richard pankhurst, the former professor at the institute of ethiopian studies at the university of addis ababa in ethiopia, believed the young abram, ibrahim or abraham, as he named him, was born around 1698. he was the son of a minor "prince" or chief whose capital was logon (now part of present-day cameroon). his father was relatively affluent taking several wives and having 19 children. however, after his father died in battle trying to defend his territory from the ottoman turks, abram was abducted and taken to constantinople by ship. his sister, lagan, is said to have drowned in the sea in a desperate attempt to save her brother.