This one is for Kronos , who happened to spill the beans about actually being portuguese !!! 
In 1528, imam Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi , also known as the "king of Zeila" Ahmad Gragn ( gragn meaning the left handed) - decided to launch an attack on Abyssinia - mainly as revenge for former attacks made by christians from Abyssinia and Portugal on Zeila ...... later named a Jihad by the muslims ...
He had great succes in overrunning the ethiopian armies and conquering most of Abyssinia .... destroying and plundering the rich churches of Abyssinia ...... the christian abyssinian Emperor Gelawdewos ( Claudius ) had to flee , and travelled around in Abyssinia , while the muslim forces pursued him .... his mother Queen Sabla Wengel took refugee in Debra Damo , a monastery situated on a steep mountain ( actually it did not allow women to be there ... but it was the queen , you know ... dire strait ) ......
What to do ? .... well in 1520 a portuguese embassy had visited Abyssinia , and the emperor send cries for help to Portugal , whose king decided to send an army of about 400 soldiers, who ended up being under command of Christovao da Gama .... son of Vasco da Gama !!
This portuguese crusade took place in 1541 - 1543, both commanders were in the end killed ( both Cristovao da Gama and Ahmad gragn ) ..... at last the christians triumphed and Abyssinia and Portugal ended up having a bit of common history for almost a hundred years to come .......
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crist%C3%B3v%C3%A3o_da_Gama
The best books covering this jihad and crusade are :
Whiteway: The portuguese expedition to Abyssinia in 1541-1543 , as narrated by Castanhoso.
And from the muslim side :
Futuh al-Habasa : The conquest of Abyssinia ( translated into english )
In 1528, imam Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi , also known as the "king of Zeila" Ahmad Gragn ( gragn meaning the left handed) - decided to launch an attack on Abyssinia - mainly as revenge for former attacks made by christians from Abyssinia and Portugal on Zeila ...... later named a Jihad by the muslims ...
He had great succes in overrunning the ethiopian armies and conquering most of Abyssinia .... destroying and plundering the rich churches of Abyssinia ...... the christian abyssinian Emperor Gelawdewos ( Claudius ) had to flee , and travelled around in Abyssinia , while the muslim forces pursued him .... his mother Queen Sabla Wengel took refugee in Debra Damo , a monastery situated on a steep mountain ( actually it did not allow women to be there ... but it was the queen , you know ... dire strait ) ......
What to do ? .... well in 1520 a portuguese embassy had visited Abyssinia , and the emperor send cries for help to Portugal , whose king decided to send an army of about 400 soldiers, who ended up being under command of Christovao da Gama .... son of Vasco da Gama !!
This portuguese crusade took place in 1541 - 1543, both commanders were in the end killed ( both Cristovao da Gama and Ahmad gragn ) ..... at last the christians triumphed and Abyssinia and Portugal ended up having a bit of common history for almost a hundred years to come .......
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crist%C3%B3v%C3%A3o_da_Gama
The best books covering this jihad and crusade are :
Whiteway: The portuguese expedition to Abyssinia in 1541-1543 , as narrated by Castanhoso.
And from the muslim side :
Futuh al-Habasa : The conquest of Abyssinia ( translated into english )
