol. 1, 1970.
Budge, E.A. Wallis. A. Synaxarium: The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Garland, USA: The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Debre Meheret Church, N.d.
Butcher, E. L. The Story of the Church of Egypt: Being an Outline of the History of the Egyptians under Their Successive Masters from the Roman Conquest until Now, in Two Volumes. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1897.
Chamberlain, M. “Crusader Era and the Ayyubid Dynasty,†in Carl F. Petry(ed.), The Cambridge History of Egypt: Islamic Egypt, 640-1517. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Vol.1, 2008.
Conway, D. “The Climate and Hydrology of the Upper Blue Nile River.†Geographical Journal, Vol. 166, No. 1, 2000, 49-62.
Donzel, E. V. “The Legend of the Blue Nile in Europe,†in Haggai Erlich & Israel Gershoni(eds.), The Nile: Histories, Cultures, Myths. Boulder & London: Rynne Rienner Publishers, Inc. 2000.
El-Masri, I. H. The Story of the Copts: The True Story of Christianity in Egypt, with Three Books. Newbery Springs: St. Anthony Coptic Orthodox Monastery, 1982.
Erlich, H. The Cross and the River: Ethiopia, Egypt and the Nile. Boulder & London: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc. 2002.
Fasil, A. “The Scrutinizing Scorpion Problematique: Arguments in favour of the continued Relevance of International Law and a Multidisciplinary Approach to Resolving Nile Dispute,†in Texas International Law Journal, Vol.44, No.1, 2008.
Hailu Wolde-Giyorgis. Lä Abbay Wuha Muget. Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa University Press, 2001 E.C.
Harris, W. C. Highlands of Ethiopia. New York: J. Winchester New world Press, 1843.
Hassan, H.A. and Ahmad, R. “The Nile River and Egyptian Foreign Interests,†in African Sociological Review. Cairo: Cairo University Press, Vol.11, No.1, 2007, 25-37.
Hassan, Yusuf Fadl. “The Historical Roots of Afro-Arab Relations,†in The Arabs and Africa. Beirut: Centre for Arab Unity Studies, 1984.
Jarrett (ed.), H. S. History of the Caliphs. Calcutta: Thomas Baptist Mission Press, 1881.
Kaula, E. M. The Land and People of Ethiopia. New York: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1972.
Kubiak, W. B. Al-Fustat: Its Foundation and Early Urban Development. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 1987.
Kurt, A. “The Search for Prester John, a Projected Crusade and the eroding Prestige of Ethiopian Kings, c.1200-c.1540,†in Journal of Medieval History, Vol.39, No. 3, 2013, 297-320.
Lane-Poole, S. A History of Egypt in the Middle Ages. New York: Charles Scribner’s Son, Vol. VI, 1901.
Langer, W. L. “The Struggle for the Nile,†in Foreign Affairs, Vol.14, No.2, 1936, 259-273.
Lindsay, Mary (trans.). The Nile: The Life-Story of a River. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1960.
Machmichael, H. A. A History of the Arabs in the Sudan and Some Account of the People who preceded them and of the Tribes Inhabiting Darfur. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Vol. 1, 1922.
Malaty, T.Y. Introduction to the Coptic Orthodox Church. Alexandria: St. George’s Coptic Orthodox Church, 1993.
Moorehead, A. The Blue Nile. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, Inc. 1962.
Morley(ed.), Henry. A Voyage to Abyssinia. London: Cassel & Company Ltd, 1887.
Muse, T. Däqiä Orit ‘Gojjam’ the Stigma: The Abyssinian Pariah. Geneva: Guihon Books, 1993.
Oostigaard, T. Water Scarcity and Food Security along the Nile: Politics, Population Increase and Climate Change. Uppsala: Nordiska Africainstitutet, 2012.
Pankhurst, R. “Ethiopia’s Alleged Control of the Nile,†in Haggai Erlich & Israel Gershoni (eds.), The Nile: Histories, Cultures, Myths. Boulder & London: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc. 2000.
Penn, J. R. Rivers of the World: A Social, Geographical and Environmental Source Book. Santa Barbara: ABC Clio, 2001.
Rey, C. F. Unconquered Abyssinia: As It is To-day. London: Seeley, Service & Co.Ltd, 1913.
Rubenson, S. The Survival of Ethiopian Independence. Addis Ababa: Kuraz Publishing Agency, 1991.
Salvadore, M. “The Ethiopian Age of Exploration: Prester John’s Discovery of Europe, 1308-1458,†in Journal of World History, Vol.21, No.4, 2011, 593-627.
Sanders, P. A. “The Fatimid State, 969-1171,†in Carl F. Petry (ed.), The Cambridge History of Egypt: Islamic Egypt, 640-1517. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Vol. 1, 2008.
Six, V. “Water, the Nile and the Ta’mrä Maryam: Miracles of the Virgin Mary in the Ethiopian Version,†in Aethiopica, Vol.2, 1999, 53-68.
Sutcliffe, J. V. and Parks Y. P. “The Nile and Its Tributaries,†in The Hydrology of the Nile, IAHS Special Publication, No.1, 1999, 127-141.
Swanson, M. N. The Coptic Papacy in Islamic Egypt (641-1517). Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 2010.
Taddesse, T. “Ethiopia, The Red Sea and the Horn,†in Roland Oliver (ed.), The Cambridge History of Africa, From c.1050 to c.1600. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Vol. 3, 2008.
Taddesse, T.†The Horn of Africa: The Solomonids in Ethiopia and the States of the Horn of Africa,†in D. T. Niane(ed.), Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century. California: University of California Press, 1984.
Taye Gebre-Maryam. Yä Ityopia Hezb Tarik. Addis Ababa: Central Printing Press, 1964 E.C.
Teferi Mekonnen. “The Blue Nile Issue: A History of Hydro politics, 1884-1974†(MA Thesis). Department of History, Addis Ababa University, 2004.
Tekletsadik, M. Yä Gragn Ahmad Wärära. Addis Ababa: Berhanena Selam Printing Press, 1966 E.C.
Yä Atsé Dawit Tarik, Ethiopian National Archives and Library Agency, ብቤመ.507.
Yule, H. (trans.). The Wonders of the East. London: Hakluyt Society, 1863.
Copyright (c) 2020 Ethiopian Journal of Social Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) after publication in EJSS.
