§g, T R AV EX S- TO DISCO VE'R;: 



E ffi^ : !» > ■!■ ■■ ««= ^^3 ; 



Z A R A J A C OB;. 



From 1434 to 1468, 



$£nds Ambaffadors from Jerufalem to the -Council 'of Florence— FirJ? Entry 



of the Roman Catholic i into Abyffitiia, and Difpute about Religion 



King perfecutes the Remnants of Sabaifm and Idolatry — Mahometan 

 Provinces rebel, and are fubdued—^The King dies. , 



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

 traordinary length. Zara Jacob, fourth fon of David 

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

 inauguration, took the name of Conflantine. He is looked 

 upon in Abyflinia to have been another Solomon ; and a 

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

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

 the bed opportunity, and with that the greater! inclination 

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

 countries. 



A convent had been long before this eftablifhed at Jem- 

 falern for the Abyflinians, which he in part endowed, as ap- 

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



convent. 



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

 lume of Canons. and Councils,, a copy of ydnch was fent by Zara Jacob to the mpnks. in Je- 

 rufalem. . 



