Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 2.djvu/230

This page has been validated.
214
TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

reign, and never swerved from his attachment to the church of Alexandria, or his friendship and respect to the Abuna Yousef, to the end of his life, as far as we can learn from history. And least, of all people in the world, does it become the Roman Catholics to accuse him of being Mahometan, because a letter is still extant to Menas from pope Paul III[1] wherein the pope stiles him beloved son in Christ, and the most holy of priests.

SERTZA DENGHEL, or MELEC SEGUED.

From 1563 to 1595.

King crowned at Axum—Abyssinia invaded by the Galla—Account of that People—The King defeats the Army of Adel—Beats the Falasha, and kills their King—Battle of the Mareb—Basha slain, and Turks expelled from Dobarwa—King is poisoned—Names Za Denghel his Successor.

Menas was succeeded by his son, Sertza Denghel, who took the name of Melec Segued. He was only twelve years old when he came to the throne, and was crowned at Axum with all the ancient ceremonies. The beginning ofhis


  1. See Le Grande's History of Abyssinia.