17世紀前半ソロモン朝のベフト・ワッダド
イエズス会のエチオピア布教失敗の一要因
2000 年 43 巻 2 号 p. 99-116
詳細
2000 年 43 巻 2 号 p. 99-116
Since 1555 the Jesuits began missionary work in the Ethiopian Plateau, which was under the rule of the Solomonic Dynasty. P. Paez, a Spanish Jesuit, succeeded in inducing King Susneyos (r. 1607-1632) to be converted to the Roman Catholic. But the opposition to the activities of the Jesuits had grown so intense among the people that, in 1632, Susneyos was forced to proclaim the return to the faith of the Ethiopian Church. After that, King Fasilädäs (r. 1632-1667) banished the Jesuits.
In the reign of Susneyos, the leader of the pro-Catholic party was Se'elä Krestos, a half brother of this king. Se'elä Krestos patronized the Jesuit missions more eagerly than the king. According to the chronicle of Susneyos, in 1617, he appointed Se'elä Krestos to the office of Beht wäddäd, i. e. prime minister. But Se'elä Krestos could not dissuade the king from revoking the adherence to Roman Catholic. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the political role of Beht wäddäd on the weakning of Se'elä Krestos' political power in the end of the reign of Susneyos.
In conclusion,
(1) In the reign of Susneyos, Beht wäddäd was the highest office, and in addition, this officer held the office of the provincial governor. One of the duties of Beht wäddäd was to participate in the national administration, but it did not always have influence on the decisions of the king;
(2) Talallaq blattenoc gweta was virtually the most influential office in the court. This officer was responsible for military and non-military affairs;
(3) In the end of the reign of Susneyos, the anti-Se'elä Krestos party increased its power in the court. Most of Talallaq blattenoc gweta belonged to this party. Though Se'elä Krestos was Beht wäddäd, he held the office of the provincial governor concurrently, and did not always have influence on the decisions of the king. Therefore, he was placed at a disadvantage in the political dispute in the court. Such disadvantage led to the political weakness of Se'elä Krestos in the end of the reign of Susneyos.
