Zeila (historical region)

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Zeila also known as Zaila or Zayla was a historical Muslim region in the Horn of Africa. [1] [2] [3] [4] The region was named after the port city of Zeila in modern day Somalia. [5] [6]

Contents

Geography

Map of Zeila region circa 1744 alternatively known as Kingdom of Adal, bordering Oromo (Galla) to its immediate west and Mogadishu in the south Map of Zeila and Adal in the Horn of Africa.jpg
Map of Zeila region circa 1744 alternatively known as Kingdom of Adal, bordering Oromo (Galla) to its immediate west and Mogadishu in the south

In the medieval Arab world the Muslim inhabited domains in the Horn of Africa were often referred to as Zeila to differentiate them from the Christian territories designated Habasha. [7] [8] [9] [10] According to Ibn Battuta, a journey through the whole of Zeila and the Mogadishu region would take eight weeks to complete. [11]

Fourteenth century Arab historian Ibn Fadlallah al-Umari recounted on the usage of the term and its origin being the city of Zeila, a vital port in the region. [12]

this is the region which is called in Egypt and Syria the land of Zaila. This however is only one of their coastal towns and one of their islands, whose name has been extended to the whole

—  Ibn Fadlallah al-Umari, Masālik al-abṣār fī Mamālik al-amṣār

Ethiopian scholar Taddesse Tamrat noted that according to the Arab historian Al-Maqrizi, Jabarta was considered part of the region of Zeila. [13] [14]

History

The term Zeila in the thirteenth century was often interchangeable with the Ifat Sultanate which ruled over the entire region and later in the fourteenth century onwards used to denote its successor state the Adal Sultanate as well as Adal region. [15] [16] [17] Throughout this period the attribution "al-Zaylai" frequently signified an individual from this region however it was not made consistently clear whether it referred to the denizens of city specifically or the Muslims further inland. [18]

In the fourteenth century Egyptian historian al-Maqrizi mentions the inhabitants of Zeila country were fond of the narcotic khat leaf grown in the region. [19] One of the earliest accounts of coffee in text is by the sixteenth century Islamic scholar Ibn Hajar al-Haytami who writes about its development from a tree in the Zeila region. [20]

The fifteenth century empress Eleni of Ethiopia was styled as "queen of Zeila" due to her Muslim upbringing and connection to the Hadiya Sultanate. [21] The leaders of Adal were also often referred to as Zeila kings in texts most notably Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi conqueror of Abyssinia. [22] [23]

The seventeenth century saw the decline of Adal, described as being divided into smaller separate states due to the “long and bloody” wars waged on Abyssinia. [24] According to American geographer Samuel Augustus Mitchell, the neighbouring port of Berbera in the Somali country and its respective provinces were flourishing in trade stretching through depths of Ethiopia from the Emirate of Harar whose leader rules over the Somalis. [25] However during this period, British government official James Henson noted that Berbera was ruled by the local merchant Sharmake Ali Saleh [26]

Inhabitants

Coastline of Zeila (c. 19th century) its strategic location and proximity to the Red Sea was of great importance to the rulers of the region. Zeila, Somalia.jpg
Coastline of Zeila (c. 19th century) its strategic location and proximity to the Red Sea was of great importance to the rulers of the region.

According to John Fage and I.M. Lewis, the main inhabitants of Zeila were ancestral to the Somali tribes who historically resided in the region. [27] [28] Ibn Fadlallah Al Umari’s account of Ifat states that the people of Zeila spoke a distinct language possibly of Semitic origin. He refers to this language as (Zayla’i) in his account. [29] According to British explorer Richard Burton, al-Maqrizi mentions the "Kingdom of Zayla" using the Harari moniker. [30]

With the spread of Islam into Africa in the seventh century, the Somali language, especially certain northern dialects were influenced immensely by Arabic [31] as well as the Harari language with traditional titles such as Garad, Malaq, and Aw adopted by various Somali clans. [32] [33] The Zeila region itself positioned at the crossroads of two continents has often been included under the sphere of the South Semitic languages. [34] [35]

In the nineteenth-century the inhabitants of Zeila narrated to one British commissioner that the ruined town of Amud (in the Zeila region) was built by the ancient Harla people. The British commissioner attested to the similarities between the ruins of Amud and that of the walled city of Harar. [36]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adal Sultanate</span> 1415–1577 Muslim sultanate in the Horn of Africa

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.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zeila</span> Town in Awdal, Somaliland

Zeila, also known as Zaila or Zayla, is a historical port town in the western Awdal region of Somaliland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sultanate of Ifat</span> 1275–1415 Muslim state in the Horn of Africa

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, Ogaden, Djibouti, Somaliland or Somalia.

