This is one of the most elusive and mysterious biblical characters. Already the first century, scientists are asked questions: who was actually the queen Savskaya, where it was her kingdom, where she was born three thousand years ago and whether she had a real character.
According to Scripture, Queen Savskaya, whose real name remains controversial, went to Jerusalem to meet with the wise king Solomon.
Filks, reclining in the garden. Persian miniature (approximately 1595), toned drawing on paper
She arrived in the Israeli kingdom with a multitude of servants, as well as with a camel caravan, remedied by a large number of precious stones, gold and spices. In Jerusalem, the queen did such a long way to see Solomon, whose wisdom and glory became known all over the world.
According to the Ethiopian Book of the XIV century "Kebra Negast" ("Book On Glory of Kings"), the Queen Savskaya was the ancient Ethiopian queen named Mced. She lived in the city of Aksum, the ruins of which are protected by UNESCO. Currently, they can be seen near the northern border of Ethiopia.
Illustration with the image of the queen Sava, Walters manuscript, approximately 1539
Mound spent several months in Jerusalem, and before leaving home, Solomon offered her to spend the night in the same part of his castle, where his sleeping chambers were.
However, they both put forward the conditions for this. Macteda said that Solomon should not even approach her at this time, and Solomon stated that the guest should not take anything that belongs to him.
Tsar Solomon and Queen Sava in the "History of the True Cross" Piero della Francesca
However, these conditions were violated. For dinner, Solomon asked his servants to prepare a very salty and sharp dish. And next to the bed of Maceda stood a bowl with water, and the queen woke up at night, tormented by thirst and drank this water. Solomon entered the room and said that Mced once took his water, he could not keep his word. As a result, they had a male child.
As the Ethiopian tradition, the child of Sab and Solomon became Emperor Menelik I, the founder of the Solomon Dynasty, which rules Ethiopia to the overthrow of Emperor Hail Selassi in 1974.
Solomon and Queen Savskaya, Giovanni De Min, 1789-1859
It is believed that Menelik, who also traveled to Jerusalem to see his father, received the ark of the covenant and brought him to Ethiopia. Today, many ether believe that the biblical artifact can be found inside the chapels of the tables, which is located next to the Church of Maria Zion in Aksum. Replica ark can be found in other churches of the country.
Kebra Negast remains one of the most genuine and significant texts of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The text is indeed mentioned by the mysterious Queen, which the rules of the lands of the ancient Ethiopia. Despite this, many modern scientists are confident that the Queen Savskaya was a monarch of Yemen's origin. Recall that Yemen is on the other side of the Red Sea in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. And now let's talk about the interpretation of this story in the Quran.
Solomon and Queen Sava, Konrad VIC
An important aspect of why Queen Sava is from Yemen, is her name. At about the time when the rules of Tsar Solomon, approximately from 970 to 931 years. BC, the ancient Ethiopian and Yemeni territory fell under the power of one dynasty, which was probably Yemen. This an ancient kingdom was called Saba, but many historians call him Sava or Sheba. In the Qur'an you can find the name of the queen of this state - Filkis.
As follows from the description of the events set forth in the Qur'an, the bilkes and its people were read the deity of the Sun, and that is why Solomon invited Tsaritsu in Jerusalem and potentially accepted a new faith. At first, the folkis perceived this invitation as ominous and considered that the king from Jerusalem wanted to annex her own state. But she still decided to go on a journey to meet with Solomon. Bilks was quickly impressed with an ingenic king and stopped seeing a threat. In fact, she took his religion.
Chuck of Queen Sava, Claude Lorren (1600-1682), canvas, butter
In this version of the story, two biblical characters never became close, as well as, oddly enough, at the bolkis there were goat legs, because her own mother eaten a goat before childbirth. Although it is likely that Queen Sava, whoever she actually could rule both Ethiopia and Yemen, very unlikely that she was born in both places at the same time.
Tsarina Sava, manuscript of the XV century, which is now in the Ghettingen State and University Library
Given the incredibly strong relationship, which both countries have had throughout history, perhaps that two different traditions contributed to the fact that a number of some major facts were lost. Stanley Steward from National Geographic noted that "Tsarina Savskaya is Greta Garbo Ancientness."
Visit of Queen Sava to Solomon, Tintoretto (approximately 1555)
Glamor, mysterious person, immortalized in the Bible and the Quran, marked in Handel's Oratorio, Charles Pudner Opera, Ballet Referencing Recupies and depicted on the paintings of Raphael, Tintoretto and Claude Lorrene, remains simply elusive for historians.
The popularity of Queen Savskaya really went beyond its alleged regions of origin. Perhaps one day archaeologists will surpass new evidence, or on African, or on the Asian side of the Red Sea, which will confirm one of the two common theories. Or, perhaps, no one will never know for sure, who was this mysterious biblical queen.