Hadiya Sultanate
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Hadiya (also known as Adea, Hadia, or Hadya) was a medieval
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
state in the southern part of its realm located south of
Shewa Shewa (; ; Somali: Shawa; , ), formerly romanized as Shua, Shoa, Showa, Shuwa, is a historical region of Ethiopia which was formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire. The modern Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa is located at it ...
and west of Sharkha regions of the
Ethiopian Empire The Ethiopian Empire, historically known as Abyssinia or simply Ethiopia, was a sovereign state that encompassed the present-day territories of Ethiopia and Eritrea. It existed from the establishment of the Solomonic dynasty by Yekuno Amlak a ...
. 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 Harari is an Ethio-Semitic language spoken by the Harari people of Ethiopia. Old Harari is a literary language of the city of Harar, a central hub of Islam in the Horn of Africa. According to the 2007 Ethiopian census, it is spoken by 25,810 pe ...
. According to their tradition Kebena people also originally spoke the Semitic
Harari language Harari is an Ethio-Semitic language spoken by the Harari people of Ethiopia. Old Harari is a literary language of the city of Harar, a central hub of Islam in the Horn of Africa. According to the 2007 Ethiopian census, it is spoken by 25,810 pe ...
of
Harar Harar (; Harari language, Harari: ሀረር / ; ; ; ), known historically by the indigenous as Harar-Gey or simply Gey (Harari: ጌይ, ݘٛىيْ, ''Gēy'', ), is a List of cities with defensive walls, walled city in eastern Ethiopia. It is al ...
however shifted to Cushitic Timbaro. Hadiya was historically a vassal state of the
Adal Adal may refer to: *A short form for Germanic names in ''aþala-'' (Old High German ''adal-''), "nobility, pedigree"; see Othalan ** Adál Maldonado (1948–2020), Puerto Rican artist ** Adal Ramones (born 1969), Mexican television show host ** A ...
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 Garad ( Harari: ገራድ, , , Oromo: ''Garaada'') is a term used to refer to a king, Sultan or regional administrator. It was used primarily by Muslims in the Horn of Africa that were associated with Islamic states, most notably the Adal Sultanat ...
. By 1850, Hadiya was placed north-west of lakes Zway and Langano but still between these areas. Hadiya was described in the mid-fourteenth century by the Arab historian
Shihab Al-Umari Shihab al-Din Abu al-Abbas Ahmad Ibn Fadlallah al-Umari (), commonly known as Ibn Fadlallah al-Umari or Ibn Faḍl Allāh al-‘Umārī (1301 – 1349) was an Arab historian born in Damascus. His major works include ''at-Taʾrīf bi-al-muṣ ...
as measuring eight days' journey by nine, which Richard Pankhurst estimates was 160 by 180 kilometers. Although small, Hadiya was fertile with fruit and cereals, rich with horses, and its inhabitants used pieces of iron as currency. It could raise an army of 40,000 cavalry and at least twice as many foot soldiers.Richard Pankhurst, ''The Ethiopian Borderlands'' (Lawrenceville: Red Sea Press, 1977) p. 79