Sa'ad ad-Din II, reigned c. 1386 – c. 1403 or c. 1410, was a Sultan of the Ifat Sultanate. He was the brother of Haqq ad-Din II, and the father of Mansur ad-Din, Sabr ad-Din II and Badlay ibn Sa'ad ad-Din. The historian Richard Pankhurst describes him as "the last great ruler of Ifat."

The Walashma dynasty was a medieval Muslim dynasty of the Horn of Africa founded in Ifat. Founded in the 13th century, it governed the Ifat and Adal Sultanates in what are present-day, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea and eastern Ethiopia.

Badlay ibn Sa'ad ad-Din II (also known as Sihab ad-Din Ahmad Badlay, Arwe Badlay – "Badlay the Beast" was a Somali Sultan of the Sultanate of Adal and a son of Sa'ad ad-Din II. Brought numerous Christian lands under Muslim rule and contributed to expanding Adal's reach and power in the region. The polity under Sultan Badlay controlled the territory stretching from port city of Suakin in Sudan to covering the whole Afar plains to the Shewa and Chercher Mountains to include a significant part of northern Somalia. Sultanate of Mogadishu was also tributary state of Adal under Badlay.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dir (clan)</span> Somali clan family

The Dir is one of the largest and most prominent Somali clans in the Horn of Africa. They are also considered to be the oldest Somali stock to have inhabited the region. Its members inhabit Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia, and northeastern Kenya.

The Jeberti are a Muslim clan inhabiting the Horn of Africa, mainly Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Yemen and Oman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marehan</span> Somali Darod Clan

The Marehan is a Somali clan, which is part of one of the largest Somali clan families, the Darod.

The Argobba are an ethnic group inhabiting Ethiopia. A Muslim community, they are spread out through isolated village networks and towns in the north-eastern and eastern parts of the country. Group members have typically been astute traders and merchants, and have adjusted to the economic trends in their area. These factors have led to a decline in usage of the Argobba language. Argobba are considered endangered today due to exogamy and destitution as well as ethnic cleansing by the Abyssinian state over the centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harari people</span> Semitic-speaking ethnic group in the Horn of Africa

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 Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti. They spoke the now-extinct Harla language, which belonged to either the Cushitic or Semitic branches of the Afroasiatic family.

Yusuf bin Ahmad al-Kawneyn, popularly known as Aw Barkhadle or Yusuf Al Kownayn, was an Islamic scholar and traveler based in Zeila, Somalia. Based on reference to Yusuf Al Kawneyn in the Harar manuscripts, Dr. Enrico Cerulli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Makhzumi dynasty</span> 896–1286 Muslim kingdom in modern Ethiopia

The Makhzumi dynasty also known as Sultanate of Shewa or Shewa Sultanate, was a Muslim kingdom in present-day Ethiopia. Its capital Walale was situated in northern Hararghe in Harla country. Its territory extended possibly to some areas west of the Awash River. The port of Zeila may have influenced the kingdom. The rise of the Makhzumi state at the same time resulted in the decline of the Kingdom of Axum. Several engravings dating back to the 13th century showing the presence of the kingdom are found in Chelenqo, Bale, Harla near Dire Dawa and Munesa near Lake Langano.

Dawaro or Doaro was a Muslim principality which laid alongside the Ifat Sultanate. 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

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ifat (historical region)</span> Historic state in Horn of Africa

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.

Umar Ibn Dunyā-ḥawaz or Umar Walashma was the first ruler of the Sultanate of Ifat and the founder of the Walashma dynasty.

