The Land of Prester John
In medieval times people in Britain would have heard of Prester John and his mythical kingdom in the Far East where, according to Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus, “all Christian values are respected to the letter. Theft, greed and lies are unknown. There is no poverty”. To the impoverished and oppressed of Europe, the land of Prester John might have seemed promising indeed!
How might the legend of Prester John have influenced the British public's perception towards Haile Selassie I and Ethiopia?
Evidence
Prester John and the BibleInvestigate the ways in which Ethiopia came to be mentioned in the Bible
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Haile Selassie I as Prester JohnInvestigate the comparisons between Haile Selassie I and the mythical Prester John
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