The project
The project aims to reconstruct social, institutional, and mobility networks of Jesuit missionaries in Ethiopia between the second half of the sixteenth and the second half of the following century, offering new quantitative and qualitative insights into Jesuit mission dynamics, using data derived from Jesuit triennial catalogs (first catalogs and third catalogs).
The project is the result of a collaboration between the JeMiNA – Jesuit Missions in Northern Abyssinia (1557‑1632) project, hosted by the University of Naples – L’Orientale, with the Jesuit Catalogs Database Project developed by the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies at Boston College and the Archivum Romanum Societatis Iesu, which preserves the physical catalogs.
Collaboration includes data sharing agreements, co‑supervision of digital tool development, and joint dissemination events (seminars, conferences, publications). A sustainability plan includes integration with the Portal to Jesuit Studies infrastructure and long‑term public access through open repositories.
The project
The project aims to reconstruct social, institutional, and mobility networks of Jesuit missionaries in Ethiopia between the second half of the sixteenth and the second half of the following century, offering new quantitative and qualitative insights into Jesuit mission dynamics, using data derived from Jesuit triennial catalogs (first catalogs and third catalogs).
The project is the result of a collaboration between the JeMiNA – Jesuit Missions in Northern Abyssinia (1557‑1632) project, hosted by the University of Naples – L’Orientale, with the Jesuit Catalogs Database Project developed by the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies at Boston College and the Archivum Romanum Societatis Iesu, which preserves the physical catalogs.
Collaboration includes data sharing agreements, co‑supervision of digital tool development, and joint dissemination events (seminars, conferences, publications). A sustainability plan includes integration with the Portal to Jesuit Studies infrastructure and long‑term public access through open repositories.
Historical Backgrounds
Upon the arrival in early modern Ethiopia Jesuit Portuguese missionaries became intermediaries between the Society and the ruling elite—including the monarch, local aristocracies, and ecclesiastical authorities—sparking a dynamic and often tense exchange of ideas, practices, and innovations. This interaction ended up influencing language, literature, theology, liturgy, visual arts, and architectural forms, leaving a long-term imprint on the cultural fabric of Christian Ethiopia.
As was often the case in the early modern world, Jesuit presence facilitated connections among diverse areas, regions, and cultures. To the north, they linked the kingdom of Ethiopia to the Eastern Mediterranean; to the east, they facilitated ties with the Indian Ocean world, integrating Ethiopia into a broader system of trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange.
From 1557 to 1603, missionaries strengthened their presence and influence, introducing new forms of religious and cultural engagement. Between 1603 and 1632, the Jesuits achieved a temporary ascendancy of Catholic propaganda, intertwined with internal political debates among the Ethiopian elite. During this period, efforts to reform state institutions and strengthen royal authority unfolded amidst the rise of competing local powers, revealing the intricate interplay between missionary activity and domestic political dynamics. This project aims to reconstruct the social, cultural, and political networks that shaped Ethiopia during this critical period and to assess the long-term impact of these early modern missions.
Historical Backgrounds
Upon the arrival in early modern Ethiopia Jesuit Portuguese missionaries became intermediaries between the Society and the ruling elite—including the monarch, local aristocracies, and ecclesiastical authorities—sparking a dynamic and often tense exchange of ideas, practices, and innovations. This interaction ended up influencing language, literature, theology, liturgy, visual arts, and architectural forms, leaving a long-term imprint on the cultural fabric of Christian Ethiopia.
As was often the case in the early modern world, Jesuit presence facilitated connections among diverse areas, regions, and cultures. To the north, they linked the kingdom of Ethiopia to the Eastern Mediterranean; to the east, they facilitated ties with the Indian Ocean world, integrating Ethiopia into a broader system of trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange.
From 1557 to 1603, missionaries strengthened their presence and influence, introducing new forms of religious and cultural engagement. Between 1603 and 1632, the Jesuits achieved a temporary ascendancy of Catholic propaganda, intertwined with internal political debates among the Ethiopian elite. During this period, efforts to reform state institutions and strengthen royal authority unfolded amidst the rise of competing local powers, revealing the intricate interplay between missionary activity and domestic political dynamics. This project aims to reconstruct the social, cultural, and political networks that shaped Ethiopia during this critical period and to assess the long-term impact of these early modern missions.
