Arnaud-Michel d'Abbadie
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Arnaud-Michel d'Abbadie | |
|---|---|
 Arnaud-Michel d'Abbadie in Ethiopian clothes a few months before his death in 1893 | |
| Born | 24 July 1815 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 8 November 1893 (aged 78) Ciboure, France |
| Nationality | French, Basque |
| Citizenship | France |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Explorer, Geographer |
Arnaud-Michel d'Abbadie d'Arrast, listed in the Chambers Biographical Dictionary as Michel Arnaud d'Abbadie[1] (born 24 July 1815 in Dublin; died 8 November 1893 in Ciboure) was an Irish-born French and Basque explorer, best known for his travels in Ethiopia with his elder brother Antoine d'Abbadie d'Arrast. Arnaud was a geographer, ethnologist, linguist, familiar with the Abyssinian polemarch and an active witness to their battles and the life of their courts. The general account of the two brothers' travels was published by Arnaud in 1868 under the title Douze ans de séjour dans la Haute-Ethiopie.
Early life
[edit]Arnaud's father, Michel Arnauld d'Abbadie (1772–1832), descended from an old family of lay abbots of Arrast, a commune in the canton of Mauléon. In 1791, to escape the consequences of the Revolution, Michel Arnauld emigrated first to Spain, then to England and Ireland, where he became a shipowner and imported Spanish wines. He married Eliza Thompson of Park (1779–1865), the daughter of a doctor, on 18 July 1807 in Thurles, County Tipperary.[2]
Arnaud d'Abbadie, born in Dublin on 24 July 1815, was the fourth child and second son of six:[3]
- Elisa (1808–1875), who married Alexandre Glais-Bizoin;
- Antoine (1810–1896);
- Celina (1811–1894),
- Arnaud Michel (1815–1893);
- Julia (1820–1900), who married Bernard Cluzeau de Cléran;
- Charles Jean (1821–1901), who married Marie-Augustine-Émilie-Henriette Coulomb
Arnaud's father returned to France in 1820 and obtained from Louis XVIII the addition of d'Arrast to his patronymic d'Abbadie.
1815–1836
[edit]Like Antoine, Arnaud was educated by a governess until the age of 12, when he entered the Lycée Henri IV in Paris. Arnaud had a great ability to learn languages and was fluent in English, Latin and Greek.
At seventeen, his friends introduced him to Freemasonry as a benevolent, philanthropic society. Arnaud was interested, but on the day of his initiation he was asked to take an oath not to reveal the secrets of the sect. It was a revelation for him: "If these men hide, it is because they are guilty. Only those who are ashamed of their deeds flee from the light." So he refused to take the oath.[4]
At twenty, Arnaud wanted to join the military because he was fascinated by the colonization of Algeria. His mother, however, was adamantly opposed to a military career and sent him to Audaux in the Basque Country, to the land of his ancestors. Arnaud travelled around the Basque country and learnt the Basque language. He lived with his brother Antoine at the castle of Audaux.[5]
Arnaud knew of his elder brother's plan to explore Abyssinia and decided to accompany him and discover the sources of the Nile. .
Exploration of Abyssinia (1837–1849)
[edit]Antoine and Arnaud spent twelve years exploring Abyssinia, which was largely unknown to the Europeans of the nineteenth century, who were increasingly exploring Africa, but initially confined themselves to the great rivers. The geography, geodesy, geology and ethnography of vast areas of Africa remained completely unknown and the Harar-Mogadishu-Cape Guardafui triangle on the Horn of Africa remained blank on the maps of 1840.
The territory was vast. The provinces of Abyssinia covered more than 300,000 km2. The conditions were extremely difficult. Wars were constant and loyal allies could become enemies from one day to the next. Historians call this period the Era of Princes or the Zemene Mesafint. Linguistic barriers were many. The Ethiopian alphabet has 267 characters used by about thirty languages and dialects. Endemic diseases were numerous: typhus, leprosy and ophthalmia. The suspicions of the colonial powers also hindered research: The British, Italians, Germans and Turks all suspected the d'Abbadie brothers of spying.
