{"podcast":{"title":"Ethiopia's Ancient Empire: Africa's Hidden Superpower — Fexingo History","slug":"ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654","podcast_index_feed_id":7829654,"rss_url":"https://feeds.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire.xml","website_url":"https://www.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/","image_url":"https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/cover.png","author":"Fexingo","episode_count":166,"summary":"Beneath the scorching highlands of the Horn of Africa lies the legacy of a civilization that rivaled Rome and Persia: the Aksumite Empire. This show, hosted by Lucas and Luna, journeys from the pre-Aksumite kingdom of D'mt to the medieval Zagwe dynasty, uncovering how Ethiopia became a crucible of faith, trade, and power. Explore the stelae of Aksum, the nine saints who brought Christianity, the epic campaigns of Emperor Kaleb against the Himyarite kingdom, and the isolation that forged a unique Christian tradition. Delve into the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela—a 'New Jerusalem' carved from volcanic tufa—and the stories of the Solomonic dynasty that claimed descent from the Queen of Sheba. We examine the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's ancient texts, the legend of the Ark of the Covenant at Axum, and the kingdom's defiance against Islamic expansion. From the Aksumite gold trade to the architectural marvels of Gondar, this podcast unpacks why Ethiopia remained an African superpower while others crumbled. How did this ancient empire preserve its sovereignty, its script, and its soul through centuries of change? Join us to unearth a hidden superpower that shaped the Red Sea worl…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-19T00:19:03.077389+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654"},"episode":{"title":"Emperor Susenyos and the Catholic Schism That Split Ethiopia","slug":"emperor-susenyos-and-the-catholic-schism-that-split-ethiopia-2","published_at":"2026-07-10T00:44:43+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/emperor-susenyos-and-the-catholic-schism-that-split-ethiopia-2","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654","url":"https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/episode-0150.mp3","audio_url":"https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/episode-0150.mp3","summary":"In the early 17th century, Emperor Susenyos I made a decision that nearly tore the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church apart: he converted to Catholicism under the influence of Portuguese Jesuit missionaries. This episode explores the political and theological crisis that followed — the Council of Derssanie in 1626, the backlash from the clergy and nobility, the martyrdom of Abuna Amda Maryam, and Susenyos's eventual abdication in favor of his son Fasilides, who expelled the Jesuits and restored the traditional faith. We also look at the broader context: the arrival of the Jesuit mission under Pedro Páez, the construction of the first Catholic church in Gondar, and the legacy of this episode in Ethiopian religious identity. The story raises questions about sovereignty, cultural integrity, and the cost of religious change. #Ethiopia #Susenyos #Jesuits #CouncilOfDerssanie #PedroPaez #Fasilides #Gondar #Tewahedo #CatholicMission #EthiopianHistory #17thCentury #ReligiousConflict #AddisAbaba #History #FexingoHistory #EastAfrica #PortugueseEmpire #AfricanHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo","meta_description":"In the early 17th century, Emperor Susenyos I made a decision that nearly tore the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church apart: he converted to Catholicism u…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":393,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/episodes/emperor-susenyos-and-the-catholic-schism-that-split-ethiopia-2/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/emperor-susenyos-and-the-catholic-schism-that-split-ethiopia-2.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}