History Establishment The Habr Yunis Sultanate finds its roots in the Isaaq Sultanate which was established by the Rer Guled branch of the Eidagale after the Isaaq successfully defeated the Absame clanat Lafaruug in the 17th century . With time the Habr Yunis and later the Habr Awal and Habr Je'lo would break from the Isaaq Sultanate with the Habr Yunis forming their own Sultanate led by Sugulle the son of the previous Habr Yunis Cheiftain, Ainanshe  URL ISSUES IN REFUGEE RESEARCH Working Paper No. 65 Pastoral society and transnational refugees: population movements in Somaliland and eastern Ethiopia 1988 - 2000 Guido Ambroso, Table 1, pg.5 The Sultan Deria Sugulleh would establish his capital at Wadhan (Waram)  near the Sheikh pass and tax and administer the affairs of the Habr Yunis from the town. Large caravans bound for Berbera would pass through Habr Yunis territory through Burao and then Wadhan and proved a lucrative source of income for Sultan Deria.The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society 1850, Volume 9, p.133 Expansion and Rayyad War 400px|German Map from 1874 showcasing Sultan Hersi Aman's general location Following Sultan Deria 's death in the 1850s his grandson Hersi Aman would come to succeed him and usher in an era of conquest. Hersi Aman belonged to the Bah Makahil section of the Sugulle dynasty.British Somaliland, by Ralph E. Drake-BrockmanAndrzejewski, B.W. and I.M. Lewis, 1964, Somali Poetry: An Introduction, Oxford University Press, Oxford, p.106 In 1870 he would launch the Rayyad Wars against the Darood of Hawd and Dollo which would continue intermittently from 1870 to 1940 and give birth to a string of poems, the Guba poetic chain, one of the most well-known series in Somali history. At the battle of Haro Dhiig (Lake of Blood) in the Hawd , the victorious Habr Yunis had captured the Sultan of the Rer Haroun Ogaden with many lives lost on both sides. The captured Sultan sent a message to Hersi saying as a notable he should be spared. In response, Hersi replied with Laba Gob Kii Beer Jilicsan Baa Jaba meaning, amongst two counterparts the soft-hearted shall perish and the captive Sultan was subsequently executed.The Unknown Horn of Africa, Frank Linsly James, pg.335      &  &  &  First Civil War Despite the great successes of Hersi Aman and new territory acquired, the other branches of the Rer Sugule grew wary of his increasing power as a ruler and stood to challenge him, fearing his unchecked leadership. The wise Guled Haji, another prominent member and elder of the Rer Sugule, had a fallout with Sultan Hersi, and his son was killed by one of Hersis' sons. Hersi's son approached his father and implored him to pay the traditional mag compensation to Guled for the loss of his child. Hersi arrogantly rebuffed his son and all-out conflict would break out between Ba Awal (Hersi's branch) and Baho Sugule branches of the Rer Sugule.War and Peace: An Anthology of Somali literature, p.169 Haji Guled in 1906. The Sultan Hersi himself would be killed in battle after some early clashes and later his commander Warsame would also fall. Warsame's sister lamented to her son Ali for the loss of Hersi, her husband Geid and other relatives in this poem recorded separately by both Phillip Paulitschke and Robecchi Brichetti.Rendiconti by Reale Accademia dei Lincei; Reale Osservatorio del Campidoglio published 1885. Page 228. Frank Linsly James visited Sultan Awad at Burao in 1884 and witnessed the dissenting situation between the two Sultans. Describing the political situation in the region and frequent raids between the two rival Rer Sugulleh factions and their allied Habr Yunis subclans It appeared the great Habr Gerhajis tribe was divided into two rival factions, the one owning allegiance to Sultan Owd, the other to his cousin, Sultan Noor. Between these two the country was about evenly divided, and the border-line was an everlasting scene of wars and rumours of wars, cattle raids, and attempted murders.The Unknown Horn of Africa: An Exploration From Berbera to the Leopard River, 1888 The Haber-Gerhajis tribe had formerly been under one Sultan and were very powerful, making frequent raids into Ogadayn, but on his death, two cousins, Awad and Nur, divided the country between them.Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society and Monthly Record of Geography, 1885, Volume 7, p.627 Awad was killed fighting in Ogaden by the Reer Ali. This allowed Nur to establish himself at Burao and rule over the entirety of the Habr Yunis. The Baha Deria still did not concede defeat and would eventually chose Awad's nephew, Madar Hersi, as their successor following Nur's death.Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 21, p.161 Sultan Nur convened a shir of the Habr Yunis and decided to draw lots to settle the dispute with his challenger Madar Hersi rather than continue the senseless infighting that had lasted since Hersi Aman's death. Sultan Nur won the draw and gave Madar Hersi 100 camels as compensation and was proclaimed the uncontested Sultan of the Habr Yunis.British Somaliland by Drake Brockman, pages 79–82, 1912. The reunified rule under one Sultan Nur would last until the formation of the Dervish Movement several years later in 1899. Early Dervish Era Sultan Nur & Habar Yunis horsemen 1896 Sultan Nur had been the architect of disturbances at Berbera and was the man who narrated the famous story of French Catholic missionaries in Berbera converting Somali children.Under the flag: and Somali coast stories by Walsh, Langton Prendergast. p. 243Somali Coast administration Report of the protectorate 1892–1893, Bombay Castle, NAY, New Delhi According to the consul-general James Hayes Sadler this news was either spread or concocted by Sultan Nur of the Habr Yunis. Madar Hersi his former rival for the Sultan title had aided the Mullahs of Kob Fardod in recovering livestock that was previously looted by some of the Habr Yunis and this reignited after receiving aid from the Mullahs there notably Mohammed Abdullah Hassan.Churchill and the Mad Mullah of Somaliland: Betrayal and Redemption 1899-1921. p. 24 by Roy Irons Correspondence respecting the Rising of Mullah Muhammed Abdullah in Somaliland, and consequent military operations, 1899-1901. P. 4. Upon his visit to Oodweyne in July 1899 Sultan Nur convened a great shir of the western Habr Yunis clans and called on them to join the new Dervish movement and upon their refusal he would leave to Burao and successfully rallied the eastern sections of the clan. The Dervish would declare war from Burao on September 1 of 1899.Correspondence respecting the Rising of Mullah Muhammed Abdullah in Somaliland, and consequent military operations, 1899-1901. P. 8. Madar was soon propagated as the legitimate Sultan by British authorities and managed the western sections of the clan throughout the period of the Dervish wars. Incorporation into British Somaliland Sultan Nur continued and would be heavily involved as a key figure of the Dervish movement and the main signatory of the Treaty of Illig in 1905 that granted them large tracts of today's Nugaal and the port of Eyl from the Italians to use.Il Benadir, Vico Mantegazza. 1908. pp. 323–324 Following Sultan Nur's death in 1907 he was entombmed in Taleh the headquarters of the movement and his son Dolal Nur was crowned by the Dervish Habr Yunis clans while Sultan Madar Hersi the more established and powerful of the two eventually would become the uncontested Sultan as Dolal died prematurely in 1917 and left no heirs .British Somaliland by Drake Brockman, pages 82, 1912.  