65: •lRAVli.3 TO Bt>SUDA^E^c 



g y.""' ^^^=^^^^ 



Z A R A J A CO B. 



From 1434 to 1468. . 



Se7ids Amhajfadors from Jeriifalern to the Coiindl of Florence — Firjl Entry 



of the Roman Catholics mto Ahyfftnia^ and Dfpute about Religion 



King perfeciites the Remnants of Sabaifm and Idolatry- — Mahometan 

 Provinces rebel ^ and are fuhdued — ^hc King dies, 



THESE very Ihort reigns were followed by one of an ex- 

 traordinary length. Zara Jacob, fourth fon of David' 

 II. fucceeded his nephew, and reigned 34 years, and, at his 

 inauguration, took the name of Conllantine. He is looked 

 upon in Abyflinia to have been another Solomon ; and a 

 model of what the belt of fovereigns fhould be. From what 

 we know of him, he feems to have been a prince who had 

 the beft opportunity, and with that the greateft inclination 

 to be inftrudted in the politics, manners, and religion of other 

 countries. 



A CONVENT had been long before this eilablifhed at Jeru— 

 falem for the Abyffinians, which he in part endowed, as ap- . 

 pears by his letters Hill extant *, written to monks of that 



convento . 



* Vid. Ludolf, lib. 3. No. 29. I have this letter at length prefixed to the large vo- 

 lume of Canons and Councils, a copy of which was fent by Zara Jacob to the monks in Je- 

 lufalem. 