References

  1. ↑ Østebø, Terje (October 2020). Islam, Ethnicity, and Conflict in Ethiopia The Bale Insurgency, 1963–1970. Cambridge University Press. p. 52. ISBN   978-1-108-83968-6.
  2. ↑ Levtzion, Nehemia (31 March 2000). The History of Islam in Africa. Ohio University Press. p. 228. ISBN   978-0-8214-4461-0.
  3. ↑ Alpers, Edward (1997). "The African Diaspora in the Northwestern Indian Ocean: Reconsideration of an Old Problem, New Directions for Research". Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East (CSSAAME). 17 (2): 71.
  4. ↑ Adal. Encyclopedia Aethiopica.
  5. ↑ Trimingham, J. Spencer (13 September 2013). Islam in Ethiopia. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   978-1-136-97029-0.
  6. ↑ Kluijver, Robert. The State in Somalia : between self-governance and international order. Paris Institute of Political Studies. p. 81.
  7. ↑ Pierrepont, Zacharie. The Abyssinian connection? Abyssinian-related scholars in the Yemeni and Medieval Red Sea environment (6th–9th/12th-15th centuries). Marseille Université.
  8. ↑ Mukhtar, Mohamed (25 February 2003). Historical Dictionary of Somalia. Scarecrow Press. p. 268. ISBN   978-0-8108-6604-1.
  9. ↑ Erlikh, Ḥagai (2002). The Cross and the River Ethiopia, Egypt, and the Nile. L. Rienner. p. 39. ISBN   978-1-55587-970-9.
  10. ↑ Meri, Josef (31 October 2005). Medieval Islamic Civilization An Encyclopedia. Taylor & Francis. p. 12. ISBN   978-1-135-45596-5.
  11. ↑ Burton, Richard (April 2011). First Footsteps in East Africa. B & R Samizdat Express.
  12. ↑ Trimingham, J. Spencer (13 September 2013). Islam in Ethiopia. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   978-1-136-97029-0.
  13. ↑ Tamrat, Taddesse (1972). Church and State in Ethiopia, 1270-1527. Clarendon Press. p. 124. ISBN   978-0-19-821671-1.
  14. ↑ ʼAli), Maqrīzī (Aḥmad ibn (1790). Macrizi Historia regum Islamiticorum in Abyssinia. Interpretatus est et vna cum Abulfedae descriptione regionum nigritarum e codd. Biblioth. Leidensis Arabice edidit Fridericus Theodorus Rinck ... (in Arabic). apud Sam. et Joh. Luchtmans. p. 11.
  15. ↑ Ogilby, John. AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. p. 620.
  16. ↑ Cerulli, Enrico. Islam yesterday and today. p. 344.
  17. ↑ Brill, E. J. E.J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam 1913–1936. A – Bābā Beg · Volume 1. Brill. p. 126.
  18. ↑ Hirsch, Bertrand. The port of Zeyla and its hinterland in the Middle Ages. French Center for Ethiopian Studies.
  19. ↑ Radt, Charlotte. Contribution à l'histoire ethnobotanique d'une plante stimulante : le Kat. Le Kat au Yemen (Note Préliminaire). Journal d'agriculture traditionnelle et de botanique appliquée. p. 232.
  20. ↑ Waines, David. Food Culture and Health in Pre-Modern Muslim Societies. BRILL. p. 144.
  21. ↑ Braukämper, Ulrich. Islamic History and Culture in Southern Ethiopia Collected Essays. Lit. p. 61.
  22. ↑ The Portuguese expedition to Abyssinia in 1541–1543 as narrated by Castanhoso (PDF). p. 79.
  23. ↑ S.C., Munro-Hay. Ethiopia, the unknown land : a cultural and historical guide. I.B. Tauris. p. 28.
  24. ↑ Mitchell, Samuel Augustus (1842). A General View of the World: Comprising a Physical, Political, and Statistical Account of Its Grand Divisions ... with Their Empires, Kingdoms, Republics, Principalities, &c: Exhibiting the History of Geographical Science and the Progress of Discovery to the Present Time. Illustrated by Upwards of Nine Hundred Engravings. David M. Jewett.
  25. ↑ Mitchell, Samuel Augustus (1842). A General View of the World: Comprising a Physical, Political, and Statistical Account of Its Grand Divisions ... with Their Empires, Kingdoms, Republics, Principalities, &c: Exhibiting the History of Geographical Science and the Progress of Discovery to the Present Time. Illustrated by Upwards of Nine Hundred Engravings. David M. Jewett. p. 563.
  26. ↑ "'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [138] (247/496)". Qatar Digital Library. 2019-10-08. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  27. ↑ Fage, John. Cambridge History of Africa (PDF). Cambridge University Press. p. 139.
  28. ↑ Lewis, I.M. (1955). Peoples of the Horn of Africa: Somali, Afar and Saho. International African Institute. p. 140.
  29. ↑ Fage, John. Cambridge History of Africa (PDF). Cambridge University Press. p. 139.
  30. ↑ Burton, Richard. The Memorial Edition of the Works of Captain Sir Richard F. Burton. Tylston and Edwards. p. 31.
  31. ↑ Metz, Helen Chapin, ed. (1993). Somalia: a country study (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 97–98. ISBN   0-8444-0775-5. OCLC   27642849.
  32. ↑ Banti, Giorgio. Loanwords from Arabic and other Semitic Languages in Northern Somali (PDF). Oriental University of Naples. p. 7.
  33. ↑ Central Intelligence Agency, (gov) (23 February 2007). INTELLIGENCE HANDBOOK FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS SOMALI REPUBLIC (PDF) (CIA-RDP80-01444R000100060001-2 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency (gov). pp. 4–5.
  34. ↑ Banti, Giorgio. Loanwords from Arabic and other Semitic Languages in Northern Somali (PDF). Oriental University of Naples. p. 7.
  35. ↑ Lipiński, Edward (2001). Semitic Languages: Outline of a Comparative Grammar. Peeters Publishers. ISBN   978-90-429-0815-4.
  36. ↑ Rayne, Henry (October 1938). "QUEEN ARAWEILO". Blackwood's Magazine. 238: 568–578. Archived from the original on 27 June 2001. Retrieved 20 June 2017.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

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