Ifat

The Sultanate of Ifat was a medieval Muslim state in the eastern regions of the Horn of Africa between the late 13th century and early 15th century. It was centered in the ancient city of Zeila. They ruled over where are now parts of Somalia,Ethiopia,Djibouti.They had an army of 20,000 and 15,000 horsemen.

Yusuf bin Ahmad al-Kawneyn was born in Zeila during the Adal Kingdom period. He is a Somali Muslim Saint. He is believed to be the founder and ancestor of the royal family known as the Walashma Dynasty, which later governed both the Ifat Sultanate and the Adal Sultanate during the Middle Ages.

Ifat first emerged when Umar ibn Dunya-huz later to be known as Sultan Umar Walashma carved out his kingdom and conquered Mahkzumi dynasty. Taddesse Tamrat explains Sultan Walashma's military acts as an effort to consolidate the Muslim territories in the Horn of Africa in much the same way as Emperor Yekuno Amlak was attempting to consolidate the Christian territories in the highlands during the same period

According to the Arab historian Maqrizi, known for his pro-Islamic version of history written around 1435 that Sultan Umar ibn Dunya-huz was the first ruler of Ifat and founded Ifat at Zeila in 1185. He was also the grandson of the famous Yusuf bin Ahmad al-Kawneyn Umar died around 1275, stated Maqrizi, and was succeeded by "four or five sons" with each ruling a short period.^[17] Finally, Sabr ad-Din I came to power and he ruled Ifat till the turn of the century. He was succeeded by Sultan Ali, according to Maqrizi, who was the first ruler to engage with a warfare against the Abyssinia.

Sabr ad-Din I rebellion was not an attempt to become independent but to become Emperor over a Muslim Ethiopia Amdas royal chronicle states that Sabr ad-Din proclaimed

"I wish to be King of all Ethiopia; I will rule the Christians according to their law and I will destroy their churches...I will nominate governors in all the provinces of Ethiopia, as does the King of Zion...I will transform the churches into mosques. I will subjugate and convert the King of the Christians to my religion, I will make him a provincial governor, and if he refuses to be converted I will hand him over to one of the shepherds, called Warjeke [i.e. Werjih], that he may be made a keeper of camels. As for the Queen Jan Mangesha, his wife, I will employ her to grind corn. I will make my residence at Marade [i.e. Tegulet], the capital of his kingdom.

Sabr ad-Din's rebellion in early 1332 , with its religious support and ambitious goals, was therefore seen as a jihad rather than an attempt at independence, and it was consequently immediately joined by the nearby Muslim province of Dewaro (the first known mention of the province), under the governor Haydera, and the western province of Hadiya under the vassal local ruler Ameno. Sabr ad-Din divided his troops into three parts, sending a division north-westwards to attack Amhara, one northwards to attack Angot, and another, under his personal command, westward to take Shewa

Amda reacted with his soldiers to meet the threat giving them gifts of gold ,silver and clothing.Due to the mountainous terrain and no roads many from his army chose not to fight.But they advanced on once arrived they destroyed the capital of Ifat ,Zeila.Killing many soldiers but Sabr ad-Din escaped

Amda Seyon's forces grouped togather for a final attack on one of his camps killing many Sabr ad-Din subsequently sued for peace, appealing to Queen Jan Mengesha, who refused his peace offer and expressed Amda Seyon's determination not to return to his capital until he had searched Sabr ad-Din out. Upon hearing this, Sabr ad-Din realized that his rebellion futile and surrendered himself to Amda Seyon's camp.