Black Spirituality Religion : THE BEAUTIFUL BLACK QUEEN OF SHEBA...

[Aqil]

But did she really exist?

What you are purposing is nothing more than historical speculation about the existence of a figure named Sheba. Many people do, in fact, called Sheba Ethiopia, but Josephus even mentions that Sheba was from Saudi Arabia. There was an ancient kingdom called Sabea that existed in what is now Yemen. The Sabeans were semetic people, unlike the Ethiopians, who were for the most part a Cushic-speaking people.

I have never heard anybody call Sheba "Ethiopia." The original name of Ethiopia was Abyssinia. And the Queen of Sheba was not from Saudi Arabia...she ruled the entire southern part of the Arabian Peninsula, which is now called Yemen. The name "Ethiopia" is Greek in origin, and it means, "land of the burnt faces."

 

[Sopdet]

Actually....

We have no clear archaeological evidence of her exact origin except she was possibly a Sabean queen who ruled over the southern parts of Yemen. The Sabeans were Semetic speaking non-Arabic people that inhabited southern Yemen. The original racial stock of Yemen was neither Semetic nor eastern African but of people much like the Negrito and Veddoid people scattered across Asia and the Middle East. Some remnants of their existence exists amungst the non-Arab tribes such as the Harra and Maharra.


The original people of Ethiopia most likely were Cushic speaking people that reffered to the land as something quite different from Abyssinia. Amharan people are a combination of Himyarite Arabs and indigenous Agnew Cushic people.




My reference to Sheba coming from Saudi Arabia comes from Jewish historian Josephus. Possibly,some have tried to connect Queen of Sheba with Maatakate aka Hathshepsut.

 

[cherryblossom]

Brother Aqil, I may not always agree with all you say; but I do always enjoy reading your threads!


Thank you for sharing!

 

[cherryblossom]

Many people consider the origins of the Queen of Sheba to be an unsolvable mystery. Not so in Ethiopia. There it is a certainty that the woman who entranced King Solomon was the Ethiopian Queen named Makeda Bilqis.

According to the Kebra Nagast ("Glory of the Kings"), a revered Ethiopian history, Queen Makeda was born in 1030 BC. Upon her father's death, she ascended to the throne, and she was reportedly both beautiful and rich.

An Ethiopian merchant prince named Tamrin engaged in trade with King Solomon of Jerusalem; he was impressed with the King's honest and impartial nature. He shared his opinion with Makeda, who was impressed with his description of this just - and rich - man. She determined to travel to Jerusalem to meet him. Tamrin put together a caravan and guided Makeda's entourage on the journey.

In Jerusalem, Queen Makeda was welcomed by King Solomon in royal fashion. He supplied her and her entourage with housing in his palace, and wined and dined them, paying special attention to the beauteous Makeda. The two royal personages were delighted with each other's company. Solomon even converted her to the religion of Ethiopia, Judaism.

After six months, Makeda informed Solomon that, as much as she would like to stay, she had to return to her duties in Sheba. Solomon was reluctant to let her leave, and pleaded with her to remain a short while longer. Makeda agreed. During this continued stay she became pregnant with Solomon's child.

Finally she insisted that she return to her country, and reluctantly Solomon saw her on her way, giving her many presents and a ring for what he hoped would be a son. Shortly after she returned to Sheba, she did indeed give birth to a son, naming him "Ebna Hakim," which means "son of the wise man."

According to legend, when their son was twenty-two, she sent him to visit his father, as she had promised to do when she left Jerusalem. Solomon was reportedly overjoyed to see his son, especially since his other heir, Rheabom, was reported to be somewhat foolish. Solomon pleaded with Ebna Hakim to stay in Jerusalem and become his successor, but Ebna insisted on returning to Sheba.

Solomon reluctantly let him go, sending with him his counselors' sons, who were trained in the law, to help with the conversion of the people of Sheba to Judaism. Reportedly, these young men stole the Arch of the Covenant from Jerusalem, and took it with them to what is now Ethiopia, where the Ethiopians claim it still remains.

The missionaries were successful in their work, forming a community of the Falasha (African Jews) of Ethiopia, who still form a significant part of the population.

Makeda Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba, continued to rule until 955 BC, when she was succeeded by her son, Ebna Hakim, who took the name, "Menelik I..."


"In Her Footsteps, 101 Remarkable Black Women," Annette Madden, Conari Press, 2000, Gramercy Books.

There are some who say that the "Queen of Sheba" was some type of "Order" with different women in it who, evidently, were very busy traveling in this capacity....being mentioned in the Bible and the Quran and even some Chinese literature.

This is not my own interpretation but is what I understand from Sister Amnat77.