List of colonial governors of Italian Somaliland

Last updated

Governor of Italian Somaliland
Governatore della Somalia italiana
Italian Somaliland COA.svg
Coat of arms of Italian Somaliland
Blank.png
Longest serving
Emilio Dulio

25 May 1898 – 16 March 1905
Reports to King of Italy
Governor-General of Italian East Africa (after 1936)
Residence Governor's Palace, Mogadishu
Formation3 August 1889
First holder Vincenzo Filonardi
Final holder Carlo De Simone (acting)
Abolished9 March 1941
Succession British military administrators of Somalia
Italian Somaliland (green) and Jubaland/Oltre Giuba (blue) in 1930. Italian Somaliland.png
Italian Somaliland (green) and Jubaland/Oltre Giuba (blue) in 1930.
Enlargement and transformation of Italian Somaliland into Somalia Governorate of the Italian East Africa, 1936-1941. Somaliaitaliana1940.png
Enlargement and transformation of Italian Somaliland into Somalia Governorate of the Italian East Africa, 1936–1941.

This article lists the colonial governors of Italian Somaliland from 1889 to 1941. They administered the territory on behalf of the Kingdom of Italy.

Contents

Italian Somaliland

Complete list of colonial governors of Italian Somaliland: [1]

Tenure [lower-alpha 1] PortraitIncumbentNotes
Benadir coast Italian protectorate
3 August 1889 to 15 May 1893 Vincenzo Filonardi ,
Governor
1st time
15 May 1893 to 1896Vacant
1896 to 1897 Vincenzo Filonardi ,
Commissioner
2nd time
1897 Emilio Dulio ,
Commissioner
1st time
1897 to 25 May 1898Giorgio Sorrentino,
Commissioner
25 May 1898 to 16 March 1905 Emilio Dulio ,
Governor
2nd time
Italian Somaliland colony
16 March 1905 to 1906 Luigi Mercatelli.jpg Luigi Mercatelli ,
Commissioner-General
1906 to 1907 Giuseppe Salvago Raggi.gif Giuseppe Salvago Raggi ,
Commissioner-General
1907 to 1908 Tommaso Carletti ,
Commissioner-General
1908 to July 1910 Tommaso Carletti ,
Governor
Italian Somaliland crown colony
July 1910 to 1916 Giacomo De Martino (1849-1921).jpg Giacomo De Martino ,
Governor
1916 to 1919 Giovanni Cerrina Feroni ,
Governor
1919 to 21 June 1920Vacant
21 June 1920 to 8 December 1923Carlo Ricci Riveri,
Governor
8 December 1923 to 1 June 1928 Cesare Maria De Vecchi1.jpg Cesare Maria De Vecchi ,
Governor
From 1925 conte di Val Cismon
1 June 1928 to 1 July 1931 Guido.JPG Guido Corni ,
Governor
1 July 1931 to 6 March 1935 Maurizio Rava - WWI - commilitoni (cropped).png Maurizio Rava  [ it ],
Governor
6 March 1935 to 22 May 1936 Rodolfo Graziani 1940 (Retouched).jpg Rodolfo Graziani ,
Governor
22 May 1936 to 24 May 1936Angelo De Ruben,
Governor
De facto Governor since January 1936
Somalia Governorate
Part of Italian East Africa
24 May 1936 to 15 December 1937 S.E. il generale Ruggero Santini comandante il I corpo d'armata.jpg Ruggiero Santini ,
Governor
15 December 1937 to 11 June 1940Francesco Caroselli,
Governor
11 June 1940 to 31 December 1940 Gustavo Pesenti ,
acting Governor
31 December 1940 to 9 March 1941 Carlo De Simone ,
acting Governor

Between 1936 and 1941, Italian Somaliland was administered as the Somalia Governorate within Italian East Africa (Africa Orientale Italiana). In 1940, British Somaliland was invaded and annexed to the Somalia Governorate and governed by Carlo De Simone as "interim military governor" until March 1941.

British Military Administration/Trust Territory of Somaliland

Coat of arms of the Trust Territory of Somaliland Coat of arms of Somalia.svg
Coat of arms of the Trust Territory of Somaliland
Somalia after independence in 1960, when British Somaliland and the Trust Territory of Somaliland disappeared with their political union Somalia Topography en.png
Somalia after independence in 1960, when British Somaliland and the Trust Territory of Somaliland disappeared with their political union

From 1941 until 1950, Italian Somaliland was governed by the British Military Administration. The territory was thereafter administered as the Trust Territory of Somaliland, a United Nations trusteeship with Italian administration. The governors were:

TenurePortraitIncumbentNotes
British administration of Italian Somaliland
25 February 1941 to 20 March 1941 British Generals 1939-1945 E6661.jpg Alan Cunningham ,
General Officer Commanding
Military occupation
20 March 1941 to May 1943William Eric Halstead Scuphan,
Chief Administrator
May 1943 to 1948Denis Henry Widcham,
Chief Administrator
1948 Eric Armar Vully de Candole ,
Chief Administrator
1948 to 1 April 1950Geoffrey Massey Gamble,
Chief Administrator
Italian Somaliland, Trust Territory of Somalia
Under Italian administration (Amministrazione Fiduciaria Italiana della Somalia, AFIS)
1 April 1950 to 1953 Giovanni Fornari ,
Administrator [2]
1953 to 1954Vacant
1954 to 1957 Enrico Martino.jpg Enrico Martino  [ it ],
Administrator
1957 to 24 July 1958Enrico Anzilotti,
Administrator
24 July 1958 to 1 July 1960Mario Di Stefano,
Administrator
1 July 1960Unification of the Trust Territory of Somalia and the State of Somaliland, establishing the Somali Republic (Somalia).

