在當時的歐洲流傳着一個傳說，在遙遠的東方有一個基督教王國，其君主稱為Prester John；因此許多歐洲探險隊爭相出發尋找這個傳說中的國傢。1490年左右，一個葡萄牙探險傢Pedro de Covilham抵達了埃塞俄比亞，並認為這就是那傳說中的基督教國傢。
1507年，一個叫馬修的亞美尼亞人被埃塞俄比亞皇帝派到葡萄牙並請求葡萄牙國王的出兵以對抗穆斯林。1520年一個葡萄牙艦隊，其中搭載有馬修，進入了紅海達成了這個任務；其中一個從艦隊來的使者團並拜訪了皇帝Lebna Dengel。使者團在埃塞俄比亞待了6年，其中一個使者Francisco Alvarez神父，寫了一個至今最早有關這個國傢的詳細記錄。
1528年到1540年，由Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi領導的穆斯林軍隊侵擾了整個國傢，皇帝再度要求葡萄牙的協助。1541年2 月由Christovão da Gama率領的葡萄牙艦隊由印度抵達，7月da Gama率領了400名火槍兵進入了內陸，一開始他們與當時軍隊合作成功的對抗了敵軍，但在1542年8月打了敗仗，指揮官被俘並被處决；不過Ahmad 在1543年2月也被殺，穆斯林勢力也被逐出。之後，皇帝和葡萄牙人的不和開始浮現，他們要求皇帝皈依羅馬，但被拒絶。
Towards the close of the 15th century the Portuguese missions into Ethiopia began. A belief had long prevailed in Europe of the existence of a Christian kingdom in the far east, whose monarch was known as Prester John, and various expeditions had been sent in quest of it. Among others engaged in this search was Pêro da Covilhã, who arrived in Ethiopia in 1490, and, believing that he had at length reached the far-famed kingdom, presented to the nəgusä nägäst of the country, a letter from his master the king of Portugal, addressed to Prester John.
Pêro da Covilhã remained in the country, but in 1507 an Armenian named Matthew was sent by the Emperor to the king of Portugal to request his aid against the Muslims. In 1520 a Portuguese fleet, with Matthew on board, entered the Red Sea in compliance with this request, and an embassy from the fleet visited the Emperor, Lebna Dengel, and remained in Ethiopia for about six years. One of this embassy was Father Francisco Álvares, who wrote one of the earliest and not the least interesting account of the country.