The Adal Empire

[Geeljire]

The Adal empire​

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It was on the 13th century that came to the light, in Horn of Africa, one of the strongest Empire that existed in East Africa. Adal Empire had its origins in the city of Zeyla, situated until today in the northern region of the former Democratic Republic of Somalia. The father of that State was King Omar D. Ahmed (nicknamed Aw-Barkhadle). The king who had a long life, occupied the throne for many years. When he passed away, he left behind him many children, mainly males. Among them, the successors to the throne who inherited the kingdom. Later, Adal Empire became an Islamic Empire that expanded the religion of Islam with determination, into the entire Horn of Africa.

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Adal Empire was composed of seven (7) States. According to the size of their land and the military forces of each state, here is their names: Ifaad, Dawaaro, Araabiini, Hadaya, Sharqa, Baali and Daara, where each of them had its own government. The largest and strongest State Ifaad, known from Egypt and “Shaam” as Zeyla’s land, became later the dominant and the central one with its capital city of Zeyla. Ifaad will lead the entire Empire and will face many challenges. According to the historians of that period, Ifaad was large as 20 days of walk from North to South and 15 days of walk from East to West. Its military force was composed of 15000 cavaliers and 20000 of infantries

In a book titled “Masaalikal-Absaar”(this is in Somali spelling), the Egyptian author, Subhul Ahsha mentioned that Zeyla was the nucleus city of Adal Empire. Continuing into the description of this city, he added that Zeyla was “The City of Light”, which had many Mosques and many schools, where all kind of subjects were taught. In fact, Mr. Ahsha described Zeylac as “The Place” where one can acquire any kind of knowledge that may be taught in that period of time. The author added in his description that the people were 100% Muslim. Mr. Ahsha said that they were gathering in large number into the Mosques of the city, as faithful believers to Islam. According to this writing, these Mosques could be compared to the municipal libraries that can be found today in big cities of our century. In addition of that, schools were places where people use to enjoy meeting, share knowledge, discuss about social issues and debate intellectually. As a matter of fact, Zeyla was known as the place where the knowledge was at the merci of everyone.

Remarked by its faithful actions, other Islamic States in the world called Adal Empire “Diraasal-Islaam”.

The Walashma dynasty was a Somali Muslim noble family who ruled parts of what is now eastern Ethiopia, Djibouti, southern Eritrea and western Somalia. The earliest known member of this family was Umar ibn Dunya-huz (died 1275), whose son Ali ibn Wali Ashma conquered the Muslim kingdom of Shewa.

List of rulers of the Walashma dynasty

Haqq ad-Din I

Sabr ad-Din I

Jamal ad-Din I

Ali ibn Sabr ad-Din

Ahmad ibn Ali

Haqq ad-Din II

Sa’ad ad-Din II

Sabr ad-Din II

Mansur ad-Din

Jamal ad-Din II

Badlay ibn Sa’ad ad-Din

Muhammad ibn Badlay

Shams ad-Din ibn Muhammad

Muhammad ibn Azhar ad-Din

Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad

Umar Din

Ali ibn Umar Din

Barakat ibn Umar Din

Adal declined because of the oromo expansion and the rivalry between kings of the adal empire which resulted in it’s political power to end in the 1700’s​

 

[Geeljire]

Maps of their holdings

There's a lot of history behind what's being depicted on these maps and I'll touch upon them in time so don't fret but the "Ifat" and "Adal" would be the sultanates ruled over by the Wilinwili/Walashma Somali Dynasty @IntensiveCareUnit ​

 

[IntensiveCareUnit]

whoa, very cool. thanks for the tag! ill be watching this thread

 

[Geeljire]

Origins

The Wilinwili/ Walashma are and were members of the Ogaden sub-clan of the Somali Darod clan, as their modern descendants make clear and as their genealogy sheds some light upon as well:

"Umar DunyaHuz Aḥmed Mahammad Ḥamid Yūsuf Barkanti Saʿad Muddan Muqābul Ogādēn Absame Kūmade Kablalaḥ Dārōd Ismaʿīl Jaberti"

The emboldened "Ogaden" would make them members of the Ogaden subclan of the Darod clan who form the majority of what are now "Ethiopian Somalis" in the Ogaden/ Somali region of Ethiopia.

