Ifat (historical region)

Ifat designated the Muslim dominated portion of Shewa in Abyssinia according to Harari texts, its territory extended from the Shewan uplands east, towards the Awash River.[5]

According to thirteenth century Arab geographer Ibn Sa'id al-Maghribi, Ifat was alternatively known as Jabarta.[6]

In the fourteenth century Al Umari mentioned seven cities or domains within Ifat: Biqulzar, Adal, Shewa, Kuljura, Shimi, Jamme and Laboo.[7]

According to historian Enrico Cerulli, in thirteenth century Sultan Walasma founded the Ifat Sultanate in Ifat after overthrowing the Makhzumi dynasty and subsequently invading states of Hubat, Gidaya, Hargaya etc.[8] The later Ifat rulers who are described as zealous would expand their dominion from Zequalla in eastern Shewa to Zeila on the coast of Somalia thus the Muslim dominated regions of the Horn of Africa would be known as Ifat up to the fourteenth century.[9][10]

In 1328 during Emperor Amda Seyon of Ethiopia's crusades, the territory of Ifat was invaded and incorporated into his empire after defeating its sultan Haqq ad-Din I's forces in battle.[11] Ifat would lose its prominence as the Muslim power in the region to Adal following the Abyssinian annexation of its dominion.[12] In the mid fourteenth century Ifat leader Jamal ad-Din I would rebel against Abyssinia by forming an alliance with the Adal leader Salih to battle the forces of the emperor Amda Seyon.[13] In the late fourteenth century, Ifat rebel leaders Haqq ad-Din II and Sa'ad ad-Din II transferred their base to Adal in the Harar region founding the Adal Sultanate.[14] These two Walasma princes exiled from Ifat had moved to an area around Harar which today Argobba and Harari speakers exist.[15]

According to Ayele Tariku, in the mid 1400s emperor Zara Yaqob assigned a military battalion in Ifat region following his successful defence of the frontier from the attacks of Adal Sultanate.[16] In the sixteenth century Ifat was governed by the Adalite, Abūn b. ‘Uthmān following its conquest by the Adal Sultanate during the Ethiopian-Adal war.[17]

During Ifat peoples conflicts with Oromo in the early seventeenth century, the Ifat Muslim leaders formed an alliance with Christian rulers of Shewa however the region much like neighboring Bale, Fatagar, Angot and others would eventually succumb to the Oromo.[18][19] During the eighteenth century, slave and salt commerce was active in Ifat mainly Wollo where its reported Afar brokers would transport them to Tadjoura on the coast.[20]

Later in the nineteenth century Ifat towns such as Aliyu Amba were major centers facilitating trade between Abyssinia and the Emirate of Harar.[21][22] Under the reign of Shewan king Sahle Selassie, the appointed Muslim Ifat governors were Hussain of Argobba, and his father Walasma Mohamed who professed their origin from the Walasma dynasty of the middle ages.[23] Ifat was also the site of forceful conversions of Muslims to Christianity by then Shewa king Menelik II under the orders of emperor Yohannes IV.[24]

The Argobba people are believed to originate from Ifat and were living alongside the people of Doba in the region.[25][26] Argobba, Harari, Wolane and Siltʼe people, appear to have represented major populations of Ifat in the Middle Ages.[27][28] The inhabitants of Ifat were the first to be recorded using Khat in the fourteenth century.[29]

Medieval Arabic texts indicate Ethiopian Semitic languages were spoken by the people of Ifat however Cerulli states these speakers were soon replaced by Afar and Somali.[30]

Numerous ruins of the former Ifat state were identified in what is now eastern Shewa most prominently the Nora site.[31] The dwellings resemble Argobba or Harari historical building designs.[32]