What destroyed these cities?

[mohammdov]

There are many destroyed cities from Sanaag to Awdal like Awbube,fardowsa,Maduuna,camuud
Despite this, no one knows the reason for its destruction, oral history only says that it was invaded But from who
Were they Oromo, Abyssinians, or some Somali Nomads?
Do you have sources that talk about this period?

 

[Cush]

There are many destroyed cities from Sanaag to Awdal like Awbube,fardowsa,Maduuna,camuud
Despite this, no one knows the reason for its destruction, oral history only says that it was invaded But from who
Were they Oromo, Abyssinians, or some Somali Nomads?
Do you have sources that talk about this period?
View attachment 296399
View attachment 296400
View attachment 296401

Punt predates existence of Somalis since we're 2600 years old perhaps these were the early Puntite cities

 

[mohammdov]

Punt predates existence of Somalis since we're 2600 years old perhaps these were the early Puntite cities

The graves around the cities are Islamic graves
And in fardowsa
He was buried in it are sheekh fiqi cumar and Abdullahi aw qudub They are the sons of the founder of Harar aw qudub

 

[El Nino]

Likely abandoned due to a drought or conflict or even a flood.

 

[Awd]

There are many destroyed cities from Sanaag to Awdal like Awbube,fardowsa,Maduuna,camuud
Despite this, no one knows the reason for its destruction, oral history only says that it was invaded But from who
Were they Oromo, Abyssinians, or some Somali Nomads?
Do you have sources that talk about this period?
View attachment 296399
View attachment 296400
View attachment 296401

Awbube, Abasa and Amud in Awdal were ruined mainly due to conflict with the Abyssinians and earlier proto Somali populations.

Richard Burton records the Queendom of Abasa fought a war with the principality of Awbube until both centres of civilization were destroyed:

"This is the site of Darbiyah Kola — Kola’s Fort — so called from its Galla queen. It is said that this city and its neighbour Aububah fought like certain cats in Kilkenny till both were “eaten up:” Burton

There are old tombs in Abasa today called the Gadabursi tombs near the palace of the old Queen.

 

[mohammdov]

Awbube, Abasa and Amud in Awdal were ruined mainly due to conflict with the Abyssinians and earlier proto Somali populations.

Richard Burton records the Queendom of Abasa fought a war with the principality of Awbube until both centres of civilization were destroyed:

"This is the site of Darbiyah Kola — Kola’s Fort — so called from its Galla queen. It is said that this city and its neighbour Aububah fought like certain cats in Kilkenny till both were “eaten up:” Burton

There are old tombs in Abasa today called the Gadabursi tombs near the palace of the old Queen.

When did these wars occur? Is there a specific date for them?

 

[Awd]

When did these wars occur? Is there a specific date for them?

These conflicts occured well before the Adal era. We don't have a specific date but for example Sheikh Awbube was long dead during the Futuh Al Habasha timeline. The Futuh mentions the Muslim warriors would seek blessings from one of the descendants of Sheikh Awbube who was fighting alongside the Muslim army:

"When the two columns of soldiers that were proceeding on the road came into each other's view, the idol-worshippers mounted a charge against the rear guard of the Muslims. Those in the rear guard held their ground, and mounted their horses. Among those in the rear was Zaharbui Utman, the sharif Ahmad and the Hegano 'Abd Allah, 'Ali Farasaham and the sheikh Kalil, a descendant of Aububah - may God bless us through him, Amen. They were ten knights, and the idol-worshippers were around two-hundred. The Muslims charged the idol-worshippers, and a bloody battle was engaged, until their forearms became exhausted." Futuh Al Habasha

Shows you the Sheikh lived well before the Adal wars. He himself encountered a Proto Dir Queen called Kola in Abasa. Both ruined towns are near Borama.

This is the Sheikh's pyramid style tomb:

 

[Three Moons]

The collapse of Adal in the North and Ajuraan in the South coincides with the abandonment of multiple cities such as the ones above, but also others like Nimmo, Hannassa, Nugaal Valley ruins, Mudun, Gondershe, etc both on the coast and in the interior.

This means the trade network that once sustained those stone cities was disrupted, and we know the Conquest of Abyssinia had a disastrous effect on both sides. If you combine this with the Oromo migrations, and the Portuguese blockade in the Indian Ocean, it makes sense why people slowly began to adapt the Somal lifestyle i.e Pastoralism, because it was less dependent on outside political factors when it came to survival and prosperity, and was only at the mercy of God’s natural laws.