History

Hadiya was likely part of the domain of the Sultanate of Shewa and linked to the
Harla The Harla, also known as Harala, Haralla were an ethnic group that once inhabited Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti. They spoke the Harla language, which belonged to either the Cushitic or Semitic branches of the Afroasiatic family. History The ...
. Before the pagan
Kingdom of Damot The Kingdom of Damot (Amharic language, Amharic: ዳሞት) was an medieval kingdom in what is now western Ethiopia. The territory was positioned below the Blue Nile. Possibly formed in the 10th century, it was a powerful state by the 13th centur ...
's invasion led by Sidama. A cluster of speakers labelled Hadiya-Sidama developed, maintaining Islamic identity and later creating the Hadiya Sultanate. According to Hadiya elders the dynasty was started by descendants of
Harar Harar (; Harari language, Harari: ሀረር / ; ; ; ), known historically by the indigenous as Harar-Gey or simply Gey (Harari: ጌይ, ݘٛىيْ, ''Gēy'', ), is a List of cities with defensive walls, walled city in eastern Ethiopia. It is al ...
Emir Abadir, who intermarried with Sidama. The earliest surviving mention of Hadiya is in the '' Kebra Nagast'' (ch. 94), indicating that the kingdom was in existence by the 13th century. Another early mention is in a manuscript written on the island monastery of
Lake Hayq Lake Hayq (Amharic: ሐይቅ ሐይቅ, ) is a freshwater lake of Ethiopia. It is located north of Dessie, in the Debub Wollo Zone of the Amhara Region. The town of Hayq is to the west of the lake. Lake Hayq is 6.7 km long and 6 km w ...
, which states that after conquering Damot, Emperor Amda Seyon I proceeded to Hadiya and brought it under his control using Gura armies from modern
Eritrea Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...
which would later become Gurage region. Later during Amda Seyon's reign, the King of Hadiya, Amano, refused to submit to the Emperor of Ethiopia. Amano was encouraged in this by a Muslim "prophet of darkness" named Bel'am. Amda Seyon subsequently set forth for Hadiya, where he "slew the inhabitants of the country with the point of the sword", killing many of the inhabitants while enslaving others. Despite such punitive measures, many of the Hadiya people served in the military units of Amda Seyon. In the fourteenth century according to professor Lapiso Delebo, the Hadiya state which he designates as "Hadiya-Harla Sultanate" maintained one of the largest armies in the region, consisting of 80,000 infantry and 40,000 cavalry.
Arab Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
historian Ibn Fadlallah al-Umari notes that the Hadiya, along with all the other Muslim principalities in the area, were under the authority of the "King of Amhara." They also held a distinct reverence for the ruler of Ifat and, under specific circumstances, lent their support to him. During the reign of
Zara Yaqob Zara Yaqob (; 1399 – 26 August 1468) was Emperor of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty who ruled under the regnal name Qostantinos I (; "Constantine"). He is known for the Geʽez literature that flourished during his reign, th ...
, the ''
Garad Garad ( Harari: ገራድ, , , Oromo: ''Garaada'') is a term used to refer to a king, Sultan or regional administrator. It was used primarily by Muslims in the Horn of Africa that were associated with Islamic states, most notably the Adal Sultanat ...
'' or
Sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
of Hadiya, Mahiko, the son of ''Garaad'' Mehmad, repeated his predecessor's actions and refused to pay tribute to the Ethiopian Emperor. However, with the help of one of Mahiko's followers, the Garaad was deposed in favor of his uncle Bamo. Garaad Mahiko then sought sanctuary at the court of the
Adal Sultanate The Adal Sultanate, also known as the Adal Empire or Barr Saʿad dīn (alt. spelling ''Adel Sultanate'', ''Adal Sultanate'') (), was a medieval Sunni Muslim empire which was located in the Horn of Africa. It was founded by Sabr ad-Din III on th ...
. He was later slain by the military contingent Adal Mabrak, who had been in pursuit. The chronicles record that the Adal Mabrak sent Mahiko's head and limbs to Zara Yaqob as proof of his death.
Zara Yaqob Zara Yaqob (; 1399 – 26 August 1468) was Emperor of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty who ruled under the regnal name Qostantinos I (; "Constantine"). He is known for the Geʽez literature that flourished during his reign, th ...
turned away from the policy of expansion to that of consolidating what had been won so far. He organized the administration of the empire by appointing his relatives to the highest posts. He initiated the policy of appointing Christians in the peripheral Muslim territories, he instituted the practice of converting and marrying Hadiya princesses most notably
Eleni of Ethiopia Eleni (Ge’ez: እሌኒ, "Helena"; died April 1522) also known as Queen of Zeila (historical region), Zeila was Empress of Ethiopia by marriage to Zara Yaqob (r. 1434–1468), and served as regent between 1507 and 1516 during the minority of emp ...
, which was denounced by Muslims in the region. Adal attempted to invade Ethiopia in response, however the campaign was a disaster and led to the death of Sultan Badlay ibn Sa'ad ad-Din at the
Battle of Gomit The Battle of Gomit or Battle of Egubba (or Battle of Ayfars) 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 ...
. Hadiya was later visited by the Portuguese traveler
Francisco Álvares Francisco Álvares ( – 1536–1541) was a Portugal, Portuguese missionary and exploration, explorer. In 1515 he traveled to Ethiopia as part of the Portuguese embassy to emperor Lebna Dengel accompanied by returning Mateus (Ethiopia), Ethi ...
