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Next Society Event: 15th Dec 2024 - Lecture - HYBRID - The Prince and the Plunder - More revelations in the story of Ethiopia's Prince Alemayehu - Andrew Heavens
14:15 GMT, Ethiopian Community in Britain, 2a Lithos Road, London NW3 6EF - Public event (all welcome)
With the event also being broadcast online, starting at about 15:00 GMT.
In 1868, British troops charged into the mountain empire of Ethiopia, stormed the citadel of its monarch Tewodros II and grabbed piles of his treasures and sacred manuscripts. They also took his son – six-year-old Prince Alemayehu – and brought the boy back with them to the cold shores of England.
In his book, The Prince and the Plunder, Andrew Heavens tells the story of Alemayehu, from his early days in his father’s fortress on the roof of Africa to his new home across the seas, where he charmed Queen Victoria, chatted with Lord Tennyson and travelled with his towering red-headed guardian Captain Speedy. The orphan prince was celebrated but stereotyped and never allowed to go home.
The book also follows the loot – Ethiopia's "Elgin Marbles" – and tracks it down to its current hiding places in bank vaults, museum store cupboards and a boarded-up cavity in Westminster Abbey.
A story of adventure, trauma and tragedy, The Prince and the Plunder is also a tale for our times, as we re-examine Britain's past, pull down statues of imperial grandees and look for other figures to commemorate and celebrate in their place. In his talk, Andrew Heavens will bring Alemayehu's story even more up to date, revealing more stories that have been uncovered since the book was published in 2023.
Andrew Heavens has worked for newspapers and press agencies for almost thirty years, including six years as a reporter and photographer in Ethiopia and Sudan. He grew up in Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt, and lives in London.
Seasonal refreshments will be served from 2.15pm with the talk and discussion starting at 3pm. Copies of The Prince and the Plunder will be available at the special price of £13.00. Sales and signing will take place from 2.30pm before the talk or immediately after.
Please reserve your place soon to avoid disappointment.
Unable to attend the event in person? Register for an online ticket to be sent a link to a Zoom broadcast of the live event.
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The Prince and the Plunder by Andrew Heavens Publisher : History Press, 2023 ISBN : 9780750997362 (hardcover) UK RRP £22.99 ISBN: 9781803990903 (ebook) UK RRP £8.99 |