A popular legend credits coffee’s discovery to an Ethiopian goat herder. But the real story begins in the mid-15th century in Yemen. Sufi monks there were searching for a way to stay awake for their late-night religious devotions. A scholar, Sheikh Gemaleddin, is said to have first recognized the stimulating effects of the coffee berry, brought over from Ethiopia. He recommended brewing the beans into a drink called 'qahwa'. This new beverage helped the monks endure their long rituals, providing focus and energy throughout the night. It was a secret weapon in their spiritual practice, a tool for reaching a higher state of consciousness, long before it became a morning habit for the rest of the world.
How Coffee Conquered the World
From Sufi monks in Yemen to the cafés of London, this is the story of how coffee became a global obsession and a catalyst for revolution.
Chapter 1
The Monks' Secret
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who really discovered coffee?
While legend credits a 9th-century Ethiopian goat herder, the first historical evidence points to Sufi monks in 15th-century Yemen. They brewed coffee from berries brought from Ethiopia to stay awake during late-night religious ceremonies.
Why were rulers so afraid of coffeehouses?
Rulers like Ottoman Sultan Murad IV and England's King Charles II feared coffeehouses as centers of political dissent. Unlike taverns where alcohol dulled the senses, coffeehouses hosted sober, critical discussions that could challenge government authority.
How did coffee plants spread from Yemen to the rest of the world?
Yemen guarded its monopoly by only exporting infertile beans. Around 1670, an Indian saint named Baba Budan smuggled seven fertile seeds to India. Later, in 1723, a French officer, Gabriel de Clieu, brought a single seedling to Martinique, which became the ancestor for most coffee in the Americas.
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