What people don’t realise is that the Christians and Muslims in the Horn had a extremely lively trade that made both groups very rich to the point where one group had enough wealth to commission large religious monuments and buildings in the case of the Christians, while the other thrived with the construction of dozens of major stone cities all across Somalia in the case of the Muslims.

The Futuh was not meant to be a prolonged international war, but a swift conquest with a clear victor. The Portuguese prevented that from happening and therefore the trade routes that thrived before the war were never re-established. Many of the trade road cities that profited from that bustling commerce declined and were abandoned.

The once regional mother cities like Zeila, Berbera, Harar, Mogadishu, etc continued to stumble on with minor revivals here and there, but were shadows of their former selves. In this age of city-states that followed, the urban settlements that thrived the most were the smaller castle towns such as Qandala, Bardera, Alula, Afgoye, which catered more to the Pastoralist lifestyle (the Berbera fair is a good example) than the previously mixed urban / farming / pastoralist make up of the medieval period.

 

[Three Moons]

Medieval Somalis in Northeastern and Southeastern Africa trying to connect with their rightful destiny.

The Portuguese:

​

 

[Khaemwaset]

The collapse of Adal in the North and Ajuraan in the South coincides with the abandonment of multiple cities such as the ones above, but also others like Nimmo, Hannassa, Nugaal Valley ruins, Mudun, Gondershe, etc both on the coast and in the interior.

This means the trade network that once sustained those stone cities was disrupted, and we know the Conquest of Abyssinia had a disastrous effect on both sides. If you combine this with the Oromo migrations, and the Portuguese blockade in the Indian Ocean, it makes sense why people slowly began to adapt the Somal lifestyle i.e Pastoralism, because it was less dependent on outside political factors when it came to survival and prosperity, and was only at the mercy of God’s natural laws.

What people don’t realise is that the Christians and Muslims in the Horn had a extremely lively trade that made both groups very rich to the point where one group had enough wealth to commission large religious monuments and buildings in the case of the Christians, while the other thrived with the construction of dozens of major stone cities all across Somalia in the case of the Muslims.

The Futuh was not meant to be a prolonged international war, but a swift conquest with a clear victor. The Portuguese prevented that from happening and therefore the trade routes that thrived before the war were never re-established. Many of the trade road cities that profited from that bustling commerce declined and were abandoned.

The once regional mother cities like Zeila, Berbera, Harar, Mogadishu, etc continued to stumble on with minor revivals here and there, but were shadows of their former selves. In this age of city-states that followed, the urban settlements that thrived the most were the smaller castle towns such as Qandala, Bardera, Alula, Afgoye, which catered more to the Pastoralist lifestyle (the Berbera fair is a good example) than the previously mixed urban / farming / pastoralist make up of the medieval period.

So basically a dark age in the Somali peninsula after the failure of the Futuh?

Ahmad Gurey wanted his conquest of Axum to be like the Conquest of Constantinople some 90 years before him. He wanted a quick war to unite as much of the horn under an Islamic empire. However it took over a decade and eventually led to failure as we know due to Portuguese interference on behalf of the Abyssinians.

People always talk about what Habashi lost during the war but rarely is it mentioned the land and cities Somalis lost after the war failed.

Your part mentioning pastoral way becoming more common is probably when The world Somali became most used. Since Somal means Nomad. Somalis named themselves differently depending on way of life.

 

[Three Moons]

So basically a dark age in the Somali peninsula after the failure of the Futuh?

Ahmad Gurey wanted his conquest of Axum to be like the Conquest of Constantinople some 90 years before him. He wanted a quick war to unite as much of the horn under an Islamic empire. However it took over a decade and eventually led to failure as we know due to Portuguese interference on behalf of the Abyssinians.

People always talk about what Habashi lost during the war but rarely is it mentioned the land and cities somalis lost after the war failed.

Ahmed did conquer Axum and designated a governor for that region. I think his biggest mistake was killing the Portuguese commander, who had immense value as a potential political prisoner for the Ottoman Empire against the Portuguese, and could have guaranteed Ahmed an even larger quantity of musket men and material support in the form of cannons.

This particular disagreement caused him to distrust the Ottomans and have him dismiss the very important contingent of Jannisaries, whose absence on the battlefield at Wayna Dayga eventually resulted in his death.

Had he handed over the commander, the Ottomans would have sent the Portuguese leader to Istanbul as a war prisoner and Ahmed would have felt no need to distrust the Ottoman commander that supported him at Wofla. They would have protected his flank against the Portuguese arquebusiers.

More importantly, with their commander still alive, albeit a prisoner, the surviving Portuguese arquebusiers would not have focused all of their efforts on Ahmed, and most likely would have perished fighting on the battlefield without a clear focus or direction.

