Skip to main content

The Legend of Prester John and Africa

By


 The Legend of Prester John and Africa
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prester_John#Ethiopia
              http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/475503/Prester-John
The legends of Prester John (also known as Presbyter Johannes) were popular in Europe from the 12th through the 17th centuries, and told of a Christian patriarch and king said to rule over a Christian nation lost amidst the Muslims and pagans in the Orient. Written accounts of this kingdom are variegated collections of medieval popular fantasy. Prester John was reportedly a descendant of one of the Three Magi, said to be a generous ruler and a virtuous man, presiding over a realm full of riches and strange creatures, in which the Patriarch of the Saint Thomas Christians resided. His kingdom contained such marvels as the Gates of Alexander and the Fountain of Youth, and even bordered the Earthly Paradise.
Portuguese explorers convinced themselves that they had found him in Ethiopia, which had been officially Christian since the 4th century. Prester John's kingdom was thus the object of a quest, firing the imaginations of generations of adventurers, but remaining out of reach. He was a symbol to European Christians of the Church's universality, transcending culture and geography to encompass all humanity, in a time when ethnic and inter-religious tension made such a vision seem distant.ly.
The legend of Prester John motivated the Portuguese to explore Africa zealously. It was believed that Prester John as a much needed link between Christians and Muslims as he was an ally of the Muslim.
For some times the Portuguese thought they had actually found John in the Ethiopia, and Europeans insisted on calling the king of Ethiopia Prester John since Ethiopia was a Christian nation.
By the 17th century however, scholars began to prove that no actual connection existed between Prester John and Africa if even by any chance he existed.
The legend however had affected several hundred years of European and world history, directly and indirectly, by encouraging Europe's explorers, missionaries, scholars, and treasure hunters to visit and cob Africa for any trace of the legendary king.
Though some scholars think that the basis for Prester John came from the great empire of Genghis Khan, others conclude it was merely a fantasy. Either way, Prester John profoundly affected the geographical knowledge of Europe by stimulating interest in foreign lands and sparking expeditions outside of Europe.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 Most Amazing Military Upsets by Native African Armies against European Colonists

By
When European colonists landed in Africa, it was all about one thing, grab as much territory as you could and make it yours, by any means necessary. Even before the Berlin Conference, most of African land was already divided among the European and conflicts between them and the natives of the land they had now made theirs were taking shape The violent collisions pitted the well-equipped, well organized and highly disciplined armies of the Europeans with the too often weak armies of people of the African continent. They were no match. More often than not, entire African armies were annihilated wholesomely and their people subdued almost as fast as the battles began. Famous Anglo-French write Hilaire Bellocr even confidently wrote that “Whatever happens, we have the Maxim gun, and they have not” Well, except that the Maxim gun sometimes failed terribly when it faced the unbridled determination, bravery and the sheer spirit of Africans.   Downright unexpected upsets sometime...
Post a Comment
Read more

Biggest Cities in Africa by Population(15)

By
Biggest Cities in Africa by Population(15) The current and growth of population in most African countries is astonishing. Some people argue that high population growth will be Africa’s engine for development, replacing China as the manufacture of global commodities while others point out that high population growth actually slows Africa’s rise and may lead to tremendous social, economic, and environmental challenges. Cities that were mere market places just a while ago are now buzzing metropolitans with millions of inhabitants. Africa has seen a sporadic rise in people seeking life in urban areas partly due to search for a better life, resulting in more and more populated cities Below is the list of 15 most populated cities in Africa according to UN population statistics . City Country City Population Urban Area Population City Pop Rank [World] Urban Area Rank [Africa] City Pop Rank [Africa] La...
Post a Comment
Read more

Five Really Old African Towns still Existing

By
       Five Really Old African Towns still Existing   1.Old Lamu Town, Kenya Lamu oldest town is one of the oldest town in Africa where you can actually be able to see some of the original Swahili architecture and culture first hand and as almost as it existed almost 700 years ago. Built in coral stone and mangrove timber, the town is characterized by the simplicity of structural forms enriched by such features as inner courtyards, verandas, and elaborately carved wooden doors. Lamu has hosted major Muslim religious festivals since the 19th century, and has become a significant centre for the study of Islamic and Swahili cultures. 2.Alexandria, Egypt   Alexandria was founded by the Greek conqueror Alexander the Great, and derives its name from the same man. It became an important center of the Hellenistic civilization and remained the capital of He llenistic and Roman & Byzantine Eg...
Post a Comment
Read more