Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
Fasilides: The Emperor Who Rebuilt Ethiopia’s Orthodox Church
Season 3 Episode 119
After the chaos of Susenyos’s Jesuit flirtation, Emperor Fasilides restored Ethiopia’s ancient Orthodox faith. This episode follows his reign from 16…
2 months, 1 week ago
The Battle of Wayna Daga: How Ethiopia Defeated Ahmed Gran
Season 3 Episode 118
In 1543, the fate of Ethiopia hung in the balance. For over a decade, Imam Ahmed ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi—known as Ahmed Gran or 'the Left-Handed'—had sw…
2 months, 1 week ago
The Battle of Shimbra Kure: Ahmed Gran's Conquest of Ethiopia
Season 3 Episode 117
In 1529, the Ethiopian army faced a devastating defeat at the hands of Imam Ahmed ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, known as Ahmed Gran or 'the Left-Handed.' Thi…
2 months, 1 week ago
The Ethiopian Oromo Expansion: Migration, Conflict, and Legacy
Season 3 Episode 116
The Oromo people, now Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, began a series of migrations from the southern highlands into the central and northern regions…
2 months, 1 week ago
Emperor Iyasu the Great's Law Code and the Gondar Legal Revolution
Season 3 Episode 115
This episode explores how Emperor Iyasu I, known as Iyasu the Great, transformed Ethiopian governance through his comprehensive law code, the Fetha N…
2 months, 1 week ago
Emperor Tewodros II: Ethiopia's Modernizer Who Defied Europe
Season 3 Episode 114
For centuries, the Solomonic dynasty had ruled Ethiopia — but by the mid-19th century, the empire was fractured. Enter Kassa Hailu, a bandit turned e…
2 months, 1 week ago
Lǝbna Dǝngǝl's Crusade and the Portuguese Muskets That Saved Ethiopia
Season 3 Episode 113
In 1529, the Ethiopian Empire faced its greatest existential threat: the Adal Sultanate's jihad under Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, known to Ethio…
2 months, 1 week ago
Gondar's Debre Berhan Selassie: Ethiopia's Church of Angels
Season 3 Episode 112
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the stunning Debre Berhan Selassie church in Gondar, built during the reign of Emperor Iyasu I. Known for its…
2 months, 1 week ago
Emperor Baeda Maryam: The Golden Age of Ethiopian Manuscript Illumination
Season 3 Episode 111
In this episode of Ethiopia's Ancient Empire, Lucas and Luna explore the reign of Emperor Baeda Maryam (1468–1478), son of the great Zara Yaqob. Whil…
2 months, 1 week ago
Gondar's Royal Enclosures: Ethiopian Castle Architecture
Season 3 Episode 110
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the imperial city of Gondar, founded by Emperor Fasilides in the 1630s as a permanent capital for the Solomon…
2 months, 1 week ago