What does the following quotation from the chaplain at the Portuguese embassy in Ethiopia reveal about the power of the Ethiopian state?
What does the following quotation from the chaplain at the Portuguese embassy in Ethiopia reveal about the power of the Ethiopian state?
"The people speak the truth little, even when they make oath, unless they swear by the head of the King. They are very afraid of excommunication, and if they are ordered to do something that is to their disadvantage they do it from fear of excommunication."
Answer:Although, the Ethiopian state leaders were often times distant from their people, the state still had a great deal of authority because of the ability to suspend members from the Church. Being a member of the Ethiopian church was vital for most people's lives and the possible threat of being suspended from the community was enough to give the state a considerable amount of power. The Ethiopian state clearly had a great deal of power and great diplomatic relations.
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