Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi was the Imam of the Adal Sultanate from 1527 to 1543. Commonly named Ahmed Gragn in Amharic and Gurey in Somali, both meaning the left-handed, he led the invasion and conquest of Abyssinia from the Sultanate of Adal during the Ethiopian-Adal War. He is often referred to as the "King of Zeila" in medieval texts.
Dawit II, also known by the macaronic name Wanag Segad, better known by his birth name Lebna Dengel, was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1508 to 1540, whose political center and palace was in Shewa.
Na'od was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1494 to 31 July 1507, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. His regnal name was Anbasa Bazar. His reign was marked by internal tension between territories with the assistance of Queen Eleni. He began construct an extravagant church in Amhara province, called Mekane Selassie. The church was completed by his successor Dawit II in 1530.
Newaya Krestos was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1344 to 1372, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the eldest son of Amda Seyon I.
Mahfuz was a Harari Garad, Emir of Harar and Governor of Zeila in the Adal Sultanate. Although he was originally only emir of a small region he would rise to become leader of Adal due to his popularity, wielding more power than the sultan of Adal.He is often known as the "Captain of Zeila" in medieval texts.
Muhammad ibn Azhar ad-Din was a Sultan of the Sultanate of Adal. Sihab ad-Din Ahmad states in his Futuh al-Habasha that he was the son of Azhar, the second son of Abu Bakr, one of the ten sons of Sa'ad ad-Din II, and ruled for 30 years.
ʿUmar Dīn, reigned 1526–1553, was a sultan ruling over the Sultanate of Adal in the Horn of Africa. He was the younger brother of Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad. According to historian Richard Pankhurst, Umar was of Harari background.
The Battle of Shimbra Kure was fought on 9 March 1529 between the forces of Adal led by Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, and the Abyssinian army, under Dawit II. It was the first major battle of the Ethiopian–Adal War.
The Ethiopian–Adal War or Abyssinian–Adal War, also known in Arabic as Futūḥ Al-Ḥabaša, was a military conflict between the Christian Ethiopian Empire and the Muslim Adal Sultanate from 1529 to 1543. The Christian Ethiopian troops consisted of the Amhara, Tigrayans, Tigrinya and Agaw people, and at the closing of the war, supported by the Portuguese Empire with no less than four hundred musketeers. The Adal forces were composed of Harla, Somali, Afar, as well as Arab and Turkish gunmen. Both sides would see the Maya mercenaries at times join their ranks.
Gelila Zakarias is an island in the northwestern part of Lake Tana in Ethiopia. Located southwest of the Gorgora peninsula, Daga has a latitude and longitude of 12°10′N37°11′E. The island is a circular, forested cone with the monastery church of Iyasus at the peak. When R.E. Cheesman visited it in 1933, he found the monastery flourishing, and the abbot invited him to partake in their Lenten far.
Sharkha was a province of the Ethiopian Empire in the southern part of its realm. Its inhabitants were predominantly Muslim, and similar in customs, economic conditions, and ethnic affiliations to its neighboring provinces of Hadiya and Arababni.
The Jaarso, Giarso or Jaarsoo is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family They largely live in Ethiopia, in the Oromo Region and the Somali Region, especially in and around the ancient cities of Chinaksen, Harar and Jigjiga
The Jidwaq is a major subclan, part of one of the largest Somali clans families, the Absame Darod. Jidwaq are well known for their conquests in Abyssinia during the 1500s they played a very prominent role in the Adal Sultanate. They are famous for bringing the largest army and were very loyal to Imam Ahmad. Jidwaq have produced notable generals such as Ahmed Girri Bin Hussein who was the right hand man of Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi.
Matan ibn Uthman Bin Khalid born c. early 1490 – 28 October 1531, also known as Garad Matan, was a Somali military commander and Adalite general that served the Adal Sultanate. He led key and decisive battles, famously in charge of the Somali divisions. He was also the brother-in-law of Imam Ahmed and his right-hand man. Garad Matan played a very prominent role in the campaigns against the Abyssinians, killing the son of Lebna Dengel, Victor. Garad Matan hailed from the Geri Koombe clan and was also appointed the chieftain. He was regarded as one of the most courageous military generals in East Africa, well documented in the Futuh Al Habash.
Ahmed Girri Bin Hussein was a Somali military commander and general that served the Adal Sultanate. He played a very prominent role in the campaigns of Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi by bringing one of the largest armies to aid the Imam in Jihad. Ahmed Girri hailed from the Yabarray clan. He was also the chieftain of Habr Maqdi which was a collective of Yabarray and Bartirre. He was regarded one of the most capable generals in the conquest of Abyssinia alongside Garad Matan.
The Habr Maqdi was a historical Somali confederation that composed of multiple clans such as the Bartire and Yabarre who are considered now a part of the Jidwaaq and come under the Absame Darod branch. The Habr Maqdi are well known for their conquests in Abyssinia as they had played a very prominent role in Ethiopian-Adal War. They are famous for bringing the largest army and were very loyal to Imam Ahmed. Richard Burton documented the Berteri branch of Habr Maqdi to have long been connected with the emirs of Harar. Both sub-clans of Habr Maqdi are mentioned explicitly in Futuh al-Habesh.
Robēl was a general and governor in the Ethiopian Empire under Lebna Dengel. He was killed in The Battle of Shimbra Kure.
Eslamu Sagad was a general and nobleman in the Ethiopian Empire under Lebna Dengel who served as governor of Fatagar during the Ethiopian-Adal War.
Takla Iyasus was a general and nobleman in the Ethiopian Empire under Lebna Dengel who served as governor of Angot,Tigre, and the port of Dokono during the Ethiopian-Adal War.
The Battle of Zari was fought in 1531 between Adal Sultanate forces under Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi and the Abyssinian army under Takla Iyasus. Ethiopian chronicles mention this battle as the Battle of Ayfars.
Adal Sultanate 
Ethiopian Empire