Your part mentioning pastoral way becoming more common is probably when The world Somali became most used. Since Somal means Nomad. Somalis named themselves differently depending on way of life.

Pretty much, it’s very similar to how Europeans had to adapt after the destruction of the Roman Empire, cows became smaller, stone roads were reclaimed by nature, cities fell into decline and were abandoned, new dominant identities formed, while others disappeared.

 

[mohammdov]

These conflicts occured well before the Adal era. We don't have a specific date but for example Sheikh Awbube was long dead during the Futuh Al Habasha timeline. The Futuh mentions the Muslim warriors would seek blessings from one of the descendants of Sheikh Awbube who was fighting alongside the Muslim army:

"When the two columns of soldiers that were proceeding on the road came into each other's view, the idol-worshippers mounted a charge against the rear guard of the Muslims. Those in the rear guard held their ground, and mounted their horses. Among those in the rear was Zaharbui Utman, the sharif Ahmad and the Hegano 'Abd Allah, 'Ali Farasaham and the sheikh Kalil, a descendant of Aububah - may God bless us through him, Amen. They were ten knights, and the idol-worshippers were around two-hundred. The Muslims charged the idol-worshippers, and a bloody battle was engaged, until their forearms became exhausted." Futuh Al Habasha

Shows you the Sheikh lived well before the Adal wars. He himself encountered a Proto Dir Queen called Kola in Abasa. Both ruined towns are near Borama.

This is the Sheikh's pyramid style tomb:
View attachment 296406

Does he have grandchildren now?

 

[Awd]

Does he have grandchildren now?

Maybe in Dire Dawa or Erer as he was Gurgura Dir by clan.

 

[mohammdov]

Maybe in Dire Dawa or Erer as he was Gurgura Dir by clan.

What about aw bare I saw his name in several manuscripts as well

 

[Emir of Zayla]

Ahmed did conquer Axum and designated a governor for that region. I think his biggest mistake was killing the Portuguese commander, who had immense value as a potential political prisoner for the Ottoman Empire against the Portuguese, and could have guaranteed Ahmed an even larger quantity of musket men and material support in the form of cannons.

I’ve said this before actually, Ahmad was planning to make Axum the “Constaninople” of the Horn doing the same thing that Mehmet did with the Byzantines to legitimize his rule in the region and blend both muslim/christian cultures (check vid 9:42). If he didn’t have any scruples with the Ottomans he wouldn’t have lost the Battle of Wayna Daga and all of Abyssinia would be incorporated into Adal. He would’ve also probably have made a new dynasty as well too considering he was sitting his son up to be the Emperor (Negash) of both the realms of the lowlands and highlands

Pretty much, it’s very similar to how Europeans had to adapt after the destruction of the Roman Empire, cows became smaller, stone roads were reclaimed by nature, cities fell into decline and were abandoned, new dominant identities formed, while others disappeared.

Yeah, the only difference is they recovered but we didn’t until the early modern age but we would’ve way faster if it weren’t for the barbarian Oromos, who brought nothing good with their migrations, no material or intellectual culture, no revolutionary religion, and no organization or development, just a bunch of backwards squatters.

 

[Emir of Zayla]

Ahmed did conquer Axum and designated a governor for that region. I think his biggest mistake was killing the Portuguese commander, who had immense value as a potential political prisoner for the Ottoman Empire against the Portuguese, and could have guaranteed Ahmed an even larger quantity of musket men and material support in the form of cannons.

This particular disagreement caused him to distrust the Ottomans and have him dismiss the very important contingent of Jannisaries, whose absence on the battlefield at Wayna Dayga eventually resulted in his death.

Had he handed over the commander, the Ottomans would have sent the Portuguese leader to Istanbul as a war prisoner and Ahmed would have felt no need to distrust the Ottoman commander that supported him at Wofla. They would have protected his flank against the Portuguese arquebusiers.

More importantly, with their commander still alive, albeit a prisoner, the surviving Portuguese arquebusiers would not have focused all of their efforts on Ahmed, and most likely would have perished fighting on the battlefield without a clear focus or direction.



Pretty much, it’s very similar to how Europeans had to adapt after the destruction of the Roman Empire, cows became smaller, stone roads were reclaimed by nature, cities fell into decline and were abandoned, new dominant identities formed, while others disappeared.

