Zara Yaqob

Zara Yaqob Ge'ez: ዘርዐ ያዕቆብ; 1399 – 26 August 1468 was Emperor of Ethiopia, and a point of a Solomonic dynasty who ruled under the regnal name Kwestantinos I Ge'ez: ቈስታንቲኖስ, "Constantine" in addition to is known for his handling of both internal Christian affairs and outside Muslim aggression, along with the founding of Debre Birhan.

Born at Telq in the province of Fatajar, Zara Yaqob hailed from the Amhara people and was the youngest son of Emperor Dawit I and his wife, Igzi Kebra.

The British historian, Edward Ullendorff, stated that Zara Yaqob "was unquestionably the greatest ruler Ethiopia had seen since Ezana, during the heyday of Aksumite power, and none of his successors on the throne – excepted only the emperors Menelik II and Haile Selassie – can be compared to him."

Foreign affairs

Zara Yaqob sent delegates to the Council of Florence in 1441, and creation ties with the Holy See and Western Christianity. They were confused when council prelates insisted on calling their monarch Prester John. They tried to explain that nowhere in Zara Yaqob's list of regnal label did that designation occur. However, the delegates' admonitions did little to stop Europeans from referring to the monarch as their mythical Christian king, Prester John.

He also pointed a diplomatic mission to Europe 1450, asking for skilled labour. The mission was led by a Sicilian, Pietro Rombulo, who had before been successful in a mission to India. Rombulo first visited Pope Nicholas V, but his ultimate goal was the court of Alfonso V of Aragon, who responded favorably.