How did the Agau people contribute to the rise of the Zagwe dynasty?

The rise of the Zagwe dynasty was fundamentally linked to the Agau people, who transitioned from a subject population under the declining Aksumite state to the architects of a new imperial power.12

As the economic and political influence of Aksum waned due to the disruption of Red Sea trade routes, the state shifted its focus southward toward the grain-rich highlands. During this period, the Agau people underwent a significant transformation: they learned the Ge'ez language, adopted Christianity, and increasingly assimilated the Aksumite culture.12

This integration allowed Agau princes to consolidate power and eventually transfer the seat of the empire to their native region of Lasta. By establishing their capital at Roha (modern-day Lalibela), the Zagwe kings successfully asserted control over much of northern and central Ethiopia, fostering a period of intense religious devotion and the construction of iconic rock-hewn churches.32