The dynasty claims descent from Aqeel Ibn Abi Talib through Ismai'l Ibn Al-Jaberti; this is essentially the genealogy of the entire Somali Darod clan, such "Arabian origins" for the Somali clans are commonplace among the ethnic group though they have no real merit behind them genetically despite there being historical indicators such as evidence compiled by the Arabian chroniclers of the time among other compilers of history.

"According to early Islamic books and Somali tradition, Muhammad ibn Aqil's descendant Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti (Darod), a son of the Sufi Sheikh Isma'il al-Jabarti of the Qadiriyyah order, fled his homeland in the Arabian Peninsula after an argument with his uncle. During the 10th or 11th century CE, Abdirahman is believed to have then settled in northern Somalia just across the Red Sea and married Dobira, the daughter of Dagale (Dikalla), the Dir clan chief. This union is said to have given rise to the Darod clan family. An official military survey conducted during the colonial period notes that Dir is in turn held to be the great grand-son of Ram Nag, an Arab migrant who landed in Zeila on the northwestern Somali coast."

"According to the book Aqeeliyoon, his lineage is: Abdirahmaan Bin Ismaa'iil Bin Ibraahim Bin Abdirahmaan Bin Muhammed Bin Abdi Samad Bin Hanbal Bin Mahdi Bin Ahmed Bin Abdallah Bin Muhammed Bin Aqil Bin Abu-Talib Bin Abdul-Mutalib Bin Hashim."- I.M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali, fourth edition

Walashma is not a term known to Somali records, it is the name for the dynasty from Ethiopian and Arabic records but not their own name. It's like how Europeans refer to the Marinid dynasty of Morocco from the Arabic المرينيون or al Mariniyun, but they were not Arabs they were Berbers, they called themselves Imrinen. Walashma is similar, it comes from Wali Ashma or Lord of the Awash (river). However, the descendants of the Walashma dynasty today prefer the term "Wilinwiili" Dynasty, after the nickname of ʿUmar DunyaHuz.

Languages

Somali: based on their own origins and the clear origins of their soldiers (page 40) and subjects as well as the territories of the Horn that they presided over, Somali was most probably a dominant language.

Ge'ez: it is noted by some Arab chroniclers that they spoke what is vaguely dubbed by them as "Abyssinian", other individuals involved with their sultanates have been noted to have spoken Ge'ez or some form of Ethio-Semitic languages and it is ostensible since two eventual Wilinwili rulers were brought up in the Abyssinian Emperor's court, the dynasty was also very heavily involved with the Abyssinians (Ge'ez speakers) of the region.

Arabic: according to I.M Lewis and Arab chroniclers of the time, they also apparently spoke Arabic, an Ethiopian historian known as Asma Giyorgis also notes this.

 

[Geeljire]

The Conquest Of Abyssinia

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Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi (c.1507 – February 21, 1543) was a Somali Imam and General who defeated several Ethiopian emperors and wreaked much damage on that nation. He is also known as Ahmad Gurey, “Ahmed the left-handed”.

He was born near Zeila, a port city located in northwestern Somalia, and married Bati del Wambara,

the daughter of governor Mahfuz of Zeila. When Mahfuz was killed returning from a campaign against the Ethiopian emperor Lebna Dengel in 1517, the Adal sultanate lapsed into anarchy for several years, until Imam Ahmad killed the last of the contenders for power and took control of Harar.