What do you think would’ve happened if Ahmad had won the battle of Wayna Daga? I want to hear your thoughts

 

[Awd]

What about aw bare I saw his name in several manuscripts as well

Sheikh Awbare lived during a similar time or just after Sheikh Awbube and was also Gurgura. Richard Burton passed by his tomb aswell:

"Without returning the salutations of the Bedouins, who loudly summoned us to stop and give them the news, we trotted forwards in search of a deserted sheep-fold. At sunset we passed, upon an eminence on our left, the ruins of an ancient settlement, called after its patron Saint, Ao Barhe: and both sides of the mountain road were flanked by tracts of prairie-land, beautifully purpling in the evening air." Burton

This is his tomb in the town of Awbare which is named after him, all these towns are near Borama:

 

[Three Moons]

@Emir of Zayla, Aksum by that time had become a backwater town after the destruction it suffered under Gudit and never recovered. It was not the same as Constantinople, which was still thriving before the Ottoman conquest. Ahmed’s designs for Aksum could only be for its symbolic worth, since Ahmed prayed at the Mosque of Ashama Ibn Abjar, the Askumite King that gave shelter to the first Muslims, nine centuries earlier, so he was aware of the city’s important historical currency from an Islamic perspective.

Victory at Wayna Dayga would have kept the Oromos at a distance, as they were most likely observing the war from afar and struck at the opportune moment. The Adalites being victorious would also result in a stronger unity under Ahmed than they did under Nur, so the newly conquered regions would be consolidated by a much stronger army.

As the rulers of Adal were seen as holy men and saints across the region, their victory over Abyssinia no doubt would also bring Mogadishu into their new realm, which would add the entire South to their domain and sphere of influence similar to the Sultan Badlay era.

There were a lot vacuums for a strong state like that to exploit both on land and on sea.

 

[Emir of Zayla]

@Emir of Zayla, Aksum by that time had become a backwater town after the destruction it suffered under Gudit and never recovered. It was not the same as Constantinople, which was still thriving before the Ottoman conquest. Ahmed’s designs for Aksum could only be for its symbolic worth, since Ahmed prayed at the Mosque of Ashama Ibn Abjar, the Askumite King that gave shelter to the first Muslims, nine centuries earlier, so he was aware of the city’s important historical currency from an Islamic perspective.

True, his plans for it could’ve been only for symbolic worth to both Christians and Muslims. Tho Axum wasn’t really a backwater town, it was the city that all Abyssinian kings had to have their coronations and other important religious activities had to take place there. Tho I don’t see any strategical important to Axum so idk how it even came to such a great power in antiquity.

Victory at Wayna Dayga would have kept the Oromos at a distance, as they were most likely observing the war from afar and struck at the opportune moment. The Adalites being victorious would also result in a stronger unity under Ahmed than they did under Nur, so the newly conquered regions would be consolidated by a much stronger army.

If the Muslims won at Wayna Daga then the Oromos would’ve stayed a random tribe in the backwaters that would’ve been exterminated/assimilated due to migrations that would come afterwards

As the rulers of Adal were seen as holy men and saints across the region, their victory over Abyssinia no doubt would also bring Mogadishu into their new realm, which would add the entire South to their domain and sphere of influence similar to the Sultan Badlay era.

There were a lot vacuums for a strong state like that to exploit both on land and on sea.

Mogadishu and Benadir (tho I’m not too sure on the latter) was also already under Adal.

 

[Three Moons]

True, his plans for it could’ve been only for symbolic worth to both Christians and Muslims. Tho Axum wasn’t really a backwater town, it was the city that all Abyssinian kings had to have their coronations and other important religious activities had to take place there. Tho I don’t see any strategical important to Axum so idk how it even came to such a great power in antiquity.

It wasn’t an urbanised town is what I should have said, with little to no influence on the wider region compared to its ancient imperial era, though its capture by Adal was no doubt a severe psychological blow to the Abyssinians. The type of bad news that might have sent Lebne Dengel early to his grave.

If the Muslims won at Wayna Daga then the Oromos would’ve stayed a random tribe in the backwaters that would’ve been exterminated/assimilated due to migrations that would come afterwards

Assimilation and conversion would have meant a huge reservoir of manpower for Adal.

Mogadishu and Benadir (tho I’m not too sure on the latter) was also already under Adal.

There are signs of a political alliance, and its clear that the people of Zayla and the people of Mogadishu saw each other as one, as Ibn Battuta also highlighted, but medieval Somalia was more like Al-Andalus, with various Muslim polities part of a single cultural and Islamic sphere yet separate politically for most of their history but with the right ruler also perfectly ripe for a unification like the Kalmar Union.

It would be interesting though if they found a manuscript confirming Mogadishu also considered itself Zayla’i because there are multiple medieval maps that include it as part of the kingdom of Adal / Zayla.