Mareeg (also known as Mareg, Meregh and Märēg) is a locality in the

Galguduud Galguduud (, , or ''Ghelgudud'') is an administrative region ('' gobol'') of Galmudug state in central Somalia. Its administrative capital is Dusmareb. The largest town in the region is El Buur, which lies at the centre of the region. Galgudu ...

region of central

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

, in the

Galmudug Galmudug (; ), officially Galmudug State of Somalia (), is a States and regions of Somalia, Federal Member State in central Somalia, with its capital at Dhusamareb. It is bordered to the north by the Puntland state of Somalia, to the west by the S ...

state.

History

The town was founded in the 13th century as the capital of the Ajuran Empire.Lee V. Cassanelli, ''The shaping of Somali society: reconstructing the history of a pastoral people, 1600-1900'', (University of Pennsylvania Press: 1982), p.75. It later came under the

Hiraab Imamate The Hiraab Imamate (), also known as the Yacquubi Dynasty, was a Somali people, Somali kingdom that ruled parts of the Horn of Africa during the 16th century till the 19th century until it was incorporated into Italian Somaliland. The Imamate was ...

after the fall of the Ajuran Empire in the late 17th century. In 1891, the religious figure ''Sheikh Daud Culusow'', a Waceysle

Abgaal The Abgaal (Somali language, Somali: Abgaal; Arabic: أبگال) are a Somali clan, Somali sub-clan of the Hawiye and the even larger Samaale clan. This prominent Somali clan, despite being one of the youngest in Somalia, is one of the most ...

Imam, established the modern town of Mareeg and a principality that also encompassed Ceel Buur, Masagaway, Xarardheere, alongside his two disciples; Xaaji Cumar Muudey and Macallin Cusman Kulmiye, also of the Waceysle subclan. Sheikh Cumar Muudey served as the judge of the town, and Macalin Cusman led the Quranic school. Sheikh Daauud founded a mosque, opened an Islamic court, and invited his people to a new era of Islamic rule. Sheikh Daud Culusow established the Sharia and found a standing army. The principality was under threat from the European Colonial project of

Yusuf Ali Kenadid Yusuf Ali Kenadid (; 1837 – 14 August 1911) was a Somali Sultan and the founder of the Sultanate of Hobyo. He was succeeded to the throne by his son Ali Yusuf Kenadid. Family Yusuf Ali Kenadid was born into the Bah Yaaqub (part of the large ...

's dynasty in Hobyo and the Dervish movement forces coming from Beledweyne (named Bulo Macanne at the time). Both threats or dangers of whom were defeated decisively by Sheikh Daud Culusow and his forces. According to the ''catalogo'' of the Museo della Garesa, coins from an early historical epoch were also recovered in the town.

Notable residents

* Osman Haji Mohamed, Member of Parliament with the

Somali Youth League The Somali Youth League (SYL, , Arabic: رابطة الشباب الصومالي, or ''Lega Somala della Gioventù''), initially known as the Somali Youth Club (SYC), was the first political party in Somalia. It played a key role in the nati ...

. * Daud Abdulle Hirsi , first chief of the army Somali armed forces

Notes

External links

Caribinieri forts in MareegHistory of Mareeg
Populated places in Galguduud Ajuran Sultanate {{somalia-stub Ceeldheer.net