First Battle of Yedaya

Battle of Yedaya
Date 1422 Location Ethiopia Result Adalite victory
Belligerents
Ethiopian Empire	Adal Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
Dawit I (fringe theroy)	Mansur ad-Din
Strength
Unknown	Unknown

The 1stBattle of Yedaya was a military engagement fought between the Ethiopian Empire and the Adal Empire. The Adalite army was victorious and the Ethiopian king was captured and killed, according to Richard Pankhurst. However, many historians such as Mohammed Hassen, J. Spencer Trimingham, E.A. Wallis Budge and Taddesse Tamrat put the end of Dawit's reign at 1411-1412, a decade before the supposed battle takes place. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Prelude

After his reconquest of Adal, Sabr ad-Din III died of natural causes in 1422, Sultan Mansur ad-Din succeeded the throne and enjoyed support of his brother Muhammad.

Battle

Early in his reign, Mansur ad-Din launched an expedition against a king of Ethiopia and drove him to Yedaya which was described as his royal seat. After destroying the Solomonic army, Mansur allegedly captured the said king and killed him. ^{[5] [6]}

Richard Pankhurst claims that the king in question was Dawit I, whose death, he claims, like that of many other Solomonic kings, although presumed to be an event of major importance, is not recorded by the Ethiopian Chronicles. The Ethiopian historian Taddesse Tamrat argues the Ethiopian royal chronicles of this era often deliberately attempted to suppress the violent deaths of the kings whose reigns they extol. ^[7] However, Taddesse Tamrat himself puts the end of Dawit's reign at 1412, contradicting Pankhurst's presumption of the Emperor's death in this battle and making it impossible. ^[8] Along with Tamrat, the overwhelming majority of historians such as Mohammed Hassen, ^[9] J. Spencer Trimingham, ^[10] E.A. Wallis Budge ^[11] also put the end of Dawit's reign in the years 1411-1412 a decade before the supposed battle takes place and making the emperor's participation impossible.

Mansur ad-Din also later led a two month Siege of Mukha in which he was victorious and converted 10,000 Ethiopian soldiers.

References

1. Mohammad Hassan, the Oromo of Ethiopia, p.18
2. Trimingham, J. Spencer. Islam in Ethiopia. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2013, p.74
3. Budge, E. A. Wallis. A History of Ethiopia: Volume I (Routledge Revivals): Nubia and Abyssinia. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2014, p.300
4. Tamrat, Taddesse. Church and State in Ethiopia, 1270-1527. United Kingdom: Clarendon Press, 1972, 213
5. Pankhurst, Richard (1997). The Ethiopian Borderlands: Essays in Regional History from Ancient Times to the End of the 18th Century. The Red Sea Press. p. 57. ISBN   978-0-932415-19-6.
6. Budge E.a. Wallis (1828). History Of Ethiopia Nubia And Abyssinia. p. 302.
7. Pankhurst, Richard (1997). The Ethiopian Borderlands: Essays in Regional History from Ancient Times to the End of the 18th Century. The Red Sea Press. p. 57. ISBN   978-0-932415-19-6.
8. Tamrat, Taddesse. Church and State in Ethiopia, 1270-1527. United Kingdom: Clarendon Press, 1972, 213
9. Mohammad Hassan, the Oromo of Ethiopia, p.18
10. Trimingham, J. Spencer. Islam in Ethiopia. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2013, p.74
11. Budge, E. A. Wallis. A History of Ethiopia: Volume I (Routledge Revivals): Nubia and Abyssinia. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2014, p.300