The Anonymous Ajuuraan Dynasty

[James Dahl]

One thing that's struck me about the difference between the Cadal and Ajuuraan empires is how the Ajuuraan Sultans (or Imams not sure which title was used more) are completely anonymous to history. Even in instances where the deeds of the Ajuuraan are written down, the name of the Sultan isn't even mentioned. Is it simply the case that the Ajuuraan royal chronicles have been lost? How can a great kingdom just vanish into the mist like this?

I only know of two of the Ajuuraan rulers, the only two mentioned by name in any of the stories, and they are the first and last, Dayle Gareen (the first) and Cumar Ciise Tukul ,the last.

[Xildiiid]

As Somalis we are very proud of the Ajuuraan. For their achievements and anti imperial wars with the leading nation of Europe at that time, Portugal.

Preserving their history and royal chronicals is a must.

[Niya]

Why don't you contact the Olol Dinle family members in Canada they might be able to shed light on their ancestors.

[AbdiWahab252]

James what would you like to know?

[hangool79]

One thing that's struck me about the difference between the Cadal and Ajuuraan empires is how the Ajuuraan Sultans (or Imams not sure which title was used more) are completely anonymous to history. Even in instances where the deeds of the Ajuuraan are written down, the name of the Sultan isn't even mentioned. Is it simply the case that the Ajuuraan royal chronicles have been lost? How can a great kingdom just vanish into the mist like this?

I only know of two of the Ajuuraan rulers, the only two mentioned by name in any of the stories, and they are the first and last, Dayle Gareen (the first) and Cumar Ciise Tukul ,the last.

this is Somali History 101, we are an oral people, nothing has been written down, besides I think you are gloriyfing these ajuraanis, they are prolly nothing but a qabil state none different than majerteenia iyo warsangli

[James Dahl]

James what would you like to know?

The fundamentals of Ajuuraan history is what's lacking the most, lists of sultans and their reigns, and something like a royal chronicle (deeds, noteworthy events, stuff like that)

[Khalid Ali]

actually hangool ajuraan were much more widespead had great trade routes diplomatic ties with the Chinese empires own coins and currency they controlled vast land all the way to Kenya even non somali speaking communities they defeated the Portuguese invasions and also made sure the oromo invasion went up north to ethiopia instead of going to southern somalia. ajuuraan build nice cities had even arab generals working for them. it is sad the ajuuraan history have not been well documented but i have seen some articles written about it by an Egyptian historian.

[sahal80]

James

Ajuran have apperead at the time Adal state was disappearing by the 15 century so it's more like oral literature than a written history according to the local traditions

Ajuran were native somalis who got influenced by the mogadishu arab/Persian dynasties so they established their own dynasty in shabelle region south of mogadishu, they later annexed mogadishu itself. The ruler of mogadishu from the muzafar dynasty has given allegiance to the imam of ajuran but they were like two separate dynasties; the mogadishu dynasty and the hinterland ajuran dynasty

The ajuran had full control of the coastal area south of mogadishu like marka and baraawe through military leadership that was based in afgooye, after the collapse of ajuran these waziirs will succeed them as silcis dynasty in afgooye, el amiir in marka-known locally as ceel amiir-Ibrahim adeer in kismaayo

Silcis were replaced by galadi, sultan of biimaal took over el ameer in marka

Hiraab took over xamar but soon omans have arrived and put xamar under Ibrahim adeer

The first imam of ajuran was called imam ciise, after they lost their central power the house of gareen was ruled by sultans like sultan olol diiinle and his father as the sultan of shabelle

The good thing ajuran did was resisting the portuguese that why they landed in socotra earlier and not in the coastal south in the ajuran time 15-17 centuries

I'm trying to get this book wrote by an ajuran girl




https://youtu.be/DYudYSO1uME




https://youtu.be/_YI_69HcfcE

[gegiroor]

One thing that's struck me about the difference between the Cadal and Ajuuraan empires is how the Ajuuraan Sultans (or Imams not sure which title was used more) are completely anonymous to history. Even in instances where the deeds of the Ajuuraan are written down, the name of the Sultan isn't even mentioned. Is it simply the case that the Ajuuraan royal chronicles have been lost? How can a great kingdom just vanish into the mist like this?

I only know of two of the Ajuuraan rulers, the only two mentioned by name in any of the stories, and they are the first and last, Dayle Gareen (the first) and Cumar Ciise Tukul ,the last.

Did you spend time in Turkish/Ottoman archives? Perhaps if yu spend time, you could learn it more.

