The Church and Its Influence on the Administration and Governance of Gondar

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of the development of the churches and other ecclesiastical institutions of Gondar. Gondar is otherwise known as the “City of 44 Churches,” most of which were developed during the Gondarian period. These churches have continued to play a major role in serving as the custodian of the cultural and religious resources of the country. A major question that is often raised by many historians is how did these churches manage to sustain themselves? By using case studies of some of the prominent churches in Gondar, the study illustrates how the gult and rim landholding systems helped in the survival of these institutions.