The Oromo & the Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia 1300-1700.

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En 4^e de couverture

‘Hassen offers a history of Ethiopia that has a far different point of view than what other historians, both contemporary and modern, have presented. It is one seen through the eyes of the Oromo. ‘ – CHOICE.

‘… firmly establishes with solid evidence and argument the Oromo presence within the medieval Christian kingdom of Ethiopia prior to the sixteenth century… a must-read for the historians of Africa especially those working on East Africa. ‘ – Tsega Etefa, Associate Professor of History, Colgate University.

‘[a] persuasive reinterpretation of Ethiopian history … of significant interest to readers outside the field… focuses not on the central government but on the impact of the Oromo on the overall history of Ethiopia. ‘ – Peter Garretson, Professor Emeritus of the Department of History and former Director of the Middle East Center, Florida State University

This revisionary account of the Oromo people and the Christian kingdom of Ethiopia transforms our perception of the country’s development, rebutting the common depiction of the Oromo as no more than a destructive force and demonstrating their significant role in shaping the course of Ethiopian history. Tracing the early history of the Oromo as part of the Cushitic language speaking family of peoples, it establishes that they have been an integral part of the indigenous population since at least the first half of the fourteenth century and examines the assimilation of the Oromo following their great population movement within Ethiopia in the sixteenth century.

Mohammed Hassen is Associate Professor in the Department of History, Georgia State University.

Cover photograph: Oromo woman telling her troubles to the spirit medium (Qaalluu), 1965/66 (reproduced by permission of Professor Herbert S. Lewis; from the Herbert S. Lewis Collection, University of Wisconsin Libraries).

Biblethiophile, 26.08.2026