Many Arabian
Merchants Fled From Turkish Violence And Injustice, To The Opposite Coast
Of Africa, Whereupon The Ottomans Took Possession From Aden Of Zayla, And
Not Only Laid The Indian Trade Under Heavy Contributions By Means Of Their
War-Galleys, But Threatened The Total Destruction Of Abyssinia.
They aided
and encouraged Mahfuz to continue his depredations, whilst the Sherif of
Meccah gave him command of Zayla, the key of the upper country, and
presented him with the green banner of a Crusader.
On the other hand, the great Albuquerque at the same time (A.D. 1508-1515)
was viceroy of India, and to him the Iteghe Helena applied for aid. Her
ambassador arrived at Goa, "bearing a fragment of wood belonging to the
true cross on which Christ died," which relic had been sent as a token of
friendship to her brother Emanuel by the empress of AEthiopia. The overture
was followed by the arrival at Masawwah of an embassy from the king of
Portugal. Too proud, however, to await foreign aid, David at the age of
sixteen took the field in person against the Moslems.
During the battle that ensued, Mahfuz, the Goliath of the Unbelievers, was
slain in single combat by Gabriel Andreas, a soldier of tried valour, who
had assumed the monastic life in consequence of having lost the tip of his
tongue for treasonable freedom of speech: the green standard was captured,
and 12,000 Moslems fell. David followed up his success by invading the
lowlands, and, in defiance, struck his spear through the door of the king
of Adel.
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