With the widespread involvement of the British in the interior against the Dervish the once defacto independent interior clans were brought under British administration and the Habr Yunis Sultanate would end. Economy 300 px|Map of the Daallo Mountain Ranges and coastal Sanaag showing the Musa Arreh (Habar Yunis) settled in Maydh in the year 1860 The Habr Yunis Sultanate had strong economy and controlled two routes to the major port of Berbera leading from the Jerato and Sheikh mountain passes into the Hawd and Ogaden country. The key city of Burao was the Trade was significant and bolstered during the period that a Habr Yunis man Sharmarke Ali Saleh had established himself as Emir of Berbera and Zeila. The eastern sections of the Habr Yunis had coastal access and several ports of their own. They attained a lot of frankincense in the mountains south of Maydh and Harshaw. Arab and Banyan merchants would visit Maydh for commerce before continuing on to the larger ports such as Berbera and Zeila. Maydh was the preeminent export point for large hides the town had dialogue with Berbera with a large amount of cross trade occurring usually by dhow. As well alongside other northern Somalis and Isaaqs in particular, the Habr Yunis were significant traders in Yemen with Frederick Hunter giving an 1877 account of their trade.Hunter, Frederick (1877). An Account of the British Settlement of Aden in Arabia. Cengage Gale. p. 41. Somalis of the Habr Gerhajis tribe arrive from Ogadain with feathers, myrrh, gum, sheep, cattle, and ghee, carrying away in exchange piece goods; they also make four trips in the season; they remain for less than a month, and during their stay reside with fellow-tribesmen, taking their meals in the mokhbâzah or eating-house. Administration Sultans of the Habr Yunis exercised power both indirectly and directly through allied Akils and leaders of the various subclans of the wider clan and by leading the Habr Yunis in battle against rivals. The seat of Habr Yunis Sultans was deliberately chosen in Wadhan and later Burao along the caravan route in order to have a firm grip on trade and also ensure a steady stream of taxes from passing traders. New information would be passed along these trade routes and the Sultans would be well informed of occurrences as the Somalis have a penchant for being informed about things. Explorer Ricahrd Burton in his 1854 journey to Harar heard from local Somalis who told him the latest reports from the ongoing Crimean War.First Footsteps in East Africa: Or, An Explanation of Harar. Richard Francis Burton, pg 188 The capitals of Wadhan and Burao served as important watering places for both merchants and nomads alike and access to them was crucial for orderly trade from the Hawd and Ogaden regions to Berbera.A Pastoral Democracy: A Study of Pastoralism and Politics Among the Northern Somali of the Horn of Africa, pg.187 According to the current Sultan Osman Ali, the oldest son of a Sultan is the rightful heir, but if he does not fill the requirements another son can be selected. A Sultan has to be religious, an eloquent speaker, courageous, and has to be fertile. A guurti of 40 leading elders from the Habr Yunis subclans would come to make this decision on the successor.Suldaan Cismaan Cali Madar Interview, SAAB TV, 18/05/2017. URL Sultans would receive a yearly tribute or saado of livestock imposed on the rest of the Habr Yunis.The Journal of The anthropological institute of Great Britain and Ireland| Vol.21 p. 161 Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society: Official Publication of the Coryndon Memorial Museum Vol.17 p. 76 Sultan Osman Ali states that the Sultan distributed the livestock amongst the Habr Yunis to the less fortunate and needy as a form of welfare.Suldaan Cismaan Cali Madar Interview, SAAB TV, 18/05/2017. URL Rulers The Habr Yunis Sultanate had eight rulers throughout its duration and the institution of Sultan still lasts today with the Baha Deria leading I conflict still not being completely resolved. The Bah Makahil maintain a well respected pretender although the current Sultan Osman Ali Madar of the Baha Deria is considered as the Sultan of the Habr Yunis. NameReign FromReign Till1 Ainasha Hersi (traditional chief)2Sultan Sugulleh Ainasha (first sultan)3Sultan Diriyeh Sultan Sugulleh Ainasha 4Sultan Hersi Aman Sultan Diriyeh5Sultan Nur Ahmed Aman Sultan Diriyeh 6Sultan Awad Sultan Diiriye7Sultan Dolal Sultan Nur8Sultan Madar Hersi Sultan Diiriye Legacy Amongst the Habr Yunis the traditional institution and leadership of the clan survived the British Somaliland period into present times. The Rer Ainashe Sultans although no longer ruling vast territory and with separate Habr Yunis subclans having their own Sultans still remain status the recognized leaders of the Habr Yunis. The current Sultan is Osman Ali Madar who is active in social issues in modern day Somaliland. References
