Le royaume du Damot : enquête sur une puissance politique et économique de la Corne de l’Afrique (XIIIe siècle)

Abstract

The Kingdom of Damot : An Inquiry into Political and Economic Power in the Horn of Africa (13th century) Since the 13th c. until the beginning of the 14th century, the Kingdom of Damot was a powerful and rich political entity, located south of Abbay, west of the central highlands of Ethiopia and of Awaš river. Its influence reached the Muslim states of eastern Ethiopia (Šäwa and Ifat sultanates). The motälämi, kings of Damot, reigned over the vassal states of Ǝndägäbṭän, Wäräb and Ǝnnarya. Damot and these neighbouring provinces were the origin of much of the luxury international trade of the period, providing gold, slaves, cattle and food products, which were exported from there through the highlands and the Muslim sultanates of eastern Ethiopia toward the ports on the Red Sea Coast (Massawa and Zeyla) and from there to the long-distance international trade.