Kingdom of Gera

Last updated
Kingdom of Gera
1835–1887
Gibe kingdoms.png
The five Oromo kingdoms of the Gibe region
CapitalChala (Chira)
Religion
Sunni Islam
Demonym(s) Oromo
GovernmentMonarchy
Donacho 
History 
 Established
1835
 Annexed by Ethiopian Empire
1887
Succeeded by
Ethiopian Empire Flag of Ethiopia (1897-1974).svg

The Kingdom of Gera was a kingdom in the Gibe region of Ethiopia that emerged in the late 19th century. It shared its northern border with the Kingdom of Gumma, its eastern border with the Kingdom of Gomma, and was separated from the Kingdom of Kaffa to the south by the Gojeb River. With its capital at Chala (Later Chira), the Gera kingdom's territory corresponds approximately with the modern woreda of Gera.

Contents

Overview

The Kingdom of Gera was located in a basin surrounded with gently undulating hills, although extensive swampland existed in the northern hills. The population of this kingdom was estimated in 1880 to have been between 15,000 and 16,000. [1] The planting and harvesting of corn followed a different calendar in Gera from the other Gibe kingdoms; where the others planted in February and harvested in July, in Gera it was planted in April and harvested in August. Mohammed Hassen adds that Gera "was, and still is, the rich land of honey" and notes that Gera honey had a reputation as the finest honey in Ethiopia. Hassen lists eight kinds of honey cultivated in Gera, the best being the Ebichaa ("dark") honey, from which was made a mead known as dadhi , the drink of royalty and dignitaries in the Gibe region. "It is not surprising, therefore," Hassen concludes, "that the flavorsome and prestigious Ebichaa was a royal monopoly." [2]

Gera is also the location of Mount Ijersa, which the Oromo regard as sacred. They believe that God will take his seat there at the time of the Last Judgement. [3]

Rulers of the kingdom held the royal title of Donacho. [4]

History

According to Beckingham and Huntingford, there is evidence that the monarchy of Gera existed before the Great Oromo migration in the 16th century. [5] However, according to Mohammed Hassen, Gera was the last of the Gibe kingdoms to come into existence, and was founded by Gunji, "a successful war leader who made himself king" around 1835, but died shortly afterwards. [6] This dynasty came to an end with the murder of Tulu Ganje by king Oncho of Gumma. A new one was founded by Abba Baso, who proved to be an unpopular ruler. He was later overthrown by his brother Abba Rago and exiled to Jimma. [7]

According to Trimingham, the kingdom enjoyed its greatest prosperity under king Abba Magal, who had been converted to Islam, although a number of his subjects still professed Christianity. It unclear which Gibe king was responsible for this conversion: Trimingham attributes this achievement to Abba Jubir of Gumma; Mohammed Hassen gives the initial credit to Abba Bagibo of Limmu-Ennarea, who offered to support Abba Magal in his fight for the throne if he allowed Muslim missionaries into his kingdom, and only later did Abba Jubir convert him. [8] On King Abba Magal's death, his wife Genne Fa acted as regent for their son, both of whom became prisoners in Jimma when Gera was conquered by Dejazmach Besha Abua in 1887. [9]

See also

Notes

  1. C.F. Beckingham and G.W.B. Huntingford, Some Records of Ethiopia, 1593-1646 (London: Hakluyt Society, 1954), p. lxxix
  2. Mohammed Hassen, The Oromo of Ethiopia: A History 1570-1860 (Trenton: Red Sea Press, 1994), p. 117
  3. G.W.B. Huntingford, The Galla of Ethiopia; the Kingdoms of Kafa and Janjero (London: International African Institute, 1955), p. 82
  4. Trimingham, p.203.
  5. Beckingham and Huntingford, Some Records, p. lxxxv.
  6. Hassen, The Oromo, p. 112
  7. Hassen, The Oromo, p. 113
  8. Hassen, The Oromo, pp. 160f
  9. Trimingham, p. 202.

Related Research Articles

This is a list of monarchies of Ethiopia that existed throughout the nation's history. It is divided into kingdoms that were subdivisions of Ethiopia, and kingdoms that were later conquered by Ethiopia. Ancient kingdoms fall into neither category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimma</span> City in Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Jimma is the largest city in southwestern Oromia Region, Ethiopia. It is a special zone of the Oromia Region and is surrounded by Jimma Zone. Prior to the 2007 census, Jimma was reorganized administratively as a special Zone.

