The forgotten power of the horse in shaping an empire

Yves-Marie Stranger still remembers the stunned look on the faces of his guests. They had ridden horses in Mongolia, trekked across Kenya’s savannah, and galloped through the Argentine pampas. But nothing, they said, compared to the highlands of Ethiopia.

For more than two decades, Stranger, a writer and equestrian guide, led horseback expeditions through the rugged hills of Menagesha and Sululta. Along the way, he discovered more than breathtaking views—he uncovered a forgotten past.

“People don’t realize Ethiopia has one of the richest horse cultures in the world,” Stranger told The Reporter. “From religious paintings to royal names, horses shaped this country’s history.”

Though largely absent from today’s mainstream narratives, horses once ruled Ethiopia—not only as tools of war but as emblems of divine authority and elite status. A new historical study by researcher Isaac Samuel revives this legacy, tracing the rise of mounted warriors, religious cavalry orders, and the political power horses once symbolized.

In the craggy highlands of medieval Ethiopia, the horse was far more than a mode of transportation—it was a symbol of status, a strategic weapon, and a defining force in the region’s military evolution.

From as early as the 10th century, the introduction of horses in the northern Horn of Africa reshaped warfare and restructured power dynamics. Cavalry units soon emerged as a cornerstone of military might, culminating in the rise of elite forces such as the Knights of St. Anthony—a Christian military order that would play a critical role in defending and expanding the empire under Emperor Zara Yaqob in the 15th century.

No longer merely foot soldiers, armies began organizing around mounted warriors, enabling faster, more devastating campaigns across the highland terrain. These changes didn’t just bolster the battlefield. They redrew lines of social distinction, elevating horsemen into a new class of aristocratic warriors.

A newly published work by independent historian Isaac Samuel, The Medieval Knights of Ethiopia: A History of the Horse in the Northern Horn of Africa (1000–1900 CE), offers one of the most comprehensive examinations to date of this equine legacy. Specializing in pre-colonial African history, Isaac traces the horse’s enduring influence on Ethiopian society—militarily, politically, and culturally.

His research spans nearly a millennium, from the first recorded appearances of horses in Ethiopian chronicles to their role in shaping elite identity through the 19th century. Horses, he argues, were not just tools of war but instruments of prestige, embedded in tribute systems, military hierarchies, and ritualized power.

A Trade in Horses—and Status

Isaac’s study also reveals the extent to which Ethiopia was entangled in a regional trade in horses. As early as the Middle Ages, Ethiopia functioned as both an importer and exporter of horses. Coastal towns like Zeila and Berbera—then major commercial gateways in what is now Somaliland—served as important outlets for this trade. According to the 14th-century Arab geographer Ibn Saʿīd al-Maghribī, Zeila was a hub for exporting both captives and horses from the Abyssinian highlands. Berbera, meanwhile, became known for breeding horses coveted by Arabian traders.

Within Ethiopia, horses formed part of the tribute collected from provinces like Gojjam in the southwest and Tigray in the north. While the horses from Tigray were often imported—likely from Egypt or Arabia and notably larger in stature—those from Gojjam were believed to be of local stock, pointing to a tradition of indigenous breeding.

The article further highlights how border towns such as Matemma facilitated trade between the Christian kingdom and neighboring Muslim states in what is now Sudan. Provinces like Damot and Gojjam not only raised horses but also trained skilled horsemen, reinforcing the region’s cavalry-based military dominance.

Today, Ethiopia is home to eight recognized horse breeds including “the Abyssinian, Bale, Boran, Horro, Kafa, Ogaden (or Wilwal), Selale, and the Kundido feral horse, with a potential ninth breed, the Gesha.”

Yet despite this diversity, Ethiopian horses tend to be smaller than their regional counterparts. Averaging just 12 to 13 hands in height, they are notably shorter than horses in Lesotho, West Africa, or Sudan. Still, their stature never diminished their symbolic or strategic importance in Ethiopian history.

The Horse and Ethiopia’s Military Revolution

The arrival of the horse in the northern Horn of Africa didn’t just change the pace of travel—it changed the face of war.

Before its introduction, military engagements in the region were largely infantry-based, with foot soldiers forming the core of most armies. But with horses came speed, maneuverability, and a new strategic advantage. Cavalry units gave Ethiopian rulers the power to expand their domains, defend distant frontiers, and mount more agile responses to threats.

“The introduction of the horse into the northern Horn of Africa after the 10th century revolutionized warfare,” writes Isaac Samuel. “It enabled the rise of cavalry-based armies that could dominate vast territories.” By the 13th century, cavalry had become a defining feature of military life in the region.

Under the reign of Amda Seyon, one of the most militarily ambitious emperors of the Solomonic dynasty, Ethiopia built a formidable cavalry force, with many of its riders recruited from the western provinces of Gojjam and Damot. These troops were not simply warriors—they were, in many cases, part of a religious order.

Isaac describes the Ethiopian cavalry as a kind of monastic warrior class, one that fused spiritual discipline with martial skill. Their mission was more than territorial control; they were defenders of Christian Ethiopia, often clashing with Muslim sultanates to the east in a centuries-long struggle for dominance in the Horn.