, he described it as "very wooded", so much so that one "could not travel without cutting trees and making roads." He claim that it produced large amounts of cattle to which it used to pay tribute to the Emperor Dawit II. Despite its inhabitants being Muslims, he described them as "very peaceful" and subservient to the Emperor.
Lebna Dengel Dawit II (;  – 2 September 1540), also known by the macaronic name Wanag Segad (ወናግ ሰገድ, ''to whom the lions bow''), better known by his birth name Lebna Dengel (, ''essence of the virgin''), was Emperor of Ethiopia from 150 ...
lists it in his letter to
Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate (), was King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Viseu prior to succeeding his cousin, John II of Portugal, as monarch. Manu ...
as being a part of his realm. In the
medieval period In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
gold and slaves were acquired by Muslim traders to the
Kingdom of Damot The Kingdom of Damot (Amharic language, Amharic: ዳሞት) was an medieval kingdom in what is now western Ethiopia. The territory was positioned below the Blue Nile. Possibly formed in the 10th century, it was a powerful state by the 13th centur ...
and the Hadiya Sultanate, who were known for slave raiding, to the Christian Amhara who (during that time) opposed castration. The next time Hadiya is mentioned is in the sixteenth century Adal texts written by Arab Faqīh called the ''Futuh al-Habasa'', the history of the conquests of Imam
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi (, Harari: አሕመድ ኢብራሂም አል-ጋዚ, ; 21 July 1506 – 10 February 1543) was the Imam of the Adal Sultanate from 1527 to 1543. Commonly named Ahmed ''Gragn'' in Amharic and ''Gurey'' in Somali, ...
. Just prior to arriving in the province, the unnamed governor addressed the Imam and declared "I am a Muslim, like you, I will obey your orders." The Imam was said to have received a warm welcome and hospitality from the Muslim populace. The inhabitants then informed the Imam of the oppression their people had to endure under the Emperor, "He was stronger than us; he forbade us carry defensive arms, hold swords or ride on saddled horses, allowing us only to ride bareback; he imposed on us the obligation of giving him each year a young girl, which we do for fear that he will kill us and destroy our mosques." The Imam told the people of Hadiya to have no more fear and called upon them to join his struggle against the Christians. After staying in Hadiya for five days, the Imam then left the province, taking with him the governor and his brother. The lord of Hadiya later gave his daughter Mureyas to the Imam, who died 3 months later. Emperor
Sarsa Dengel Sarsa Dengel ( ; 1550 – 4 October 1597), 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 (መለክ ሰገድ ). He is considered one of the greatest w ...
suppressed a rebellion by Hadiya leader Garad Aze at the Battle of Hadiya. In the 1600s the
Garad Garad ( Harari: ገራድ, , , Oromo: ''Garaada'') is a term used to refer to a king, Sultan or regional administrator. It was used primarily by Muslims in the Horn of Africa that were associated with Islamic states, most notably the Adal Sultanat ...
of Hadiya Sidi Mohammed defeated the troops of Emperor
Susenyos I Susenyos I ( ; –1575 – 17 September 1632), also known as Susenyos the Catholic, was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1607 to 1632, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. His throne names were Seltan Sagad and Malak Sagad III. He was the son of '' ...
thus protecting their frontier from Abyssinian annexation for the next three hundred years. In the late sixteenth century, some parts of the Hadiya region was overrun by the Oromo expansion, thus, the Arsi Oromo today claim Hadiya ancestry. In 1751
Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...
missionary Remedius Prutky upon his visit to Abyssinia mentions the Kingdom of Hadiya being located to its south and confined by
Adal Adal may refer to: *A short form for Germanic names in ''aþala-'' (Old High German ''adal-''), "nobility, pedigree"; see Othalan ** Adál Maldonado (1948–2020), Puerto Rican artist ** Adal Ramones (born 1969), Mexican television show host ** A ...
's western border. The Hadiya Muslim cluster state existed until the Abyssinian invasion under
Menelik II Menelik II ( ; horse name Aba Dagnew (Amharic: አባ ዳኘው ''abba daññäw''); 17 August 1844 – 12 December 1913), baptised as Sahle Maryam (ሣህለ ማርያም ''sahlä maryam'') was king of Shewa from 1866 to 1889 and Emperor of Et ...
in the 1800s. The Hadiya state of Qabeena under imam Umar Baksa capitulated to the Abyssinians without resistance due to fears of a direct occupation in 1875. This was opposed by nobles especially the
Garad Garad ( Harari: ገራድ, , , Oromo: ''Garaada'') is a term used to refer to a king, Sultan or regional administrator. It was used primarily by Muslims in the Horn of Africa that were associated with Islamic states, most notably the Adal Sultanat ...
of Qabeena at the time Hassan Enjamo who began a resistance movement. In the following years, Hassan would expand his dominion into all of Hadiya, some part of Gurage and Oromo territory. Hassan was however defeated in 1889 at the battle of Jabdu Meda leading to Qabeena Hadiya states annexation by the Abyssinians. Soldiers that fought under Hassan's Hadiya army such as Balcha Safo and
Habte Giyorgis Dinagde ''Fitawrari'' Habte Giyorgis Dinagde (; ; c. 1851 – 12 December 1926) also known by his horse name Abbaa Malaa was an Ethiopian military commander and government official who, among several other posts, served as President of the Council of ...
would later switch allegiance, and become part of the Abyssinian aristocracy. The Halaba Hadiya under their chief Barre Kagaw continued to resist until 1893 when the Abyssinians took advantage of the famine that had struck the region and led a conquest into their territory.


