Of course, trade can result in disputes and even murder.

Below is a peace treaty between the Sultan of the North-East and the Na'ib of Mukalla.



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TRANSLATION

When it was Friday, and eleven [nights] had passed in the month of al-Qa'da of the year 1292 [11 Dhu'l-Qa'da 1292/9 December 1875], there were present the two lordly and honorable [parties], namely, the naqib "Umar b. Salah b. Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Habib al-Kasādi and the sultans of Mijirtin. They [were] the sultans "UsmΓ€n b. Mahmud Yusuf, MuαΈ₯ammad b. NΓΌr "Usman, SamaαΉ­ar "UsmΓ€n, FΓ€rah Muham- mad 'Arala, and AαΈ₯mad Mahmud, who are over all Mijirtin. They settled and disengaged [themselves] in regard to the killing of the Somali who was killed in bandar al-Mukalla, Said b. Ibrahim Fahiya from [the] Wabunayya." Then the said Mijirtin, having [received] satisfaction and a gift, cut themselves off from [the case of] the killing. The aforesaid no longer have a rightful case against the naqib "Umar b. Salah, neither a claim nor a petition. Likewise, the naqib "Umar b. Salah has dropped charges against [the] Mijirtin in regard to the one whom Rāmi killed. The naqib Umar b. Şalah has cut [himself] off from his claim; the naqib "Umar no longer has a claim in [this case]. After that the aforesaid, the nagib "Umar b. Salah and the sultans, concluded among themselves obligations, agreements and bonds, to the effect that their condition should be one, and their port cities should be as one. Each of the two parties will have authority [literally, 'his seal'] in [his own] ports over subjects and others. When- ever a Somali brings a complaint to the sultans, the sultans will bring this to the attention of the naqib Umar b. αΉ’alāαΈ₯. If one of the Arabs, or anyone who is subject to the naqib "Umar b. ŞṒalāαΈ₯, brings a complaint against Somalis to the naqib "Umar, the naqib Umar will bring this to the attention of the sultans. Whosoever is an adversary to the naqib "Umar will have neither aid nor assistance nor advantage from the Somalis. Whosoever brings an offence to the naqib Umar b. αΉ’alāαΈ₯, and comes to their [the sultans'] land, will not be allowed to sell in their land, nor to stay with them. If anyone brings offence to Somalis in the land of the nagib "Umar, he will not be allowed to sell, or to stay with him. This took place among the aforesaid, and God is the Guardian, the Guarantor. God is the Best of Witnesses. "Umar b. Muhammad witnessed to this. Hamid al-Dhayani witnessed to it.
 


1800s onwards



Trade and Economy of Majeerteen: Frankincense and Fort-building.


The growth of Aden and Muscat (Oman) increased maritime trade in the western Indian ocean ,creating more demand for Somali commodities including incenses, livestock, spices, coffee and hides. In 1837, an estimated 732 tonnes of Frankincense collected from the capital’s hinterland was sold at Merayah annually, more than half of which went to Bombay, while the rest went to the Red sea region and southern Arabia.21

By the 1870s, Majeerteen’s trade with the city of Aden alone amounted to around 5% of the city’s total imports valued at around 500,000 British Rupees per year by the 1870s, or about Β£25,000–50,000 sterling (about Β£30–60 million today), a figure that would double by the end of the century. While most of the export trade was in the hands of foreign merchants, a significant share was also undertaken by Majeerteen merchants. By the mid-19th century, local merchants owned 40 large merchant sailboats between them, each capable of carrying one hundred tons.22

Increasing numbers of local merchant vessels in Marjeerteen’s ports enabled its merchants to control more of its export trade to southern Arabia and sail southwards along Somali’s coast for trade goods. Majeerteen exports were sold across the entire stretch of Yemen's coast, the sultanate's traders travelled as far south as the Benadir coast between Mogadishu and Kismayo, to purchase grain for sale in Arabia. Their activities partly contributed to the agricultural boom of southern Somalia in the late 19th century.23

The uptick in commerce amplified pre-existing social patterns, trade routes and commercial institutions. Majeerteen aristocrats imported a range of markers of social distinction such as horses, cavalry warfare, forts and multi-story houses built in the style of the Hadhramaut. A visitor to Meraya in 1872 described the Majeerteen capital as occupied by about 700 inhabitants, with three mosques, a school and a multi-story palace of the Sultan built in the 1830s.24

Majeerteen’s rising prosperity attracted diverse clan groups from the interior who built more settlements within the port towns. Conflicts between the new communities were resolved by the Majeerteen sultan, and through the construction of forts for each community that were used to store weapons, as well as to provide security for each community. Most of them were built using materials acquired from Aden, By 1906, Meraya had 4 forts, Ziada had 3 forts, Bosaso had 7 forts, Kandala had 6 forts, Durbo had 4 forts, Filuk had 4 forts, and Alula had 3 forts.25



Fort of Hafun, early 20th century, Archivio Aperto di Ateneo UniversitΓ  degli studi Roma Tre, Italy.



Majeerteen fort at Alula, ca. 1891, archivio fotografico





Majeerteen fort at Bender Gasim (Bandar Cassim), ca. 1891, archivio fotografico

 

Emir of Zayla

π•Ήπ–†π–™π–Žπ–”π–“ 𝖔𝖋 π•»π–”π–Šπ–™π–˜
Mukalla is the Gulf yes? I didn’t know that Somalis and the Gulf were signing treaties back then because they were under the British.

The Sultanate of Majeerteenia was not under the British, they were our enemy that wrote slander about us because they wanted to rule our waters. The Sultanate had treaties and other relations with the Gulf and other foreign countries.
 
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Emir of Zayla

π•Ήπ–†π–™π–Žπ–”π–“ 𝖔𝖋 π•»π–”π–Šπ–™π–˜

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