Walashma Dynasty: Broken Business Deal or Holy War?

Was the centuries-long conflict between the Christian Zagwe/Solomonic kingdoms and the Muslim Walashma dynasty a holy war, or a hostile takeover resulting from a broken business deal over trade routes?

Contrary to the popular narrative of a “clash of civilizations,” the rise of the Walashma dynasty and the subsequent conflicts in the medieval Horn of Africa were driven by economics and strategic ambition rather than religious hatred. Initially, the relationship was a pragmatic partnership: the Christian Zagwe kings paid for safe passage to access luxury goods, while the Walashma acted as caravan enforcers controlling the lowland trad...