Sultanate of Harar
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Sultanate of Harar | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early 16th century – 1577 | |||||||||
 Flag | |||||||||
| Status | Sultanate | ||||||||
| Capital | Harar | ||||||||
| Common languages | Harari, Somali, Afar, Oromo | ||||||||
| Religion | Islam | ||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Harari, Afar, Somali | ||||||||
| Government | Sultanate | ||||||||
| Sultan | |||||||||
• 1550-1567 | Nur ibn Mujahid | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | Early 16th century | ||||||||
| 1559 | |||||||||
• Disestablished | 1577 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Ethiopia | ||||||||
The Sultanate of Harar was a kingdom centered in Harar, Ethiopia. It succeeded the Adal Sultanate. In this period the Harar Sultanate led by Amīr Nūr continued to carry on the struggle of the Adal leader Imām Aḥmed Gurēy against the Ethiopian Empire. Due to the encroaching Oromo people invading from the south.[1] The Sultanate of Harar was ultimately a short lived state, lasting only 18 years (though if you start from the reign of Imām Aḥmed Gurēy, a more respectable 51 years). The capital was moved east to the oasis of Aussa by Imām Maḥamed "Jāsa" Ibrahim who founded the Imamate of Awsa.
History
Establishment
After the death of Ahmed Gurey his nephew Nur ibn Mujahid proclaimed himself Emir or Sultan of Harar, Nur had to repair a damaged kingdom so spent the majority of his region upgrading Harar's defences and created the great wall of Harar.[2] Nur ibn Mujhad inherited a war, he quickly married the widow of Ahmed Gragn Bati del Wambara.[3][4] who helped him become come confident, and mentored him in his battles against the Ethiopian Empire.
Abyssinian Conflict
After the death of Garad Abbas, Gelawdewos invaded all of the Muslim provinces and kingdoms except for Harar. Among the kingdoms he conquered were Dawaro, Fatagar, Bali, and Hadiya. The Ethiopian king focused on the southwestern side of Ethiopia (Kaffa), and there Nur ibn Mujahid found an opportunity for jihad. In order to weaken the Ethiopian emperor he invaded Bale and Dawaro. He set his eyes to invade Fetegar next, but the Ethiopian Govorner Fanu’el stopped This in 1550. But the war didn’t end there. Ras Fanu’el campaigned further into Muslim territory and pushed the Harari Army back to Adal. The Ethiopian Govorner raided Muslim territories and took many goods.[5] Nur took a lot of damage in his first campaign, it took him nine years to recover, in 1559 he assembled a army of 1800 horsemen and 500 riflemen and numerous swords- and bowmen, this time he was successful and invaded Fetegar.[6] Gelawdewos saw Nur as a threat so he sent Hamalmal Governor of Kambata and Ras Fasil to destroy Harar. What he did not know was that Nur was campaigning in Kaffa. The two Governors sacked Harar.[7] after finding out that Nur had marched to Fetegar. Gelawdewos had had enough and led his imperial force to Nech ser in Fetegar. The two armies met on March 23, 1559 at the Battle of Fatagar, and it is said that a Harari rifleman shot the Abyssinian monarch, but he resisted in the midst of the battle a group of Harari cavalry again attacked him and the monarch was struck and killed. Nur then sent the Abyssinian monarch's head to land of Sa'ad ad-Din II.[8]
Nur's struggle for power
After Nur's campaign in Fatager the Oromo under Gada Michelle Ambushed Nur.[9] Nur's opponent crushed him and he suffered a heavy loss.[10] Oromo tribes managed to sack Harar and overcrowded the city, which brought typhus to the city, which led to death of Nur.[11]
Isman Al Habashi 1567–1569
Isman al-Habashi was an Ethiopian slave of Harar and rose to power however he spent most of his reign at conflict with the descendants of Garad Abun Adashe
House of Adashe (Sultanate of Hubat) 1517–1571
The uprising occurred in 1517 when the Harla emit of Hubat expanded his borders into to the modern Sultanate of Adal which was ruled by Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad it is said that Garad Abun was killed near Harar which marked the end of the Somali influence in Hubat.[12][13][14] Abun had 2 sons Wazir ibn Abun and Garad Abass ibn Abun, Abass achieved a greater status then Wazir, and invaded the Muslim provinces of Wej, Fatager, Bali, Dawaro whilst Wazir spent his life fighting local Harari warlords and kings of Hararghe. Wazir was succeeded by his son Talha Abass which managed to Invade the entirety of Harar (other cities included), and resumed his grandfathers conquest. However the descendants of Isman Al Habashi rebelled and killed Talha, and so the Habashi dynasty took control of the sacred city of Harar.
