Warsangali Sultanate

Warsangali Sultanate Saldanadda Warsangeli سلطنة الورسنجلي
Status	Somali Sultanate
Capital	Las Khorey
Common languages	Somali · Arabic
Religion	Islam
Government	Absolute Monarchy
Sultan
Succeeded by British Somaliland
Today part of	Somalia

The Warsangali Sultanate (Somali: Saldanadda Warsangeli, Arabic: سلطنة الورسنجلي‎) was a Somali Sultanate ruling house centered in northeastern of Somalia. In 1884, the United Kingdom established the protectorate of British Somaliland through various treaties with the northern Somali sultanates (Dir, Isaaq and Harti including the Warsangali). The Warsangali clan constituted 20,000 of British Somaliland's total population of 640,000 (3.1%).

History

Ruins in the coastal town of Las Khorey.

I. M. Lewis, in his book A Pastoral Democracy: A Study of Pastoralism and Politics Among the Northern Somali of the Horn of Africa, refers to the Sultan from the colonial literature as a "man of unusual influence", a "man of mercurial image", and a "man of unusual strength". Several Somali Sultanates existed in Somalia prior to the European imperialism of the 19th century, but the Warsangali Sultanate was the only one with a robust tax-based centralized administration. Lewis writes:

Vestiges of a similar degree of centralized administration on the pattern of a Muslim Sultanate, survive today in the Protectorate among the Warsangali. Prior to 1920, the Garaad had at his command a small standing army with which, with British support, he fought Sayyid Mahamad Abdille Hassan's forces. But Garaad's powers' are dwindling under modern administration. The Sultan was described as a sovereign ruler of immense influence and a man of mercurial image by the historian I.M. Lewis. He was the 24th sultan in  a long line of Gerads (a Somali royal court). In 1920, the sultan was exiled along with the two African Kings, King Prempeh of Ashanti (Ghana) and king Kabarego of Bunyoro (Uganda), and a former Prime Minister of Egypt, Sa'ad Zaghlul Pasha, as well as other luminaries of leaders in the wars of African resistance to the British colonialism were also there as exiles. He was the descendent of a six-hundred-year-old tradition (please see ‘What led to the discovery of the Nile’ by John Hanning Speke). In the 1940 and 50s, the Warsangeli leadership formed the United Somali Party (USP) following a three month convention chaired by the Sultan himself following his return from exile. The USP was instrumental in Somalia’s long and painful road to freedom and independence from colonial powers.

Warsangeli Linage

Warsangeli sub-clans: The two most famous branches of the Warsangali tribe are Hasan Garaad and Othman Garaad and they are the two sons of Garaad Ibrahim (hammar galle ).

1- Hassan garaad ( Garaad Hammar galle): They are three subclans: Ugaas abdirahmaan garaad hassan (ogeyslabe/ugaaslabe) Garaad Ibrahim Garaad Hassan (Omar) Suldaan Yusuf Garaad Hassan (Dubays).

According to some historians, Garaad Ibrahim and Ugaas Abdirahmaan(Ogayslabe) are from one mother and they were called (Bah Omar) which called now called Omar.

2- Othman Garaad ( Othman Ibrahim hammar gale): are five subclans: •Cawrmale •Colmarabe •Riigahye •Gabyuud •Iid-mooge.

Warsangeli and British colonies:

 When the British colonialists miserably failed to add Warsangeli territories as part of their colonial land, they started using the famous method". of "Divide and conquer" They started to negotiate and give promises and awards to the elders of the families that were ruling the sultanate by then, especially Dubays, Ogyslabe and Reer Garaad, while disregarding other families, which was the main reason for the collapse of the Warsangeli sultanate. when the Warsangeli sultanate system was weakened and political conflicts erupted between the sultans, this caused major wars to occur between the families of the Warsangeli sultans, causing many families to oppose the sultanate system, which caused them to revolutionize or create new systems that were independent of the industrial sultanate system. • and this caused a big split in the family. The destruction of the eastern kingdoms which were chosen by the colonialists left a great impact on the business community, and the business community is still being supported.. leading to disunity and constant conflict.

Northern Somali sultanates

A map of the northern Somali coast indicating Somali clans including the Warsangali circa 1857.

In his paper The 'Mad Mullah' and Northern Somalia, the historian Robert L. Hess touches upon this alliance, writing that "in attempt to break out of Obbian-Mijertein encirclement, the Mullah sought closer alliances with the Warsangali of British Somaliland and Bah Geri of Ethiopia".

The first success in this Anglo-Italian cooperation came in December 1910. In that month, the British Warsangali and the Italian Mijertain peacefully resolved all their outstanding disputes and, convening in Bander Kasim, agreed to act jointly in combating Mohammed Abdullah Hassan and his Dervishes. This accord marked the first real strategic success for the italians and the British in the policy of containing the Mullah.

Somali-British treaties

Between 1884 and 1886, the British government thus signed treaties with the Habr Awal, Habr Toljaala, Habr Gerhajis, Eesa, Gedabursi and Warsangali Somali clans. The tribes agreed (among other things) not to "cede, sell, mortgage, or otherwise give for occupation, save to the British Government, any portion of their territory, and they were placed under British Protection".

Warsangali-Dervish collaboration

I. M. Lewis cites this brief incident in his book, A Modern History of the Somali:

The Warsangali clan within the British protectorate on the eastern coast who under their spirited leader Garaad Mahamud 'Ali Shire had now decided to throw in their lot with the Dervishes and in January 1908, fired on a British dhow as it was landing on their coast. This incident has led to a hostile exchange of letters with the consul at Berbera and it was evident that the Dervishes would soon be on the March again.

In May 1916 the Dervish attacked Las Khorey but were repelled by a British Warship. In September of that year fearing a Dervish invasion, British troops occupied Las Khorey at the insistence of Sultan Mahamud ALi Shire.

See also

• Mohamoud Ali Shire
• Mohammed Abdullah Hassan – religious and nationalist leader
• Yusuf Ali Kenadid – founder of the Sultanate of Hobyo
• Somali aristocratic and court titles
• List of Sunni Muslim dynasties
• Sultanate of Hobyo
• Majeerteen Sultanate

References

• Lewis. I. M. A Modern History of Somalia: Nation and State in Horn of Africa. Ohio: Ohio University Press, 1960.
• Hess. Robert L. "The 'Mad Mullah' and Northern Somalia". The Journal of African History, vol 5, no. 3 p. 415–433. Cambridge: Ohio Cambridge University Press, 1964.
• Speke. John Hanning. "Sultan/Garaad Mohamoud Ali—Hidden Treasure—Royal Reception—Sultan Tries my Abban". What Led to the Discovery of the Source of the Nile. Edinburgh: Edinburgh William Blackwood and Sons 1864.
• British Empire. Protection treaties with Somaliland tribes. Edinburgh: William Blackwood and sons, 1887.
• Lewis. I. M. Pastoral Democracy: A Study on Pastoralism and Politics among the Northern Somali Clans. Ohio: Ohio University Press, 1958.
• Alinur, Said. "Abyssinian Invasion: Reminder of a Seven Century old Animosity". 17 January 2007. Source

This article "Warsangali Sultanate" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Warsangali Sultanate. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

This page exists already on Wikipedia.

📰 Article(s) of the same category(ies)

• Index of Somaliland-related articles
• Ayn, Somalia
• Ajuran-Portuguese conflict
• House of Galluweger

---