The Zagwe and their dating

Following the decline of Aksum's successor kingdom in eastern Tigray, or its rulers' loss of authority, a period of fluidity is indicated. It is not possible to estimate with any confidence when or for how long this situation prevailed, but it would be plausible to place it in or around the eleventh century when (as argued in Chapter 16) major changes seem to have taken place. Eventually, a new centralised authority was established; it was based, not in Tigray, but further to the south in what is now Amhara Region – more precisely, in the mountains of Lasta east and north of the upper Takezze river. In due course, if not initially, its political centre was at Adefa near the ecclesiastical establishment called Roha – subsequently renamed Lalibela after the famous king. This authority was in the hands of a dynasty, recalled in historical tradition under the name Zagwe, which probably originated – as its name has been held to imply – among Cushitic-speaking Agau peoples. The Zagwe, however, soon adopted Christianity – if they had not already done so – and, at least in some contexts, the Semitic speech of Aksum. Indeed, as is argued below, the Zagwe seem to have been as keen to stress their Aksumite credentials as their opponents and successors were in later times to deny them.