For continuation after independence, see: List of presidents of Somalia.

Notes

  1. Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office.

See also

Related Research Articles

Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. The country was an important centre for commerce with the rest of the ancient world, and according to most scholars, it is among the most probable locations of the fabled ancient Land of Punt. During the Middle Ages, several powerful Somali states and port towns dominated the regional trade, the Mogadishu Sultanate and Ajuran Sultanate both centered around the port town Mogadishu, but also the port towns of Barawe and Merca.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian East Africa</span> Italian colony in the Horn of Africa from 1936 to 1941

Italian East Africa was an Italian colony in the Horn of Africa. It was formed in 1936 after the Second Italo-Ethiopian War through the merger of Italian Somalia, Italian Eritrea, and the newly occupied Ethiopian Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Somaliland</span> British protectorate from 1884 to 1960

British Somaliland, officially the Somaliland Protectorate, was a crown colony and protectorate of the United Kingdom in modern Somaliland. During its existence, the territory was bordered by Italian Somalia, French Somali Coast and Abyssinia. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian Somaliland</span> 1889–1936 protectorate in Africa

Italian Somaliland was a protectorate and later colony of the Kingdom of Italy in present-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali Sultanates of Hobyo and Majeerteen in the north, and in the south by political entities such as the Hiraab Imamate and Geledi Sultanate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luigi Frusci</span> Officer served in the Italian conquest of Ethiopia and World War II

Luigi Frusci was an Italian military officer in the Italian Royal Army during the Italian conquest of Ethiopia and World War II. He was the last Italian Governor of Eritrea and Amhara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trust Territory of Somaliland</span> 1949–1960 Italian-ruled UN trust territory in the Horn of Africa

The Trust Territory of Somaliland, officially the "Trust Territory of Somaliland under Italian administration", was a United Nations Trust Territory situated in present-day Somalia. Its capital was Mogadishu and was administered by Italy from 1950 to 1960, following the dissolution of the former British Military Administration. It gained independence in 1960.

Carlo De Simone was an officer in the Italian Army during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oltre Giuba</span> 1924–25 Italian colony in modern Somalia

Oltre Giuba or Trans-Juba was an Italian colony in the territory of Jubaland in present-day southern Somalia. It lasted from 1924 until 1926, when it was absorbed into Italian Somaliland. Transjuba is the former name of Jubaland, a federal member state of Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian Empire</span> Italy and its colonies and territories

The Italian colonial empire, also known as the Italian Empire between 1936 and 1941, was founded in Africa in the 19th century and it comprised the colonies, protectorates, concessions and dependencies of the Kingdom of Italy. In Africa, the colonial empire included the territories of present-day Libya, Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia ; outside Africa, Italy possessed the Dodecanese Islands, Albania and also had a concession in Tianjin, China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian Somalis</span> Italian community in Somalia

Italian Somalis are Somali-born citizens who are fully or partially of Italian descent, whose ancestors were Italians who emigrated to Somalia during the Italian diaspora, or Italian-born people in Somalia. Most of the Italians moved to Somalia during the Italian colonial period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of Somalia</span>

The following is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Somalia. From the late 1800s to 1960, northwestern present-day Somalia was administered as British Somaliland, while the northeastern, central and southern part of the country were concurrently administered as Italian Somaliland. In 1960, the two territories were unified as the Somali Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eritrea Governorate</span> Italian colony in East Africa (1936–1941)

Eritrea Governorate was one of the six governorates of Italian East Africa. Its capital was Asmara. It was formed from the previously separate colony of Italian Eritrea, which was enlarged with parts of the conquered Ethiopian Empire following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somalia Governorate</span> Former governorate of Italian East Africa

Somalia Governorate was one of the six governorates of Italian East Africa. It was formed from the previously separate colony of Italian Somalia, enlarged by the Ogaden region of the conquered Ethiopian Empire following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.

Vincenzo Filonardi was an Italian politician and soldier of the Regio Esercito, who was the first governor of Italian Somalia. In 1890, he was also consul of the Kingdom of Italy to Zanzibar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italy–Somalia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Italy–Somalia relations are bilateral relations between Italy and Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French Somaliland in World War II</span>

French Somaliland, with its capital at Djibouti, was the scene of only minor skirmishing during World War II, principally between June and July 1940. After the fall of France the colony was briefly in limbo until a governor loyal to the Vichy government was installed on 25 July. It was the last French possession in Africa to remain loyal to Vichy, surrendering to Free French forces only on 26 December 1942. Pierre Nouailhetas governed the territory through most of the Vichy period. After aerial bombardment by the British, he instituted a reign of terror against Europeans and locals. Nouailhetas was eventually recalled and forced to retire. From September 1940, the colony was under an Allied blockade, and many of its inhabitants fled to neighbouring British Somaliland. After the territory's liberation, there were many governors and recovery from the deprivation of 1940–42 was only beginning when the war ended in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Military Administration (Somaliland)</span> 1941–1950 British control of parts of Somalia

The British Military Administration of Somaliland was the control of the regions of British Somaliland and of the former Italian Somaliland by the British from 1941 until 1949. At the end of 1949, it became a United Nations trust territory which would last from 1950 until 1960 whilst under Italian administration.

References

  1. Worldstatesmen.org
  2. Patrizia Palumbo (2003). A Place in the Sun: Africa in Italian Colonial Culture from Post-Unification to the Present. University of California Press. p. 30. ISBN   978-0-520-93626-3.

Bibliography