It might have been supposed that the calamities which befell the Falashas during the reign ofSarsa Dengel would have broken their spirit and forced them to abandon their faith. But no, the hard core of Agau Jews clung to their religion and have continued to do so to the present day, proclaiming by their tenacity their confidence in the God of lsrael and in His commandments.

Twenty years after their defeat in the mountains the Falashas had sufficiently recovered to join in a rebellion against Emperor Susneyos, who had ascended the throne in 1607. This reign proved to be a period of great confusion. The early years were marked by numerous revolts in which the Agaus participated and were ruthlessly suppressed. This was followed by a bitter religious struggle which resulted from the adoption of Roman Catholicism by the emperor.

The Falashas were ruled by a new king Gideon when, in 1615, a pretender to the Ethiopian throne, named Amdo, appeared in the Sellemt region to the north of the Semien mountains. The local governor captured him and put him in prison. Gideon apparently considered this an excellent opportunity to acquire an ally. He sent out a raiding party at night which rescued Amdo and brought him back. Soon the standard of revolt was raised and Amdo, with Gideon's assistance, 'found himself at the head of an army, strong enough to leave the mountain, and try his fortune in the plain below, where he laid waste Shawada, Sellemt, and all the countries about Semien which persevered in their duty to the king'. (2)

The early successes were followed by others but soon the emperor brought up his main army, equipped with firearms. Gideon and Amdo were forced back into the mountains and one of their main strongholds, Messiraba, which 'had been fortified by art, furnished with plenty of provisions, and a number of good troops' was captured and 'the whole inhabitants, without distinction of age or sex, put to the sword, for such were the orders of the king'.(3) Further defeats followed, and the last stronghold, Seganat, resisted stoutly but it too 'was at last taken, Gideon himself escaping narrowly by the bravery of his principal general, who, fighting desperately, was slain by a musqueteer'. (4)

The situation had become hopeless and Gideon, fearing for the

(1)Travels, vol. 2, p. 231.
(2) ibid., p. 289.
(3) ibid., p. 290.
(4) ibid.