[sahal80]

Gerigoor

Ajuran had relations with the omani ya,ariba state not with the ottoman empire don't forget that muzafar of mogadishu came from Oman

Omani accounts talk about how somalis were part of the alliance against the Portugal


Oman and socotra island were under the Portuguese rule from 15 century to 1650



After they liberated themselves they kept chasing them in east Africa and the Portuguese have settled in Angola

Oman had no direct authority on somalia, infact they were paying jizya to sultan Ibrahim yusuf the successer of Ibrahim adeer in kismayo that's why they appointed him for ex banadir-kismayo to warsheekh-

Ibrahim adeer and sultan Ibrahim yusuf are ex ajuran wazeers who hail from the digil subclan of rahanwayn

His father was part of the ajuran state
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_Adeer

[James Dahl]

There might actually be some information in the Ottoman archives, the Ottomans had a big role in the naval action against the Portuguese, but it would be limited to a small window of time, between 1550 and 1650 or so.

[gegiroor]

There might actually be some information in the Ottoman archives, the Ottomans had a big role in the naval action against the Portuguese, but it would be limited to a small window of time, between 1550 and 1650 or so.

James Dahl,

The time you listed was limited to the time of the naval action but there were contacts much earlier than that, including when the initial contacts started, the Ottomans helping organize the troops, the arms delivery, etc. Or also what happened after the war ended.

As a matter fact, researching the history of Mamluks would reveal more information about the Ajuran empire. Before the Mamluks were defeated by Selim the Grim (the Ottoman ruler), they had a good relationship with Ajuuraan, so one needs to check both Egyptian and Ottoman archives.

What about checking Persian archives before Savvafids turned it into a Shia. Persia (Iran today) was Sunni before their conflict with Salim the Grim started. They had a commerce relationship with Ajuraan, so I am sure there are documents that would be found there. Many scholars and business folks came from Persia and settled in East Africa, including Southern Somalia at that time.

Ajuran dynasty also had a commerce relationship with Chinese rulers at that time, as they used to export wild animals and other commodities.

Bottom line, if you want to study the Ajuran history, you need funding from some institution and need to visit and spend some time in the archives of all of the places that I mentioned. Relying on some archives in the West or online sources won't give you much information.

[gegiroor]

Gerigoor

Ajuran had relations with the omani ya,ariba state not with the ottoman empire don't forget that muzafar of mogadishu came from Oman

Omani accounts talk about how somalis were part of the alliance against the Portugal


Oman and socotra island were under the Portuguese rule from 15 century to 1650



After they liberated themselves they kept chasing them in east Africa and the Portuguese have settled in Angola

Oman had no direct authority on somalia, infact they were paying jizya to sultan Ibrahim yusuf the successer of Ibrahim adeer in kismayo that's why they appointed him for ex banadir-kismayo to warsheekh-

Ibrahim adeer and sultan Ibrahim yusuf are ex ajuran wazeers who hail from the digil subclan of rahanwayn

His father was part of the ajuran state
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_Adeer

Sahal,

When the Ajuran dynasty was battling against Purtogesse, they were assisted by Ottomans. There are many online sources who record that fact.

[sahal80]

Gegiroor

Ottomans had more contacts with the Adel state bc of their control of the Abyssinian coasts

Imam ahmed gurey has refused to give allegiance to the ottomans after his conquest reached tigray region according to egyptian book so they did not help him that much, according to the book he wanted to be free and establish his own state

Ajurans window for the outside world was the muzzafar port. Muzafar was an omani dynasty that ruled Oman before the yacrub dynasty, after they got ousted they fled to مملكة البته the somali version of the sawaaxil-boqortooyada bada- just before the ajuran appeared in shabelle

Sawaxil is a late name given by the sultan of zinjibar-barqash-

Yes all were at war with Portuguese but if there was any help it must have been via muzafar port-mogadishu-

Muzafar and ajuran had the same coins that can tell much about their foreign contacts

The flag was carried by the ajuran army





https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman ... _of_Habesh
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabhani_dynasty


https://ar.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AF% ... 8%A7%D9%86


https://ninja.oximity.com/article/Sultanate-of-Ajuran-1

"This evolved into the Muzaffar dynasty, a joint Somali-Arab federation of rulers, and Mogadishu became closely linked with the powerful Somali Ajuran Sultanate"

[Grant]

https://momenthistorysociety.wordpress. ... gaaljecel/

The Muzaffar dynasty issued coins from 1323-1800 AD. This history describes the Ajuraan as an Imamate over a confederation of Hawiyya clans, lasting about 150 years. They did not use the usual Somali titles. The concentration of power ascribed to them came during the Gaal Madow threat and declined as that threat passed. There is a significant scholarly debate over the degree to which the Ajuuraan had control over foreign trade and affairs. If it amounted to much, it looks like it must have been a very brief affair. The Oromo only entered the South during the middle of the 17th century and the Ajuuraan were gone as a governmental power by 1700. The encyclopedias say one thing and the academic papers another. I believe the evidence will eventually show the Ajuuraan were concerned mostly just with interior matters, as the lack of known names would seem to indicate. Contrariwise, I believe the Muzaffars are mostly known.