In retaliation for an attack on Adal in 1527-8 by the Ethiopian general Degalhan, Imam Ahmad invaded Ethiopia in 1529. Although his troops were fearful of their opponents, and attempted to desert upon news that the Ethiopian army was approaching, Imam Ahmad relied on his elite company armed with matchlocks, and defeated emperor Lebne Dengel at Shimbra Kure that March.1

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Imam Ahmad campaigned again in Ethiopia in 1531, breaking Emperor Lebna Dengel’s ability to resist in the Battle of Amba Sel on October 28, then marched north to loot the island monastery of Lake Hayq and the stone churches of Lalibela. When the Imam entered the province of Tigray, he defeated an Ethiopian army that confronted him there, and on reaching Axum destroyed the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, in which the Ethiopian emperors had been coronated for centuries.

Things changed when the Portuguese paid a visit to the court of Emperor Lebne Dengel, in 1492

… Ahmed Gurey improved his victory by chasing the young Claudius (king of Ethiopia) over Abyssinia, where nothing opposed the progress of his arms. At last the few Portuguese survivors repaired to the Christian Emperor, who was persuaded to march an army against the King of Adal (Ahmed Gurey) . Resolved to revenge their general, the harquebusiers demanded the post opposite Mohammed, and directed all their efforts against the part where the Moslem stood. His fellow religionists still relate that when Gurey fell in action, his wife Talwambara, the heroic daughter of Mohfuz, to prevent the destruction and dispersion of the host of al-Islam, buried the corpse privately, and caused a slave to personate the King, until a retreat to safe lands enabled her to discover the stratagem to the noble.

thus after a 30 yr jihad the King of Adal perished


Ahmed was succeeded on the throne of Adel by Amir Nur,

son of Majid, and, according to some, brother to the ‘left-handed’. He proposed marriage to Talwambara, who accepted him on condition that he should lay the head of the Emperor Claudius at her feet. In AD 1559, he (Amir Nur) sent a message of defiance to the Negush (Ethiopian Emperor Claudius) who, having saved Abyssinia almost by a miracle, was rebuilding on Debra Work, the ‘Golden Mount’, a celebrated structure which had been burned by the Muslims. Claudius despising the eclipses, evil prophecies, and portents which accompanied his enemy’s progress, accepted the challenge.

son of Majid, and, according to some, brother to the ‘left-handed’. He proposed marriage to Talwambara, who accepted him on condition that he should lay the head of the Emperor Claudius at her feet. In AD 1559, he (Amir Nur) sent a message of defiance to the Negush (Ethiopian Emperor Claudius) who, having saved Abyssinia almost by a miracle, was rebuilding on Debra Work, the ‘Golden Mount’, a celebrated structure which had been burned by the Muslims. Claudius despising the eclipses, evil prophecies, and portents which accompanied his enemy’s progress, accepted the challenge.

Claudius, supported by a handful of Portuguese, were soon slain around him, and he fell covered with wounds.

Amir Nur cut off his head, and laid it at the feet of Talwambara, who, in observance of her pledge, became his wife. Talwambara suspended the trophy by its hair to the branch of a tree opposite her abode that her eyes might be gladdened by the sight; after hanging for two years, it was purchased by an American merchant, who interred it in the sepulcher of St. Claudius at Antioct.

The ultimately the death of Ahmad Gurey was a very great blow to the Somalis. His wife and her new husband Amir Nur continued fighting for seven years with the Ethiopians, but they were in fact pushed from Addis Ababa to the border near river Haiwaish (‘Awash’) because of the Portuguese help to the Ethiopian Guerillas.

After seven years of fighting. Amir Nur and his wife withdrew to their previous headquarter at Harar and again Harar became the principal Somali city. When she died, her son Amir Abdullahi succeeded. His dynasty ruled Harar till 1884,


Video of Habesha Scholars Bootlicking Ahmed Gurey

They speak of how Ahmeds little army was able to defeat the well eqquiped out numbering army of Abyssinia relatively easy and how he conquered 3/4 of Abyssinia.​

 

[Geeljire]

Ethiopian Paid Mercenaries and Slave Soldiers​

Another observer, the Italian traveler Ludovico di Varthema—the first non-Muslim European to enter Mecca—noted at the turn of the 16th century how Ethiopian soldiers were taken by the "Moors" (i.e., Muslims) to Zeila on the Gulf of Aden and from there "carried into Persia, Arabia Felix [southern Arabia] and to Mecca, Cairo and into India." Some of these Ethiopians were paid mercenaries, but most were slave-soldiers being transported as a military force by Arabs to various parts of the Indian Ocean. This Happened after Ahmed Gurey & Crew Conquered Abyssinia.