Arnaud was an ethnologist whose main objective was to study the different peoples he met during his travels. Antoine, on the other hand, aimed to locate the sources of the Nile, map the country, and take geodetic and astronomical measurements. He invented new techniques, and the maps he produced were surpassed only by the advent of aerial and satellite photography.
Arnaud and Antoine were both devout Catholics from a family of lay abbots. Antoine himself said that without the events of 1793, he would have signed as "Antoine d’Abbadie, abbé lai d’Arrast en Soule." They went to the Ethiopian mountains to assist the declining Christian religion, which was threatened by the conquering Islam.[6] Arnaud aimed to rebuild the former Christian Empire of Ethiopia and link the state to the "protection" of France, thereby thwarting British colonization in East Africa.
In order to travel to this challenging country, it was essential for them to have a thorough understanding of its customs and traditions. They made inquiries to the best of their ability before departing from France, and their observations on the country's ethnology, language, and politics were of utmost importance.
Stay in Abyssinia
[edit]The two brothers had contrasting personalities. Antoine, the scientist, appeared to be the more conciliatory of the two, but he achieved his goals through perseverance and patience. He dressed as an Ethiopian scholar, known as a 'memhir', and walked barefoot, as only lepers and Jews wore sandals. He worked diligently to assimilate and was soon referred to as "the man of the book".
Arnaud was flamboyant and stood out, forging ties with princes and warlords, participating in battles, and coming close to death many times. Above all, he was the friend and confidant of Dejazmach Goshu, prince of Gojjam, who considered him his son. Arnaud was known as "ras Michael".
In 1987 the historian, jurist, linguist and high Ethiopian official Berhanou Abebe published verses, distiches from the Era of Princes which refer to Arnaud ("ras Michael"): "I have not even provisions to offer them, / Let the earth devour me in the place of the men of ras Michael. / Is it an oversight of the embosser or the lack of bronze / That the scabbard of Michael's saber has no ornamentation?.[7]
For tactical reasons, Arnaud and Antoine travelled separately and spent little time together, but kept in touch. They united for the Ennarea expedition to the kingdom of Kaffa in search of the source of the White Nile.
In general, Arnaud prepared the ground for Antoine by making the first visits and approaches to the local lords. Antoine then quietly gathered valuable information on the geography, geology, archaeology, and natural history of Ethiopia.
1850–1893
[edit]On 26 July 1850 Antoine and Arnaud d'Abbadie d'Arrast received the gold medal of the Société de Géographie.[8] On September 27, 1850, the two brothers were made knights of the Legion of Honor.[9]
Return to Ethiopia
[edit]Arnaud returns to France with the objective of implementing his project, namely the reconstruction of the ancient Christian empire of Ethiopia with Dejazmach Goshu as its leader. He addressed his report to the government through the Duke of Bassano. The latter responded favourably, and without an official mission, Arnaud was instructed to bring diplomatic gifts to Goshu on behalf of France to promote an alliance. Arnaud's mother had asked him not to cross the Tekezé, a sub-tributary of the Black Nile on the western border of Tigray, so that he could easily reach the sea to return to France.
Upon landing in Massawa, news of the return of "Ras Michael" spread, and Dejazmach Goshu eagerly awaited his friend's arrival. Unfortunately, Goshu was on the other side of the river in Gojjam, and Arnaud kept his promise, unable to join him. Arnaud and Dejazmach Goshu exchanged many letters, but Arnaud remained faithful to his oath.
In November 1852, the Battle of Gur Amba ended with Dejazmach Goshu's death and Kassa Hailou's victory, who would later become Tewodros II.
For Arnaud, it was a disaster; he had lost a dear friend, and his hope of rebuilding the Christian empire vanished with him. Desperate, he returned to France at the end of December 1852.