Identity

Historical definition of Hadiya people includes a number of Ethiopian ethnic groups currently known by other names according to ethnologist Ulrich Braukämper, who lived in various parts of southern-central Ethiopia for over four years during his research. In his book titled "A history of the Hadiyya in Southern Ethiopia", he established linkages to the ancient Hadiya Kingdom. Currently, Hadiya is not a homogeneous ethnic group but is rather sub-divided into a number of ethnonyms, partly with different languages and cultural affiliations. They were initially all inhabitants of a single political entity, a Sultanate, which in the 4th centuries following its break-down became remarkably diverse. The Libidoo (Maräqo), Leemo, Sooro, Shaashoogo, and Baadawwaachcho remained a language entity and preserved an identity of oneness, the Hadiya 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. Ancient Hadiyans are distinguished by their Muslim heritage however these populations have decreased in the following centuries. There are clans of Hadiyya origin in Welayta as well as descendants of an old Hadiya stratum living with the Oromo and Sidama. Hadiya are related to the Harari.


Famous members

*
Eleni of Ethiopia Eleni (Ge’ez: እሌኒ, "Helena"; died April 1522) also known as Queen of Zeila (historical region), Zeila was Empress of Ethiopia by marriage to Zara Yaqob (r. 1434–1468), and served as regent between 1507 and 1516 during the minority of emp ...
* Garad Aze * Garad Side Mohammed * Garad Hassan Enjamo * Garaad Amano * Garaad Mehmad * Garaad Mahiko * Garaad Bamo


See also

* Silte people * Silte Zone *
Silte language Silt'e (also transliterated Silte) can refer to: * Silt'e people of Ethiopia; * Silt'e language, which they speak; * Silte Zone, where most live; * Silte (woreda), a subunit of where they live. {{disambig, geo Language and nationality disamb ...


Notes


References

*Braukämper, Ulrich. (1980), Geschichte der Hadiya Süd-Äthiopiens: von den Anfängen bis zur Revolution 1974, Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag (Studien zur Kulturkunde 50). *Braukämper, Ulrich. (2005), "Hadiyya Ethnography", in: Siegbert Uhlig (ed.):
Encyclopaedia Aethiopica The ''Encyclopaedia Aethiopica'' (''EAe'') is a basic English-language encyclopaedia for Ethiopian and Eritrean studies. The ''Encyclopaedia Aethiopica'' provides information in all fields of the discipline, i.e. anthropology, archaeology, ethn ...
, vol. 2: D-Ha, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. pp. 961–963. *Braukämper, Ulrich. (2005), "Hadiyya Sultanate", in: Siegbert Uhlig (ed.):
Encyclopaedia Aethiopica The ''Encyclopaedia Aethiopica'' (''EAe'') is a basic English-language encyclopaedia for Ethiopian and Eritrean studies. The ''Encyclopaedia Aethiopica'' provides information in all fields of the discipline, i.e. anthropology, archaeology, ethn ...
, vol. 2: D-Ha, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. pp. 963–965. {{authority control Monarchies of Ethiopia Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region Ethnic groups in Ethiopia