Battle of Arkiko (1589)
| Battle of Arkiko | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Ottoman-Ethiopian War (1557-1589) | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Ethiopian Empire |
 Ottoman Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Sarsa Dengel |
Kedawert Pasha †[3][4] | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown |
Unknown number in the garrison initial Reinforcement of 7000[5] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Minimal | Heavy | ||||||
The Battle of Arkiko in 1589 was an armed confrontation between a raiding army of the Ethiopian Empire led by Emperor Sarsa Dengel and Ottoman defenders led by Kedawert Pasha in the coastal city of Arkiko. The Ethiopians successfully raided the Ottoman positions and Kedawert Pasha was killed in the Battle.[6][7]
The Emperor proceeded to have the city besieged[8] until the Ottomans sued for peace by offering lavish gifts to his camp at Debarwa.
Background
Having been forced to retreat after a failed invasion of the Ethiopian Empire in the previous decade, the Ottoman armies attempted to conquer Ethiopian territory once again after a reinforcement of 7000 troops arrived.[9] However, they were routed by the Ethiopian Emperor Sarsa Dengel once again who forced them to retreat to the coast.[10]
Raid
Sarsa Dengel quickly follwed up his victory by launching a punitive expedition on the Ottoman fort at the coastal city of Arkiko. The retreating Ottomans attempted to confront the advancing Ethiopians on the hills overlooking the city of Arkiko.[11][12] The Ethiopian raiders managed to inflict significant damage on the Ottoman army and kill its commander Kedawert Pasha as well as the Viceroy's Brothers.[13][14]
The Ottomans quickly entered the city and held their positions.The Emperor's men then forced their way through the city's defensive fortifications and started firing at the Turks inside while the Turks responded. During the ensuing exchange, several Turks were wounded and their Commander fell to the ground being struck by a bullet, which further demoralized the defenders.[15] Having been hastily mobilized, the Emperor's men had little food with them. This caused them to complain bitterly but the Emperor chose to pay them no heed.[16] The Ottomans were reinforced again by troops of Ali Garad, a local leader. He dispatched some his own troops to help the Turks, promising he would follow. However he reversed his decision and decided to stay back, pretending to be loyal to the Emperor. The suspicious Emperor charged him with aiding the Ottomans. After receiving his sworn testimony,[17] Sarsa Dengel ordered a warrior named Atfer to execute him. Atfer then executed Ali by beheading him with a sword.[18]
Aftermath
The victorious Emperor returned to Debarwa in triumph where the Ottomans sent him lavish gifts as a peace offering. He accepted the offering and concluded peace with the Ottomans, marking the end of the three decade war.[19] Akuba Mikael, a local warrior who had distinguished himself throughout the campaign, was awarded with the special title of "Son of the King".[20][21] According to Haggai Erlich, the Ottomans soon realized that "it is to costly to mess with" Sarsa Dengel's Empire and abandoned their territorial ambitions.[22]
References
- ↑ The Encyclopaedia of Islām: A Dictionary of the Geography, Ethnography and Biography of the Muhammadan Peoples. United Kingdom, E. J. Brill, p. 120
- ↑ Pankhurst, Richard. The Ethiopian borderlands : essays in regional history from ancient times to the end of the 18th century. Ethiopia, Red Sea Press, 1997, pp.239[1]
- ↑ Foreign relations with Ethiopia: human and diplomatic history (from its origins to present). Austria, Lit, p. 234
- ↑ The Encyclopaedia of Islām: A Dictionary of the Geography, Ethnography and Biography of the Muhammadan Peoples. United Kingdom, E. J. Brill, p. 120
- ↑ Erlich, Haggai. Greater Tigray and the Mysterious Magnetism of Ethiopia. India, Oxford University Press, 2024, p. 17
- ↑ Pankhurst, Richard. The Ethiopian borderlands : essays in regional history from ancient times to the end of the 18th century. Ethiopia, Red Sea Press, 1997, pp.239[2]
- ↑ The Encyclopaedia of Islām: A Dictionary of the Geography, Ethnography and Biography of the Muhammadan Peoples. United Kingdom, E. J. Brill, p. 120
- ↑ Foreign relations with Ethiopia: human and diplomatic history (from its origins to present). Austria, Lit, p. 234[3]
- ↑ Erlich, Haggai. Greater Tigray and the Mysterious Magnetism of Ethiopia. India, Oxford University Press, 2024, p. 17
- ↑ Foreign relations with Ethiopia: human and diplomatic history (from its origins to present). Austria, Lit, p. 234[4]
- ↑ Journal of West Asian Studies. India, Centre of West Asian Studies, Aligarh Muslim University, p. 111[5]
- ↑ Kadim 3. N.p., Burhan Çağlar, p. 59-62
- ↑ The Encyclopaedia of Islām: A Dictionary of the Geography, Ethnography and Biography of the Muhammadan Peoples. United Kingdom, E. J. Brill, p. 120
- ↑ Pankhurst, Richard. The Ethiopian borderlands : essays in regional history from ancient times to the end of the 18th century. Ethiopia, Red Sea Press, 1997, pp.239[6]
- ↑ Budge, E. A. Wallis. A History of Ethiopia: Volume II (Routledge Revivals): Nubia and Abyssinia. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2014, p.370[7]
- ↑ Budge, E. A. Wallis. A History of Ethiopia: Volume II (Routledge Revivals): Nubia and Abyssinia. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2014, p.370[8]
- ↑ Kadim 3. N.p., Burhan Çağlar, p. 59-62
- ↑ Budge, E. A. Wallis. A History of Ethiopia: Volume II (Routledge Revivals): Nubia and Abyssinia. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2014, pp.370-371[9]
- ↑ Pankhurst, Richard. The Ethiopian borderlands : essays in regional history from ancient times to the end of the 18th century. Ethiopia, Red Sea Press, 1997, pp.239[10]
- ↑ Pankhurst, Richard. The Ethiopian borderlands : essays in regional history from ancient times to the end of the 18th century. Ethiopia, Red Sea Press, 1997, pp.239[11]
- ↑ Budge, E. A. Wallis. A History of Ethiopia: Volume II (Routledge Revivals): Nubia and Abyssinia. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2014, p.371[12]
- ↑ Erlich, Haggai. Greater Tigray and the Mysterious Magnetism of Ethiopia. India, Oxford University Press, 2024, p. 17
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