The article also explores how rival groups adapted—or didn’t—to equine warfare. While the Oromo had access to horses early on, their initial campaigns favored guerrilla-style raids conducted at night—tactics where horses offered limited advantage. Even so, chronicles hint at the critical role knights played in several decisive battles, though written records from the period remain sparse.

A Mount of Power and Prestige

Beyond the battlefield, the horse occupied a central place in Ethiopia’s social and political life.

In medieval Ethiopia, owning a horse was a privilege reserved for the upper echelons of society: nobles, high-ranking military leaders, and wealthy merchants. More than a tool of war, the horse became a powerful symbol of prestige. Elite riders adorned their mounts with ornate saddles, decorative bridles, and religious symbols, marking their elevated status and mandate to rule or defend.

The imperial court maintained vast royal stables, reserving the finest breeds for the emperor and his inner circle. Horses were also diplomatic currency—gifted to regional rulers to solidify alliances or honor military loyalty.

Isaac notes that the mounts were chosen for their robustness and stamina. The warriors’ equipment frequently displayed Christian iconography, emphasizing the sacred aspect of their duties. The cultural significance of horses persisted even after the decline of mounted combat.

Perhaps the most telling sign of this reverence is Ethiopia’s long-standing custom of naming royal figures after their steeds. The association was so strong that the names of prized warhorses were sometimes used in official titles and epithets—a tradition that underscores the deep-rooted status of the horse in Ethiopian royal identity.

Though cavalry may have faded from military relevance, the horse remained an icon—etched into the country’s culture.

Cavalry, Chivalry, and the Enduring Legacy of the Knights

By the early 19th century, warfare in Ethiopia was often marked not only by brutality but also by a surprising sense of honor. Historical accounts referenced in Isaac’s article describe formal exchanges between opposing armies, respectful treatment of emissaries, and humane conduct toward prisoners—particularly those of noble rank.

One of the most striking developments of the period was the rise of the Oromo cavalry tradition. Unlike the Solomonic armies, which operated in structured hierarchies and emphasized organized battle formations, Oromo cavalry units were fluid and mobile, favoring swift guerrilla-style tactics. Young Oromo men were trained from adolescence in horseback riding and spear-throwing, forming a distinct warrior culture that emphasized agility and independence.

Isaac notes that Emperor Susenyos—raised among the Oromo—adapted many of their military strategies to his own advantage. His forces not only battled Oromo cavalry but at times absorbed them, blending tactics across cultural lines in his campaigns against rival factions.

The article also recounts the formidable cavalry tradition of the Awi Agaw people of Gojjam. Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the horse-mounted Awi Agaw frequently clashed with both the Gondarine Christian rulers and expanding Oromo groups, fielding powerful cavalry forces of their own.

By the 19th century, Ethiopia’s armies were still largely reliant on traditional weapons. Most infantry and cavalry troops carried spears and shields, while men of higher status might also wield swords or early firearms. The largest concentration of horses, according to Isaac, was found in the southern pastoral territories of the Oromo.

Still, the significance of the horse was never confined to the battlefield. “The cultural legacy of the horse endured,” he writes—an enduring emblem of prestige, identity, and tradition.

A Modern Lens on a Timeless Heritage

For writer and equestrian guide Stranger, the horse’s role in Ethiopian history is not just academic—it is deeply personal. Author of The Abyssinian Syllabary, A Gallop in Ethiopia: Wax, Gold, and the Abyssinian Pony, and The Book of Ethiopia: Pêro da Covilhã’s Handbook, Stranger spent more than two decades in Ethiopia.

His experience offers a contemporary window into Ethiopia’s overlooked equestrian legacy. Reflecting on Isacc’s article, Stranger praised its depth and historical scope. “Horses have played a huge role in the history of Ethiopia, especially in warfare,” he told The Reporter. “Since—and even before—the Zagwe period, horses have decided the fate of battles and have made or unmade kings and kingdoms.”





That influence, he says, extended beyond the battlefield into the realm of symbolism and trade. “You can see it in the names that kings, lords, and warriors gave their horses,” Stranger notes. Horses held a pivotal role in religious art, ceremonial practices, and economic structures. “They were imported into Ethiopia and exported as far as the Arabian Peninsula, perhaps even to the Persian Gulf and India.”

Despite this rich history, Stranger believes modern Ethiopia has yet to fully embrace its equestrian past. “I’ve hosted travelers who went riding in Kenya, Argentina, Mongolia—and when they rode through Ethiopia’s highlands, they were stunned by the beauty,” he said. “But many Ethiopians today don’t recognize the depth of their own horse culture.”

Though Ethiopia still maintains a sizable equine population—over two million horses, according to official estimates, more than half of Africa’s total—there are challenges. Most rural horses are small, limiting their suitability for modern sport or tourism. Stranger suggests that better breeding practices could support the development of a domestic equestrian industry.

Despite the obsolescence of cavalry tactics, the horse maintains significant symbolic importance in Ethiopia, representing a heritage of royal patronage, religious militancy, and pastoral equestrianism that resonates throughout the nation’s highlands.