Arthur Rimbaud's Forgotten Coffee Venture in Ethiopia

It’s a question that has puzzled literary historians for over a century: why would Arthur Rimbaud — the teenage poetic genius who wrote “A Season in Hell” and “The Drunken Boat” before turning 20 — suddenly abandon Paris, poetry, and his fame to travel alone to the highlands of Ethiopia? The answer isn’t in any of his poems, but in sacks of coffee beans.

The short answer: by 1880, Rimbaud had given up literature and moved to Harar, Ethiopia, where he spent eight years trading coffee — specifically Harrar Longberry beans — becoming Europe’s first in-country coffee buyer. He was 26 and seeking profit, not poetry.

Rimbaud, celebrated as France’s greatest poetic prodigy of the 19th century, began writing verse at just 13. By 17, his poem “The Drunken Boat” had won the admiration of Symbolist master Paul Verlaine, who invited him to Paris. But instead of pursuing literary glory, Rimbaud walked away in 1875 at age 20, choosing self-imposed exile and adventure abroad. Drawn by booming European coffee demand, he saw profit in the trade and set his sights on what he called a 'land without climate' — Ethiopia.

His route took him through Southeast Asia and the Middle East — including stops in Indonesia, Cyprus, and Yemen — before he finally reached the ancient Ethiopian city of Harar in 1880. Nestled over 1,830 meters above sea level near the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Harar was already a renowned coffee-producing region. At the time, Ethiopia lacked formal coffee cultivation records until 1838, when it exported its first 10 tons of beans from the port of Massawa under the name “Harar Mocha,” due to the similarity of Harrar Longberry beans to those of Yemen’s famed Mocha port.

Rimbaud, the First In-Country Coffee Buyer

In Harar, Rimbaud took a job with a French trading company, managing the purchase and export of Harrar coffee beans — effectively making him the first European coffee buyer to operate directly in an Ethiopian coffee-growing region. He wasn’t just buying beans; he understood grading, pricing, and negotiation. For eight years, he lived in the cool highlands of Harar, which he preferred over the heat of Yemen. His deep involvement in the trade established a critical early link between Ethiopian coffee growers and European markets hungry for the bean.

The Birth of Harar Coffee in Global Trade

Though Ethiopia had wild coffee forests for centuries, its people traditionally picked and consumed coffee directly from the trees. Formal coffee cultivation and exports only began in the 19th century. Ethiopia’s first official coffee shipment abroad was in 1838, when 10 tons of beans were sent from Massawa to London, Marseille, and New York. These were labelled “Harar Mocha,” not because they came from Yemen’s Mocha, but because the Harrar Longberry beans closely resembled Yemeni Mocha coffees in flavor. This misnomer helped spark European interest in Ethiopian beans, with Harar becoming a key origin point soon after.

Rimbaud’s Other Trades and Legacy

Beyond coffee, Rimbaud also dealt in arms and furs, building a reputation as a savvy businessman. Though he had once been the toast of Paris’s literary scene, he left all of it behind. For nearly a decade, he focused solely on commerce, never writing another poem. His time in Harar remains one of the most unusual chapters in both literary and coffee history — the story of a poet turned trader who helped shape the early global coffee trade from Africa’s first major producing region.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Arthur Rimbaud and why is he famous?

Arthur Rimbaud was a French poet born in 1854, regarded as one of the greatest literary talents of the 19th century. He wrote iconic works like “The Drunken Boat” and “A Season in Hell” as a teenager, earning acclaim from Symbolist poets before abandoning literature at age 20.

Why did Rimbaud go to Harar, Ethiopia?

Rimbaud left Europe in search of new opportunities and adventure. Drawn by the growing European demand for coffee, he travelled through Southeast Asia and the Middle East before settling in Harar, Ethiopia, in 1880 to trade coffee and other commodities like arms and furs.

What is special about Harrar Longberry coffee?

Harrar Longberry is a high-altitude Ethiopian coffee variety with a flavor profile similar to Yemeni Mocha coffees. It became known in Europe as “Harar Mocha” after Ethiopia’s first coffee exports in 1838, helping establish Ethiopian beans in the international market.

How did Ethiopian coffee first reach Europe?

Ethiopian coffee was first officially exported in 1838, when 10 tons of Harrar Longberry beans were shipped from the port of Massawa to London, Marseille, and New York. Labeled as “Harar Mocha,” these beans introduced European traders to Ethiopian coffee's potential.

What did Rimbaud do in Harar besides coffee trading?

In addition to coffee, Rimbaud traded in firearms and animal furs. He worked for a French trading company and became a well-rounded merchant, staying in Ethiopia for eight years and leaving literature behind entirely.

Was Rimbaud the first European to trade coffee in Ethiopia?

Yes. Rimbaud is recognized as the first European to live in an Ethiopian coffee-growing area and directly manage the purchase and export of coffee beans, starting in Harar around 1880.

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