Fall of Harar
In 1572, the sultan of Harar was executed by the emperor of Ethiopia, and the Oromo raided Harar meaning that Harar was left with no leader, and was at the brink of collapse.[15]
Rulers of the Sultanate of Harar
| Name | Reign | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imām Aḥmed "Gurēy" Ibrahīm | 1526–1543 | Also known as Ahmed Gurey or Ahmed Gran. The conqueror, cousin of Garad Abūn ʿAdādshe of Hubat. He ruled Adal in all but name and launched a conquest of the Ethiopian highlands. While not technically a Sultan of Harar, no list is complete without him. | |
| Bāti Dēlōmbira Mahfuz | 1543–1559 | Occasionally rendered as Del-Wambara, she was the daughter of Emir of Harar Mahfuz and Imām Aḥmed Gurēy's widow. She was the de facto ruler following his death, and married Amīr Nūr. | |
| 1 | Amīr Nūr "Dhuhi-Suha" ʿAli | 1559–1567 | The Amir of Harar. He built the walls that surround Harar and convinced the people of Harar to abandon their clan and tribal identities and become one people, the Harari nation. |
| 2 | Amīr ʿIsmān "AlḤabashi" | 1567–1569 | A former Abyssinian slave of Amīr Nūr, he was murdered shortly after becoming Sultan, sparking a struggle between his sons and the descendants of Garād Abūn ʿAdādshe over who would rule Harar. |
| 3 | Sulṭān Ṭalḥa ʿAbbās | 1569–1571 | Son of Wazir ʿAbbās Abūn and grandson of Garād Abūn ʿAdādshe |
| 4 | Sulṭān Nāssir ʿIsmān | 1571–1572 | Son of Amīr ʿIsmān AlḤabashi |
| 5 | Sulṭān Maḥamed Nāssir | 1572–1573 | Son of Sulṭān Nāssir ʿIsmān. He was executed by Emperor Sarsa Dengel following his failed invasion of Ethiopia. The Harari military was decimated by Ethiopian forces ending Harar's aggression towards Ethiopia permanently. The Oromo simultaneously attacked several villages in Hararghe while the main Harar army was away leading to further weakening of the emirate.[16] |
| 6 | Amir Mansūr Maḥamed | 1573–1577 | Son of Sulṭān Maḥamed Nāssir. Emir of Harar.[17] He successfully defeated Oromo, Somali and Afar tribes, this led to reclaiming territory including Zeila and Aussa for the Emirate.[18] |
See also
References
- ^ Yasin, Yasin (2010). Regional Dynamics of Inter-ethnic Conflicts in the Horn of Africa: An Analysis of the Afar-Somali Conflict in Ethiopia and Djibouti. UNIVERSITY OF HAMBURG. p. 72.
- ^ Dr. E. Cerulli, Documenti arabi per la storia dell'Ethiopia, Memoria della Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Vol. 4, No. 2, Rome, 1931.
- ^ Adugna, Minale. "Women and warfare in Ethiopia". Gender Issues Research Report Series 13. p. 10. Missing or empty
|url=(help);|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Castanhoso, Miguel de (1902). Whiteway, R.S. (ed.). The Portuguese expedition to Abyssinia in 1541-1543 as narrated by Castanhoso. London: Redford Press. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- ^ The Chronicle. Solomon. pp. 22, Chap 38.
- ^ The Chronicle. Solomon. pp. 246, Chap 84.
- ^ A history of the Oromo Asma Giyorgis and his work history of the Galla and the kingdom of sawa. Edited and translated Bairu tafla. Bairu Tafla.
- ^ Ethiopian Borderlands. Pankhurst. p. 246.
- ^ Some records of Ethiopia. Huntingford.
- ^ Hassan, Mohammad. Oromo of Ethiopia 1500 (PDF). University of London. p. 194.
- ^ The Ethiopian Borderlands Essays. (Trenton) red sea press: Pankhurst. p. 373.
- ^ Hassan, Mohammed. Oromo of Ethiopia 1500 (PDF). University of London. p. 29.
- ^ Islam in Ethiopia. Oxford University press: J.Spencer Trimingham. p. 85.
- ^ Ethiopian Borderlands essays. R. Pankhurst. p. 82.
- ^ Pankhurst.
- ^ Pankhurst, Richard (1997). The Ethiopian Borderlands: Essays in Regional History from Ancient Times to the End of the 18th Century. p. 375. ISBN 9780932415196.
- ^ History of Harar (PDF). p. 106.
- ^ Pankhurst, Richard (1997). The Ethiopian Borderlands: Essays in Regional History from Ancient Times to the End of the 18th Century. p. 375. ISBN 9780932415196.
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