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. 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.
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.
Sarsa Dengel, also known as Sarsa the Great, was Emperor of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. His throne name was throne name Malak Sagad I. He is considered one of the greatest warrior-kings of the Ethiopian Empire.
Hadiya also known as Adea or Hadia was a medieval Muslim state in the southern part of its realm located south of Shewa and west of Sharkha. The Hadiya Muslim state mainly composed of Cushitic Hadiyya proper, Halaba, Kebena people as well as Semitic Sil'te and other tongues related to Harari language. Hadiya was historically a vassal state of the Adal federation and then became an autonomous province of Abyssinia in the fourteenth century while still remaining a member of the Zeila union. In the 1600s Hadiya regained its independence and was led by a Garad. By 1850, Hadiya is placed north-west of lakes Zway and Langano but still between these areas.
The Battle of Gomit or Battle of Egubba was fought in 1445 between the Ethiopian Empire and a powerful Muslim army under the Adal Sultanate. The Ethiopians were led by Emperor Zara Yaqob, while the forces of Adal were led by Sultan Badlay ibn Sa'ad ad-Din. The Ethiopian army was victorious, and Badlay was slain.
Yeshaq was the Bahr Negus during the mid to late 16th century. A subordinate of Ethiopian Emperor Dawit II, he was noted for supporting Gelawdewos during the Ethiopian-Adal war, and rebelling against his successors.
Hadiya, also spelled as Hadiyya, is an ethnic group native to Ethiopia in southern region who speak the Hadiyyisa language. According to a popular etymology, the name 'Hadiyya," means gift of god". it is mainly known for its Islamic influences in southern part of south shewa and west sharka A historical definition of the Hadiya people based on the old Hadiyya Sultanate included a number of Ethiopian ethnic groups currently known by other names. Currently, this historic entity is subdivided into a number of ethnonyms, partly with different languages and cultural affiliations. In his book "A History of the Hadiyya in Southern Ethiopia," Ulrich Braukämper reported that Leemo, Weexo-giira, Sooro, Shaashoogo, Baadawwaachcho, and Libido (Maraqo) Hadiyya, Endegang subgroups remain a language entity and preserved identity of oneness, the Hadiyya proper. The term Hadiya specifically designates the Qabeena people. Other ethnic groups such as Siltʼe, Wulbareg, Azarnat, Barbare, Wuriro, Wolane and Gadabano profess that they're the seven Hadiya clans. Hadiya people were fully Muslims until invasion of menilik II in 19th century that caused massive forced conversion to Christianity and increasing Protestant missionaries in late 19s. Clans of Hadiya origin in Oromia, Sidama, Wolayta, Gurage, Tigray, and Afar were completely absorbed by these nations. They were initially all inhabitants of a single political entity, a sultanate, which in the four centuries following its break-up in the mid-16th century fragmented into separate ethnic groups.
Nur al-Din or Nur ibn Mujahidibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah al Dhuhi Suha was an Emir of Harar who ruled over the Adal Sultanate. He was known for marrying his uncle's widow, Bati del Wambara, and also succeeding Imam Ahmad as the leader of the Muslim forces fighting Christian Ethiopia. He is often known as the "King of Adel" in medieval texts.
The Oromo expansions 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 the Adal Sultanate and the Ethiopian Empire would further encourage the numerous Oromo tribes to expand towards central and eastern modern Ethiopia.
Dawaro or Doaro was a Muslim principality which laid near Hadiya. The state was originally independent until becoming a vassal and later a province due its subjugation by Emperor Amda Seyon I in the early 14th century. The region was situated east of Hadiya and north of Bali which covered much of Ethiopia's Arsi Province. The capital of Dawaro was called Sabboch
The Maya are an extinct ethnic group native to the old Wej province in Ethiopia. The Mayas were a Cushitic-speaking nomadic people, who were feared and dreaded by their neighbors for their use of deadly poisoned arrows. They were primarily pastoralists and their livelihood was with their cattle. According to professor Ulrich Braukämper, Maya were related to the Hadiyans.
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.
A Malassay was a member of the elite cavalry units that formed the Adal Sultanate's household troops. According to Manfred Kropp, Malassay were the Harari armed forces.
The Battle of Fatagar was a reprisal conflict between the previous participants of the Ethiopian–Adal War. It was fought between the forces of the Adal Sultanate led by Nur ibn Mujahid, and the Ethiopian Empire under Emperor Gelawdewos. The Ethiopian Emperor was later killed by Adal forces in this battle.
Matan ibn Uthman Bin Khalid (Somali: Mataan Ibnu Cismaan ibnu Khaalid, Arabic: متن بن عثمان بن خالد) 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.
Muhammad ibn Nasir, reigned 1573–1576, was a sultan of the Sultanate of Adal in the Horn of Africa.
Asmadin was a Malassay of the Adal Sultanate and later Garad (governor) in Abyssinia. He remained in Ethiopia as governor of Wej province after Adal's defeat and subsequent military withdrawal from Abyssinian territory. Asmadin had a great deal of influence in Abyssinia as he is known for assisting the imperial forces of Emperor Sarsa Dengel at the Battle of Endagabatan and the Battle of Hadiya. A gate is named after him in the city of Harar called Asmadin Bari.
Abbas ibn Abogn ibn Ibrahim also known as Wazir Abbas was an Adalite General who became Grand Vizier of the Adal Sultanate in 1535. The nephew of Ahmed Gurey, he led the Adalite conquest of Medri Bahri and was briefly the Bahr Negash. He was also the father of the Sultan Talha ibn Abbas.
Bale, also known as Bali, was a historical Muslim region located in the southeastern part of modern Ethiopia. It bordered the Dawaro to the north, Hadiya in the west, and Adal in the east and its core areas were located around the Shebelle River. However, the borders of Bale during the medieval period are unclear - it is usually placed around the Wabe Shebelle river, another river that shaped its borders was the Wabe River. Overall, borders of historical Bale corresponded to the modern districts of Goba, Sinana-Dinsho, Agarfa, Gasera and Goro. In the 14th century it was located between Ifat and Solomonic tributary state of Hadiya. Taddesse Tamrat locates Bale south of the Shebelle River, which separated the kingdom from Dawaro to the north and Adal to the northeast; Richard Pankhurst adds that its southern boundary was the Ganale Dorya River. Ulrich Braukämper, after discussing the evidence, states that this former dependency "occupied an area in the northeast of the province which later was named after it, between the mountain range of Urgoma and the eastern Wabi Bend."
Ethiopian Empire 
Adal Sultanate 
Sarsa Dengel 