The Adal Sultanate also known as the Adal Empire, or Bar Saʿad dīn was a medieval Sunni Muslim Empire which was located in the Horn of Africa. It was founded by Sabr ad-Din III on the Harar plateau in Adal after the fall of the Sultanate of Ifat. The kingdom flourished c. 1415 to 1577. At its height, the polity under Sultan Badlay controlled the territory stretching from Cape Guardafui in Somalia to the port city of Suakin in Sudan. The Adal Empire maintained a robust commercial and political relationship with the Ottoman Empire. Sultanate of Adal was alternatively known as the federation of Zeila.
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi was the Imam of the Adal Sultanate from 1527 to 1543. Imam Ahmad led the conquest of the Ethiopian Empire under the Sultanate of Adal during the Ethiopian-Adal War. He is often referred to as the "King of Zeila" in medieval texts.
Galawdewos also known as Mar Gelawdewos, was Emperor of Ethiopia from 3 September 1540 until his death in 1559, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. His throne name was Atsnaph Sagad I. A male line descendant of medieval Amhara kings, he was a younger son of Dawit II and Seble Wongel.
The Sultanate of Ifat, known as Wafāt or Awfāt in Arabic texts, or the Kingdom of Zeila was a medieval Sunni Muslim state in the eastern regions of the Horn of Africa between the late 13th century and early 15th century. It was formed in present-day Ethiopia around eastern Shewa in Ifat. Led by the Walashma dynasty, the polity stretched from Zequalla to the port city of Zeila. The kingdom ruled over parts of what are now Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somaliland.
Barakāt ibn ʿUmar Dīn, reigned 1555–1559, was a nominal sultan of the Sultanate of Adal in the Horn of Africa. A son of Umar Din and a brother of Ali ibn Umar Din, he was the last known member of the Walashma dynasty to rule Adal.
The Marehan is a Somali clan, which is part of one of the largest Somali clan families, the Darod.
Nur al-Din or Nur ibn Mujahidibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah al Dhuhi Suha was a Somali Emir of Harar who ruled the Adal Sultanate. He was known for marrying his uncle's widow, Bati del Wambara, and he also succeeded Imam Ahmad as leader of the Muslim forces fighting Christian Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian–Adal War or Abyssinian–Adal War, also known in Arabic as the "Futuḥ al-Ḥabash", 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 a few hundred Portuguese musketmen. Whereas Adal forces were mainly comprised of Harla, Somali, Afar, as well as Arab and Turkish gunmen. Both sides at times would see the Maya mercenaries join their ranks.
The Harari people are a Semitic-speaking ethnic group which inhabits the Horn of Africa. Members of this ethnic group traditionally reside in the walled city of Harar, simply called Gēy "the City" in Harari, situated in the Harari Region of eastern Ethiopia. They speak the Harari language, a member of the South Ethiopic grouping within the Semitic subfamily of the Afroasiatic languages.
The Harla, also known as Harala, Haralla are an ethnic group that once inhabited Somalia, Djibouti and Ethiopia. They spoke the now-extinct Harla language, which belonged to either the Cushitic or Semitic branches of the Afroasiatic family.
The Oromo expansions, also known as the Oromo migrations or the Oromo invasions, were a series of expansions in the 16th and 17th centuries by the Oromo. Prior to their great expansion in the 16th century, the Oromo inhabited only the area of what is now modern-day southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya. Over the centuries due to many factors, mostly the wars between Adal Sultanate and Ethiopia would further encourage the numerous Oromo tribes to expand towards central and eastern modern Ethiopia.
Bati del Wambara fl. 1531, was the Harari wife of the 16th-century general, Ahmad ibn Ibrahim, and then his successor, Nur ibn Mujahid. She was extremely influential in shaping both her husbands' military policies in their campaigns against the Ethiopian Empire.
The Makayl-Dheere also known as Makaahiil-Dheere (Makayldheere), is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Makahiil sub-clan of the Gadabuursi Dir clan family.
Fatagar was a historical province that separated Muslim and Christian dominions in the medieval Horn of Africa. In the eleventh century it was part of the Muslim states, then was invaded by the Christian kingdom led by Emperor Amda Seyon I, after which it would serve as central district in, and home of multiple rulers of, the Ethiopian Empire in the 15th century.
The Battle of Fatagar was a reprisal war between the participants of the previous Adal Sultanate and Ethiopian Empire in the Ethiopian-Adal war. It was fought between the forces of the Sultanate of Harar led by Nur ibn Mujahid, and the Ethiopian Empire under Emperor Gelawdewos. The Ethiopian Emperor was killed by Adal forces in this battle.
Hubat, also known as Hobat, or Kubat was a historical Muslim state located in present-day eastern Ethiopia. Historically part of the Adal region alongside Gidaya and Hargaya states on the Harar plateau. Hubat is today within a district known as Adare Qadima which includes Garamuelta and its surroundings in Oromia region. The area is 30 km north west of Harar city at Hubeta, according to historian George Huntingford. Trimingham locates it as the region between Harar and Jaldessa. Archaeologist Timothy Insoll considers Harla town to be Hubat the capital of the now defunct Harla Kingdom.
Early history of Harar city is generally obscure, as many documents and records differ the exact date of the origin of the city. Most historical records state that Harar's history date back to 16th century, beginning with Adal Sultanate moving its capital from Dakkar to Harar during the reign of Sultan Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad. Other rudimentary oral tradition produced in 19th and 20th century stated that Harar history dated by in the 10th century or Abadir Umar ar-Rida founded the first Harar kingdom after migrating from Arabian Peninsula to spread Islam in 12th and 13th century.
Adal, known as Awdal or Aw Abdal was a historical Muslim region in the Horn of Africa. Located east of Ifat and the Awash river as far as the coast, and including Harar as well as Zeila. The Zeila state often denoted Adal and other Muslim dominions in medieval texts.
Ifat also known as Yifat, Awfat or Wafat was a historical Muslim region in the Horn of Africa. It was located on the eastern edge of Shewa.
The Battle of Webi River was fought in 1576 between the forces of Adal led by Muhammad ibn Nasir, and the Abyssinian army, under Sarsa Dengel. The outcome of this last war proved to be the end of the political importance of Harar, as the invading Muslim force was liquidated. This major defeat ended the Sultanate of Adal's status as a major military power and permanently ceased its aggression towards Ethiopia.
Adal Sultanate