Angot (
Amharic
Amharic ( or ; (Amharic: ), ', ) is an Ethiopian Semitic language, which is a subgrouping within the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. It is spoken as a first language by the Amharas, and also serves as a lingua franca for all oth ...
: አንጎት, translated as "Neck," possibly referring to the provinces geography) was a historical
province in northern Ethiopia. It was bordered on the west by
Bugna
Bugna (Amharic: ቡግና ''būgnā'', ''not'' pronounced "buña") is a woreda in Amhara Region, Ethiopia. It is named after the former district. Located in the northwest corner of the Semien Wollo Zone, Bugna is bordered on the south by Meket, on ...
and the Afar lowlands to the east and southeast,
Ambassel to the southwest and
Lasta to the north.
Axumite History
Under the reign of
Degna Djan
Degna Djan was an Emperor of the Kingdom of Aksum (9th or 10th centuries). Paul B. Henze states that his throne name was " 'Anbasa Wedem", which tradition states was his oldest son's name. His younger son was Dil Na'od.
E. A. Wallis Budge provide ...
, during the 10th century, the empire kept expanding south, and sent troops into the modern-day region of
Kaffa, while at the same time undertaking missionary activity into Angot. Emperor
Dil Na'od is said to have relocated the capital to Ku'bar on the shore of
Lake Hayq
Lake Hayq ( Amharic: ሐይቅ ሐይቅ, ) is a freshwater lake of Ethiopia. It is located north of Dessie, in the Debub Wollo Zone of the Amhara Region. The town of Hayq is to the west of the lake.
Lake Hayq is 6.7 km long and 6 km w ...
, south of Angot, and built the
Istifanos Monastery
Istifanos Monastery (or St Stephen Monastery) is a monastery in Ethiopia, located in Lake Hayq
Lake Hayq ( Amharic: ሐይቅ ሐይቅ, ) is a freshwater lake of Ethiopia. It is located north of Dessie, in the Debub Wollo Zone of the Amhara Re ...
.
Aksum by that time was no longer the center of the Christian kingdom, and was instead a frontier town, threatened from the west and south by the Bete Israel and from the north by invading Beja tribes. Angot was a much more defensible position, a decision that proved wise when Beta Israel captured Aksum during Queen
Gudit's invasion. The capital, called Ku'bar or Jarmi,
was probably located in southern
Tigray or Angot, however the exact location of this city is currently unknown.
Later history
Angot is mentioned as being north of
Bete Amhara in the medieval period.
[Taddesse Tamrat, ''Church and State in Ethiopia'' (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972), p. 53.] Angot was on the front line between Abyssinia and the Afar lowlands, and after multiple wars, was occupied by the Galla (
Oromo) tribes of Raya, Wello and Yejju. In more recent times, it became part of
Wollo Province and is now the northern part of
North Wollo Zone.
References
{{coord missing, Ethiopia
Provinces of Ethiopia
History of Ethiopia
