The Imamate of Aussa also spelled Imamate of Awsa was a medieval imamate in present-day eastern Ethiopia with its capital in Asaita.[1][2] It was carved out of the Adal Sultanate.
Imamate of Aussa | |||||||||||
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1577–1734 | |||||||||||
Flag | |||||||||||
Status | Sovereign State | ||||||||||
Capital | Asaita | ||||||||||
Common languages | |||||||||||
Religion | Islam | ||||||||||
Government | Imamate | ||||||||||
Imam | |||||||||||
• ?-1734 | Selman (last) | ||||||||||
Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||||
• Established | 1577 | ||||||||||
• Harar Emirate splits from Imamate | 1647 | ||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1734 | ||||||||||
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Today part of | Ethiopia |
History
This polity was marred with internal conflicts between Harla and Arabs.[3] In 1647, the rulers of the Emirate of Harar broke away to form their own polity. imams of the city of Harar continued to have a presence in the southern Afar Region until they were overthrown in the eighteenth century by the Mudaito dynasty of Afar who later established the Sultanate of Aussa.[4] The last ruler of the dynasty, Imam Selman was killed in 1750.[5] According to Heloise Mercier, the inhabitants of Harar who had migrated to Aussa were unable to maintain their customs and dialect contrary to those who lingered in Harar.[6] Enrico Cerulli asserts although Aussa became dominated by Afar people, the ancient Semitic speaking Muslim kingdom survived in the form of the Emirate of Harar post 1700s.[7]
Rulers
Name | Reign | Note | |
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1 | Imām Maḥamed "Jāsa" Ibrahim | 1577 - 1583 | A relative of Imām Aḥmed Gurēy, he moved the capital to Awsa and appointed his brother (also named Maḥamed) to be Wazir of Harar. He was killed in battle with the Warra Daya in 1583. |
2 | Imām Saʿadaddīn Maḥamed | 1583 - 1585 | Son of Imām Maḥamed "Jāsa" Ibrahim |
3 | Imām Ṣabraddīn Ādan | 1585 - 1613 | Grandson of Imām Maḥamed "Jāsa" Ibrahim, nephew of Imām Saʿadaddīn Maḥamed. |
4 | Imām Ṣadiq Ṣabraddīn | 1613 - 1632 | Son of Imām Ṣabraddīn Ādan |
5 | Malāq Ādan Ṣadiq | 1632 - 1646 | Son of Imām Ṣadiq Ṣabraddīn. A Garad of Issa. The start of Harla Issa dynasty.[8] |
6 | Imām Aḥmed Abrām | 1646 - 1647 | Grandson of Imām Ṣadiq Ṣabraddīn, Nephew of Malāq Ādan Ṣadiq. |
7 | Imām ʿUmardīn Ādan | 1647 - 1672 | Son of Malāq Ādan Ṣadiq, his Imamate was destroyed by the Mudaito Afars and Harla.[9] |
See also
References
- ^ Harbeson, John. Territorial and Development Politics in the Horn of Africa: The Afar of the Awash Valley. Oxford University Press. p. 486.
- ^ Lindahl, Bernhard. Local History of Ethiopia (PDF). Nordic Africa Institute. p. 37.
- ^ IslHornAfr – 3rd Field Mission Report Djibouti (PDF). University of Copenhagen.
- ^ Page, Willie. Encyclopedia of African History and Culture (PDF). Facts on File inc. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-02-17. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
- ^ Fani, Sara. IslHornAfr 6thField Mission Report (PDF). University of Copenhagen. p. 8.
- ^ MERCIER, HÉLOÏSE (2020). The Awsa Oasis (Eastern Ethiopia): historiographical assessment and new historical milestones. Hypotheses.
- ^ Cerulli, Enrico. Islam Yesterday and Today translated by Emran Waber. Istituto Per L'Oriente. p. 387.
- ^ Morin, Didier (2004). Dictionnaire historique afar: 1288-1982. KARTHALA Editions. p. 134. ISBN 9782845864924.
- ^ Fani, Sara (2017). HornAfr 6thField Mission Report (PDF). University of Copenhagen. p. 8.