 

[Geeljire]

Amir Nuur and The Infamous Wall Of Harrar

Harar while not a city in Somalia was a city founded (for the most part) by a Somali Muslim dynasty known as the Wilinwili/ Walashma who ruled over the Ifat and Adal Sultanates. It's famous encircling wall was built under the orders of Nur Ibn Mujahid, a Somali...


Harar was once a great holy city of Islam. It's wall penetrated by five gates for the Five Pillars of Islam; within them were 99 Mosques for the 99 Names of Allah. Today only 82 of those Mosques stand and the city is a pale reflection of its former self. It was torn apart and rotted largely due to switching hands from Muslim dynasty to Muslim dynasty and also at certain points and finally coming into the hands of the Abyssinian Empire. It is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ethiopia.

The wall was built to Protect inhabitants of the city from Invaders(Particurlarly Oromo and Christians)
Amir Nuur abolished all genealogies so that the people in the city of Harrar could be all considered equal as ''Harraris''
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[Geeljire]

The Statue and Monuments Of Ahmed Gureys Legacy in Somalia

Statue in Somalia

Monument depicting his conquest

A sword symbol on a stele at Tiya.

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[HOW CAN SHE SLAP?!?]

Bump

Im going to read this later.

 

[Kaafiye]

May Allah preserve the legacy of Ahmed Gurey

 

[Geeljire]

The Cannon That Was Used During The Conquest!

Ahmed Gurey was the first commander to use cannon warfare on the continent during Adal's conquest of the Ethiopian Empire

 

[IntensiveCareUnit]

The Cannon That Was Used During The Conquest!

Ahmed Gurey was the first commander to use cannon warfare on the continent during Adal's conquest of the Ethiopian Empire

wow. so ahead of it's time

 

[Geeljire]

Medieval Artifacts, Architecture and Tombs From The Time of Adal

Ruins of the Adal Sultanate in Zeila, Somalia

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Ancient Building in Berbera

Pretty cool looking medieval door In Bosaso

Ruins of Ancient Hafun

Ancient wooden door - Habo(Xaabo), Puntland

Ancient Medieval Style wooden windows - Habo(Xaabo)

The Tomb Of Emir Nuur

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[Geeljire]

Medieval Adal Antiques

Medieval Incense Burners

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[Geeljire]

Flag of Adal Empire

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[RedStar]

The Cannon That Was Used During The Conquest!

Ahmed Gurey was the first commander to use cannon warfare on the continent during Adal's conquest of the Ethiopian Empire

Where is this kept?

 

[Geeljire]

Where is this kept?

Currently its in the british museum.

But the old garesa somali museum in mogadishu had some pretty cool medieval stuff on display as like for example awsome Somali medieval armour Old Museum had an entire floor dedicated to it.

 

[RedStar]

Currently its in the british museum.

But the old garesa somali museum in mogadishu had some pretty cool medieval stuff on display as like for example awsome Somali medieval armour Old Museum had an entire floor dedicated to it.

I was born in the wrong decade

 

[Shamis]

Amazing. I need to head to the Museum if this is all in there - I'll take pics and upload. Thanks for yet another useful topic.

 

[Waranle]

Darood propganda claiming Walashma dynasty ruling from Saylac were Hillbilly Ogaden...From the Futuh Al Habasha(Doubt you even read it) we are not even sure if the ruling dynasty was Somali,they could be Ethio semites similiar to Hararis/Harla.This why I hate when Qabilist ppl learn about a little history then they try to twist everything into something that pleases them.No difference between them and AA's who claim to be black hebrews.....