Yusuf Ali Kenadid

Yusuf Ali Kenadid (Somali: Yuusuf Cali Keenadiid; 1837 - 28 September 1911)^[1] was a Somali Sultan. He was the founder of the Sultanate of Hobyo in April 1884. He was succeeded atop the throne^[2] by his son Ali Yusuf Kenadid.

Family[]

Yusuf Ali Kenadid was born into the Bah Yaaqub (part of the larger Bah Dirooble) branch of the Osman Mahamuud, Majeerteen Darod family. He is the father of Osman Yusuf Kenadid, who would go on to create the Osmanya writing script for the Somali language.^[3] Yusuf Ali's grandson, Yasin Osman Kenadid, would later help found the Society for Somali Language and Literature.^[4]

Yusuf Ali was not a lineal descendant of the previous dynasties that governed over northeastern Somalia. He independently amassed his own fortune, and would later evolve into a skilled military leader commanding more senior troops. "Kenadid" was not his surname, but rather a title given to him by his rivals.^[5]

As per custom among the period's prominent urban traders, to ensure commercial success in the interior, Kenadid married a local woman. While traveling to the coast in his capacity as a merchant prince, he would thereafter entrust his business affairs to his second wife, Khadija. Her duties during her husband's absence included maintaining the extant commercial transactions with the local population, collecting debts, securing loans, and safeguarding merchandise stock that had been acquired during previous journeys.^[6]

Yusf Ali's son, Ali Yusuf, succeeded him as Sultan of Hobyo.

Majeerteen and Hobyo Sultanates[]

Initially, Kenadid's goal was to seize control of the neighboring Majeerteen Sultanate (Migiurtinia), which was then ruled by his cousin Boqor Osman Mahamuud. However, he was unsuccessful in this endeavor, and was eventually forced into exile in Yemen. A decade later, in the 1870s, Kenadid returned from the Arabian Peninsula with a band of Hadhrami musketeers and a group of devoted lieutenants.

Majeerteen-Italian treaties[]

In the late 19th century, all extant Somali monarchs entered into treaties with one of the colonial powers, Abyssinia, Britain or Italy, except for the Dhulbahante (since the Italians considered part of the Dhulbahante as subjects of the Italian-protected Sultan of the Majeerteen)^[7]. In late 1888, Sultan Kenadid entered into a treaty with Italy, making his Sultanate a protectorate known as Obbia Protectrorate later annexed to the Italian Somaliland in 1922 along with the territories of the Greater Kingdom Of Migiurtinia.^[8] His uncle and rival Boqor Osman would sign a similar agreement vis-a-vis his own Majeerteen Sultanate the following year. Both Sultan Kenadid and Boqor Osman had entered into the protectorate treaties to advance their own expansionist goals, with Kenadid looking to use Italy's support in his ongoing power struggle with Boqor Osman over the Majeerteen Sultanate, as well as in a separate conflict with the Sultan of Zanzibar over an area to the north of Warsheikh. In signing the agreements, the rulers also hoped to exploit the rival objectives of the European imperial powers so as to more effectively assure the continued independence of their territories.^[9]

The terms of each treaty specified that Italy was to steer clear of any interference in the sultanates' respective administrations.^[9] In return for Italian arms and an annual subsidy, the Sultans conceded to a minimum of oversight and economic concessions.^[10] The Italians also agreed to dispatch a few ambassadors to promote both the sultanates' and their own interests.^[9]

Exile[]

However, the relationship between Obbia Sultanate and Italy soured when Sultan Kenadid refused the Italians' proposal to allow a British contingent of troops to disembark in his Sultanate so that they might then pursue their battle against Diiriye Guure and his emir Mohammed Abdullah Hassan's Dervish forces.^[11] Viewed as too much of a threat by the Italians, Sultan Kenadid was eventually exiled to Aden in Yemen and then to Eritrea, as was his son Ali Yusuf, the heir apparent to his throne.^[12] However, unlike the southern territories, the northern sultanates were not subject to direct rule due to the earlier treaties they had signed with the Italians.^[13]

Ali Suji[]

According to Angus Hamilton, Cali Xaaji Axmed Aaden Suji was the highest ranked commander in the Dervish ranks in 1903, calling Ali Suji the dervish "first lieutenant". Angus also states that due to ALi Suji's high rank, Yusuf Ali Kenadid targeted Ali Suji rather than the Mullah^[14]:

In this it seemed that the flocks and herds of Yusuf Ali were the object of the Mullah’s attacks, so, by way of reprisals, the followers of the old Sheikh retaliated on the camels of the Mullah’s first lieutenant, Ali Suji. As a rule Somali raids are bloodless encounters, since it is contrary to the principle of Somali warfare to take life. The maxim of the tribesmen is: “ Covet your neighbour’s wife ; seize his ox or his ass or camel ; wreck his happy home generally ; but avoid bloodshed.”

Although in the early 1903 Ali Suji headed the dervish army, prior to the Ruuga battle he headed Dervish cavalry:^[15]

See also[]

• Osman Mahamuud
• Burhaan
• Osman Yusuf Kenadid
• Mohamoud Ali Shire

Notes[]

References[]

• Hess, Robert L. (1964). "The 'Mad Mullah' and Northern Somalia". The Journal of African History. 5 (3): 415–33. doi:10.1017/s0021853700005107.
• (1996). The Collapse of the Somali State: The Impact of the Colonial Legacy. London: Haan Associates. ISBN 187420991X.
• Sheik-ʻAbdi, ʻAbdi ʻAbdulqadir (1993). Divine madness: Moḥammed ʻAbdulle Ḥassan (1856-1920). Zed Books. ISBN 0-86232-444-0.
• The Majeerteen Sultanates

External links[]

• The Majeerteen Sultanates