7 % TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



^5S^ 



BiEDA MARIA M. 



From 1468 to 1478. 



Revives the Banijhment of Princes to the Mountain— War with Adel—~ 

 Death of the King — Attempts by Portugal to difcover Abyjfmia and 

 the Indies. 



BiEDA MARIAM fucceeded to the throne (as his hiftorian 

 fays) againft his father's inclination, after having re- 

 ceived much ill ufage during the earlier part of his life,, of 

 which this was the occafion. His mother took fo violent 

 and irregular a longing to fee her fon king, that fhe formed 

 a fcheme, by the flrength of a party of her relations and 

 friends, truiling to the weaknefs of an old man, to force 

 him into a partnerfhip with his father. Examples of two 

 kings, at the fame time, and even in this degree of relation, 

 were more than once to be found in the Abymnian annals, 

 but thofe times were now no more. A ftrong jealoufy had 

 fucceeded to an unreafonable confidence, and had thrown 

 both the perfon and pretentions of the hens-apparent of this 

 age to as great a diltance as was poflible. 



The queen, whofe name was Sion Magafs, or the Grace 

 -of Sion, firfl began to tamper with the clergy, who, though 



1 they 



