Adal Sultanate

Adal Sultanate was a state in Horn of Africa (North and West Africa) that lasted from 1415 to 1577 CE, about 162 years. Its people spoke Semitic languages (Akkadian, Amorite, Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician, Ge'ez, Amharic, Tigrinya).

Muslim sultanate whose imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi led Somali and Afar armies in a conquest of most of Ethiopia from 1529. His death at Wayna Daga in 1543, against Portuguese-backed forces, ended the jihad.

See Adal Sultanate on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

1415 to 1577 CE

Duration

162 years

Type

State

Region

Horn of Africa, North and West Africa

Language family

Semitic

Capital

Dakkar, later Harar

Came from

• Ifat Sultanate 1285 to 1415 CE

Became

• Emirate of Harar 1647 to 1887 CE
• Imamate of Aussa 1577 to 1672 CE

Events in North and West Africa during its time

• 1482 Portuguese build Elmina
• 1529 Battle of Shimbra Kure

Neighbours in North and West Africa

• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE
• Mali Empire c. 1235 to 1670 CE
• Mamluk Sultanate 1250 to 1517 CE
• Songhai Empire 1464 to 1591 CE
• Kingdom of Benin c. 1180 to 1897 CE
• Bornu Empire c. 1387 to 1893 CE
• Oyo Empire c. 1400 to 1836 CE
• Ife c. 1000 to 1420 CE
• Hafsids 1229 to 1574 CE
• Funj Sultanate of Sennar 1504 to 1821 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Republic of Venice c. 697 to 1797 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Middle East
• Swahili city-states c. 800 to 1700 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Holy Roman Empire 962 to 1806 CE, Europe
• Khmer Empire 802 to 1431 CE, Southeast Asia
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Europe
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Middle East
• Portuguese Empire 1415 to 1999 CE, Europe
• Kingdom of Kongo c. 1390 to 1914 CE, Central and Southern Africa

Questions