Research Goals
Map Jesuit missionary deployment in Northern Abyssinia (1557–1632): trace personnel assignments, mission locations, and community structures using data from JeMiNA and the Jesuit Catalogs Database.
Reconstruct individual missionary careers and mobility networks: analyze trajectories from education and vows to mission postings, tracking the movement of Jesuits between colleges, houses, and missions.
Conduct a systematic volume-by-volume analysis of the Goan Province records: identify all communities, houses, and associated missionaries, producing comprehensive transcriptions of all institutional units and their locations.
Examine demographic patterns within the Province: calculate the average age of Jesuits across different colleges and houses (for instance, younger members in Goa versus older members in Lisbon) and study how the composition of the Province evolves over time.
Situate Ethiopia and the Goan Province within global Early Modern networks: analyze connections with the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean worlds, highlighting economic, diplomatic, and cultural exchanges.
Facilitate access and research, promoting a multi-dimensional understanding of Jesuit missionary activity, combining individual life histories with institutional and demographic analysis, while situating these actors within broader geopolitical and cultural frameworks.
Research Goals
Map Jesuit missionary deployment in Northern Abyssinia (1557–1632): trace personnel assignments, mission locations, and community structures using data from JeMiNA and the Jesuit Catalogs Database.
Reconstruct individual missionary careers and mobility networks: analyze trajectories from education and vows to mission postings, tracking the movement of Jesuits between colleges, houses, and missions.
Conduct a systematic volume-by-volume analysis of the Goan Province records: identify all communities, houses, and associated missionaries, producing comprehensive transcriptions of all institutional units and their locations.
Examine demographic patterns within the Province: calculate the average age of Jesuits across different colleges and houses (for instance, younger members in Goa versus older members in Lisbon) and study how the composition of the Province evolves over time.
Situate Ethiopia and the Goan Province within global Early Modern networks: analyze connections with the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean worlds, highlighting economic, diplomatic, and cultural exchanges.
Facilitate access and research, promoting a multi-dimensional understanding of Jesuit missionary activity, combining individual life histories with institutional and demographic analysis, while situating these actors within broader geopolitical and cultural frameworks.
Methodology
Methodology
Expected outcomes
A Digital Prosopographical and Network Analysis Platform
The project will produce a comprehensive, open-access digital research platform that maps Jesuit missionaries’ careers, mobility, and institutional affiliations across Ethiopia and the Goan Province. By integrating data from the JeMiNA dataset and the Jesuit Catalogs Database, this tool will allow scholars to visualize social, geographic, and institutional networks, offering both quantitative (demographic patterns, mobility trends) and qualitative (career trajectories, roles) insights. The dataset will be available in open access through the JCD portal.
This outcome strengthens digital humanities approaches to global history and provides a reusable infrastructure for future research.
Online Publication and English Translation of Key Primary Sources
A central concrete outcome will be the online publication (open access) and English translation of the third catalogs, along with a selection of relevant letters from the Goan Province volumes connected to those catalogs.
These materials—previously accessible mainly in Portuguese, Latin, and Spanish—will be:
This outcome will greatly expand accessibility, enabling international scholars to engage directly with primary sources and fostering new comparative and interdisciplinary research.
Expected outcomes
Sources & Bibliography
Sources & Bibliography
Bibliography
Development Team
Principal Investigator
Sabina Pavone – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Scientific Board
Gianfrancesco Lusini – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Guia Minerva Boni – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Augusto Guarino Tutti – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Project Editors
Gioia Bottari – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Alessandro Corsi – Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies (Boston College)
Francesca De Rosa – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Silvia Notarfonso – Università degli Studi della Repubblica di San Marino
Development Team
Principal Investigator
Sabina Pavone – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Scientific Board
Gianfrancesco Lusini – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Guia Minerva Boni – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Augusto Guarino Tutti – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Project Editors
Gioia Bottari – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Alessandro Corsi – Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies (Boston College)
Francesca De Rosa – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”
Silvia Notarfonso – Università degli Studi della Repubblica di San Marino
Official Partners
Official Partners
