ABSTRACT
The Solomonic monarchs had attempted since the fourteenth century to develop relations with Christian Europe, not because they sought spiritual guidance but mostly because they admired Europe's cultural-technical development1 and occasionally because of common anti-Muslim sentiments. Their Red Sea policy might have been related to this inclination, but it was first and foremost motivated by regional politico-economic and religious (pilgrimage) considerations. When contact with Europe was re-established at the beginning of the sixteenth century Ethiopia's rulers were, it seems, somewhat reticent due to traditional cultural differences and suspicion of western Christianity and of Portuguese intentions, enhanced by some ecclesiastics and feudal lords, and by reports brought from India. The performance of da Gama's small force, and the effectiveness of their weapons and technical achievements, greatly increased the admiration for European, Portuguese materialistic culture but, paradoxically, it also awakened fears of Portuguese imperialism.2