His final endeavour to foster a rapprochement between France and Ethiopia occurred during the 1860s. At that time, the British had a strong presence in the region, particularly in Sudan, Aden and Somalia, and a confrontation with Negus Tewodros was becoming increasingly likely. Arnaud requested an audience with Napoleon III to explain the advantages that France could offer by helping Ethiopia. Although the Emperor listened politely, he ultimately refused to intervene because of the alliances signed with England. In 1868, the British sent an expedition to Ethiopia that resulted in the Emperor's suicide.
Second marriage and children
[edit]Arnaud married an American, Elisabeth West Young; she was the daughter of Robert West Young (1805–1880), a physician and Anne Porter Webb.
They had nine children:[10]
- Anne Elisabeth (1865–1918) ;
- Michel Robert (1866–1900) ;
- Thérèse (1867–1945) ;
- Ferdinand Guilhem (1870–1915)
- Marie-Angèle (1871–1955) ;
- Camille Arnauld (1873–1968) ;
- Jéhan Augustin (1874–1912) ;
- Martial (1878–1914) ;
- Marc Antoine (1883–1914).
His salon, rue de Grenelle, was a regular appointment for intelligent and educated men, but Arnauld hated worldliness and he left Paris with his family to return to the Basque Country. He built the castle of Elhorriaga in Ciboure, designed by the architect Lucien Cottet. The castle was occupied by the Wehrmacht during the Second World War and was destroyed in 1985 to make way for a real estate project.[11]
Life in Ciboure and death
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In Ciboure he quickly gained a reputation as a charitable man, but always remained discreet. The first volume of the account of travels in Ethiopia was published by Arnauld in 1868 under the title Twelve years in Upper Ethiopia. It recounts the period 1837–1841. The next three volumes were not published during his lifetime. Volume 1 was translated for the first time in 2016 into the Ethiopian language and Volume 2 in 2020 under the title "በኢትዮጵያ ከፍተኛ ተራሮች ቆይታዬ" (My stay in the high mountains of Ethiopia).
Arnaud died on 8 November 1893; he is buried in the cemetery of Ciboure. The photograph in Ethiopian clothes was taken shortly before his death.
The memory of "Ras Michael" remained alive in Ethiopia for a long time, indeed Emperor Menelik II and his wife referred to him:
[…] "He had, in his person, made to love the France. And if we have sympathies among this people today, the old men and Menelik himself will tell you the reason: "We have not forgotten Ras Michael..."[12]"..
Publications on Ethiopia
[edit]| Year | Area of Study | Title | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1868 | Ethiopia | Douze ans de séjour dans la Haute-Éthiopie volume 1 | Twelve years in Upper Ethiopia volume 1 | On Internet Archive (in French) |
| 1980 | Ethiopia | Douze ans de séjour dans la Haute-Éthiopie volume 2 | Twelve years in Upper Ethiopia volume 2 | On Ebin (in French) |
| 1983 | Ethiopia | Douze ans de séjour dans la Haute-Éthiopie volume 3 | Twelve years in Upper Ethiopia volume 3 | On Ebin (in French) |
| 1999 | Ethiopia | Douze ans de séjour dans la Haute-Éthiopie volume 4 | Twelve years in Upper Ethiopia volume 4 | On Dokumen (in French) |
References
[edit]- ^ Thorne 1984, p. 1
- ^ Goyhenetche, Manex. Antoine d'Abbadie intermédiaire social et culturel du Pays Basque du XIXe siècle? (PDF).
- ^ Malecot, Georges (1971). "Les voyageurs français et les relations entre la France et l'Abyssinie de 1835 à 1870". Revue Française d'Histoire d'Outre-Mer. 58 (211). Outre-Mers. Revue d'histoire: 151. doi:10.3406/outre.1971.1537.
- ^ d'Arnély, G. (1898). Arnauld d'Abbadie, explorateur de l'Ethiopie (1815-1893) (PDF) (in French). Les Contemporains. p. 2.
- ^ Darboux, Gaston (1908). "Notice Historique sur Antoine d'Abbadie". Gallica. Mémoires de l'Académie des sciences de l'Institut de France: 35-103.
