# Dawit II's Lost Letter from a Mountain Fortress

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/dawit-ii-s-lost-letter-from-a-mountain-fortress
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/dawit-ii-s-lost-letter-from-a-mountain-fortress.md
Podcast: [Ethiopia's Ancient Empire: Africa's Hidden Superpower — Fexingo History](https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654)
Published: 2026-07-01T00:46:11+00:00
Episode link: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/episode-0132.mp3
Audio file: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/episode-0132.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/episodes/dawit-ii-s-lost-letter-from-a-mountain-fortress
Duration seconds: 438

## Resource

In 1526, Emperor Dawit II (Lebna Dengel) of Ethiopia wrote a letter to King Manuel I of Portugal from his mountain fortress, begging for European musketeers. The letter never arrived — it was intercepted by the Mamluk Sultanate in Cairo. Years later, Dawit wrote again, and this time the Portuguese responded, sending a fleet to the Red Sea. But the help came too late: Ahmed Gran's armies had already ravaged the highlands. This episode tells the story of that letter: its contents, its journey, and its tragic timing. We explore the diplomatic network that connected the Solomonic throne to Renaissance Europe, the role of Ethiopian envoys like Mateus, and the geopolitical chessboard of the Red Sea. Dawit's plea reveals an empire on the brink, aware of its own vulnerability, and a king who understood the power of print and paper as much as swords and shields. A rare look at the written word as a weapon of last resort. #EthiopianHistory #DawitII #LebnaDengel #PortugueseDiplomacy #RedSea #MamlukSultanate #AdalSultanate #AhmedGran #SolomonicDynasty #Ge'ez #PresterJohn #ManuelI #Cairo #EthiopianEmpire #16thCentury #EastAfrica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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