MotiAbba Jifar I was the first king of the Gibe Kingdom of Jimma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abba Jifar II</span> King of Jimma from 1878 to 1932

MotiAbba Jifar II was King of the Gibe Kingdom of Jimma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Jimma</span> 1790–1932 Oromo kingdom based in southwestern Ethiopia

The Kingdom of Jimma was an Oromo Muslim kingdom in the Gibe region of Ethiopia that emerged in the 18th century. It shared its western border with Limmu-Ennarea, its eastern border with the Sidamo Kingdom of Janjero, and was separated from the Kingdom of Kaffa to the south by the Gojeb River. Jimma was considered the most powerful militarily of the Gibe kingdoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gibe region</span> Historical region in southwestern Ethiopia

The Gibe region was a historic region in modern southwestern Ethiopia, to the west of the Gibe and Omo Rivers, and north of the Gojeb. It was the location of the former Oromo and Sidama kingdoms of Gera, Gomma, Garo, Gumma, Jimma, and Limmu-Ennarea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Gomma</span> Kingdom in Gibe region of Ethiopian Empire between 18th and 19th century

The Kingdom of Gomma was a kingdom in the Gibe region of Ethiopia that emerged in the 18th century. It was based in Agaro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Gumma</span> Kingdom in Gibe region of Ethiopian Empire between 18th century to 1902

The Kingdom of Gumma was a kingdom in the Gibe region of Ethiopia that emerged in the 18th century. Its eastern border was formed by the bend of the Didessa River, which separated it from Limmu-Ennarea to the northeast, and the kingdoms of Gomma and Gera to the south. Beyond its northern border were various Macha Oromo groups, and to the west Sidamo groups. Its territory corresponds approximately with the modern woredas of Gechi, Borecha, and Didessa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Limmu-Ennarea</span> 1801–1891 Oromo kingdom in southern Ethiopia

The Kingdom of Limmu-Ennarea was one of the kingdoms in the Gibe region of Ethiopia that emerged in the 19th century. It shared its eastern border with the Kingdom of Jimma, its southern border with the Kingdom of Gomma and its western border with the Kingdom of Gumma. Beyond its northern border lay tribes of the Macha Oromo. Jimma was considered the most civilized of the Gibe kingdoms, which had a population in the 1880s between 10,000 and 12,000. It was converted to Islam by missionaries from Emirate of Harar in the first half of the 19th century; C.T. Beke, writing in 1841, reported that its "king and most of his subjects are Mohammedan." Limmu-Ennarea's capital was at Saqqa.

The Kingdom of Garo, also known as Bosha after its ruling dynasty, was an Oromo kingdom in the Horn of Africa. Established by the Oromo people, it was situated on the periphery of the Gibe region of Ethiopia.

The Kingdom of Yamma, also spelled Yemma, was a small kingdom located in what is now Ethiopia. It lay in the angle formed by the Omo and the Jimma Gibe Rivers; to the west lay the Kingdom of Jimma and to the south the Kingdom of Garo. Three mountains — Mount Bor Ama, Mount Azulu, and Mount Toba — all distinguish the location of the former kingdom. It covered the area of present-day Sekoru district and Yem special woreda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Kaffa</span> 1390–1897 kingdom in southern Ethiopia

The Kingdom of Kaffa was a kingdom located in what is now Ethiopia from 1390 to 1897, with its first capital at Bonga. The Gojeb River formed its northern border, beyond which lay the Gibe kingdoms; to the east the territory of the Konta and Kullo peoples lay between Kaffa and the Omo River; to the south numerous subgroups of the Gimira people, and to the west lay the Majangir people. The native language, also known as Kaffa, is one of the Omotic group of languages.

Saqqa is a town in south-western Ethiopia, and capital of the former Kingdom of Limmu-Ennarea. Located in the Jimma Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of 08°12′N36°56′E.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Damot</span> Medieval kingdom in southern Ethiopia from 900 to 1317

The Kingdom of Damot was a medieval kingdom in what is now western Ethiopia. The territory was positioned below the Blue Nile. It was a powerful state that forced the Sultanate of Showa to pay tributes. It also annihilated the armies of the Zagwe dynasty that were sent to subdue its territory. Damot conquered several Muslim and Christian territories. The Muslim state Showa and the new Christian state under Yekuno Amlak formed an alliance to counter the influence of Damot in the region.

The Sultanate of Bale was a Somali Muslim Sultanate founded in the Bale Mountains of the southern Ethiopian Highlands and Horn of Africa. It corresponds roughly to the modern Bale Zone of the Oromia Region in Ethiopia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ennarea</span> Medieval kingdom in western Ethiopia that lasted between 14th century to 18th century

Ennarea, also known as E(n)narya or In(n)arya, was a kingdom in the Gibe region in what is now western Ethiopia. It became independent from the kingdom of Damot in the 14th century and would be the most powerful kingdom in the region until its decline in the 17th century. Being located on the southwestern periphery of the Ethiopian Empire, Ennarea was its tributary throughout much of its history, supplying the emperor with gold and slaves. The culmination of this relationship was the Christianization of the Ennarean elite in the late 1580s. From the late 16th century the kingdom came under increasing pressure by the Oromo, who finally reconquered Ennarea in around 1610.

Wej was a province established in the 10th-century and located in the southwest of what is now Ethiopia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hubat</span> Historic state in modern Ethiopia

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.

References