- ^ Bernoville, Gaëtan (May 1950). L'épopée missionnaire d'Éthiopie: Monseigneur Jarosseau et la mission de Gallas. Paris: Albin Michel.
- ^ Abebe, Berhanou (1987). ""Distiques du Zamana asafent", Annales d'Éthiopie". Annales d'Éthiopie. 14 (1): 32-33. doi:10.3406/ethio.1987.930.
- ^ Daussay, P (1850). "Rapport de la Commission du concours au prix annuel pour la découverte la plus importante en géographie". Vol. 14. Bulletin de la Société de Géographie. p. 10-28.
- ^ Dumas, J (October 4, 1850). Rapport au Président de la république: Légion d'honneur. Journal des débats politiques et littéraires.
- ^ Arbre genéologique d'Arnauld d'Abbadie. Geneanet.
- ^ Une vigie de l'histoire. Sud-Ouest.
- ^ d'Arnély, G. (1898). Arnauld d'Abbadie, explorateur de l'Ethiopie (1815-1893) (PDF) (in French). Les Contemporains. p. 1-16.
Bibliography
[edit]- Nicaise, Auguste (1868). Compte rendu : Douze ans dans la Haute Éthiopie (Abyssinie) (in French). Bulletin de la Société géographique. p. 389-398.
- d'Arnély, G. (1898). Arnauld d'Abbadie, explorateur de l'Ethiopie (1815-1893) (PDF) (in French). Les Contemporains. p. 1-16.
- Morié, Louis J. (1904). Histoire de l'Éthiopie (Nubie et Abyssinie) depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à nos jours (in French). Paris: A. Challamel. p. 500.
- Pérès, Jacques-Noël (2012). "Arnauld d'Abbadie d'Arrast et le voyage aux sources du Nil". Transversalités (in French). 122 (2): 29-42. doi:10.3917/trans.122.0029.
- Perret, Michel (1986). "Villes impériales, villes princières : note sur le caractère des villes dans l'Éthiopie du XVIIIe siècle". Journal des Africanistes (in French). 56 (2): 55-65. doi:10.3406/jafr.1986.2143.
- Tubiana, Joseph. "Les moissons du voyageur ou l'aventure scientifique des frères d'Abbadie (1838-1848)". Euskonews & Média (in French).
- Crummey, Donald (2000). Land and Society in the Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia. James Currey Publisher. p. 373. ISBN 9780852557631.
- Blundell, Herbert Weld (1922). The Royal chronicle of Abyssinia, 1769-1840. London: Cambridge: University Press. p. 384-390.
- Ficquet, Éloi (2010). "La mixité religieuse comme stratégie politique. La dynastie des Māmmadoč du Wallo (Éthiopie centrale), du milieu du XVIIIe siècle au début du XXe siècle". Afriques (in French) (1). doi:10.4000/afriques.533.
- Ficquet, Éloi (2017). "Notes manuscrites d'Arnauld d'Abbadie sur l'administration des établissements religieux en Éthiopie dans les années 1840-1850". Archive ouverte en Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société (in French).
- Hoiberg, Dale H., ed. (2010). "Abbadie, Antoine-Thomson d'; and Abbadie, Arnaud-Michel d'". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. I: A-Ak - Bayes (15th ed.). Chicago, Illinois: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. ISBN 978-1-59339-837-8.
- Shahan, Thomas Joseph (1907). "Antoine d'Abbadie". In Herbermann, Charles George; Pace, Edward A.; Pallen, Condé Bénoist; Shahan, Thomas J.; Wynne, John J. (eds.). The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church. Vol. I: Aachen–Assize. New York, NY: The Encyclopedia Press, Inc. LCCN 30023167.
- Thorne, John, ed. (1984). "Abbadie, Michel Arnaud d'". Chambers Biographical Dictionary (Revised ed.). Chambers. ISBN 0-550-18022-2.
External links
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