History Origins The Habr Yunis are part of the Garhajis clan confederation, and are a sub clan of the Isaaq tribe. The founder of the Rer Sugelleh dynasty is Ainashe Hersi a chief of the HabrYunis. Ethnographie Nordost-afrikas pp.45. Philip Paulitscheke. Publisher: D. Reimer. 1893Ainashe was the son of Ismail Arre a Habar Yunis noblemen, and a women of the Ali Sayid clan. He had seven brothers: Said, Fahiya, Hildid, Warsame, Yusuf, Ali and Abdi whom they shared the same mother and are together known as the Ba Ali in reference to their mother's clan.Tribes of British Somaliland, 1941, pp. 10. later in the 17th century Ainashe was elected to be the Tribal Ugaas of the Habar Yunis clan. As was the norm of Somali chieftains, Ainanshe had multiple wives. His first wife belonged to the Jibrahil clan and was the mother of his eldest son Sugulle who proceeded to establish the Habar Yunis sultanate. Sugelleh was part of the Ba Jibrhil Rer Sugulle which is the ruling tribe of the Habar Yunis. Ainanshe's other wives Mun, Basla and Egalo bore him 16 sons who are collectively known as the Baha Ainanshe.Genealogies of the Somal. Eyre and Spottiswoode (London). 1896. Establishment After the fall of the Adal Sultanate many successor states were established in Somaliland such as the Habar Yunis and Isaaq Sultanate. Before this The whole of the Isaaq clan were ruled by the Habar Jelo or Toljeclo dynasty. The Tol Jeclo claim descent from sheikh Isaaq’s Harari wife. After a devastating reign Garad Dhuh Barar of the Habar Je’clo was defeated and the Somali Isaaqs gained independence from the Harari branch of the Isaaq. After gaining independence the Isaaq Sultanate got into conflict with the Darood Absame, and penetrated deep in their territory, whilst this was happening Isaaq clans were rebelling, and the opportunist Habr Yunis broke of the United Isaaq Sultanate. the Habar Yunis Ugaazte developed into a large independent kingdom, and influenced many Darood, and Isaaq clans. The Habar Yunis established their kingdom under Sugulleh URL ISSUES IN REFUGEE RESEARCH Working Paper No. 65 Pastoral society and transnational refugees: population movements in Somaliland and eastern Ethiopia 1988 - 2000 Guido Ambroso, Table 1, pg.5 Sugelleh’s successor Deria Sugulleh established Wadhan (Waram) as the political-military-economic centre for his people which was near the Sheikh pass and tax and administer the affairs of the Habr Yunis from the town. Large caravans bound for Berbera would pass through Habr Yunis territory through Burao and then Wadhan and proved a lucrative source of income for Sultan Deria.The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society 1850, Volume 9, p.133 Expansion and Rayyad War 400px|German Map from 1874 showcasing Sultan Hersi Aman's general location Following Sultan Deria ’s death a Great War broke out between the different branches of the Reer Sugelleh, Hiwever the young ambitious Hersi Aman proclaimed him self as Sultan in the 1850’s. Hersi was a smart man, and was ready for conflict with any tribe. Hersi Aman belonged to the Bah Makahil section of the Sugulle dynasty.British Somaliland, by Ralph E. Drake-BrockmanAndrzejewski, B.W. and I.M. Lewis, 1964, Somali Poetry: An Introduction, Oxford University Press, Oxford, p.106 In 1870 he would launch the Rayyad Wars against the Darood of Hawd and Dollo which would continue intermittently from 1870 to 1940 and give birth to a string of poems, the Guba poetic chain, one of the most well-known series in Somali history. At the battle of Haro Dhiig (Lake of Blood) in modern day Haud (Ethiopia) , the victorious Habr Yunis captured the Sultan of the Rer Haroun Ogaden with many lives lost on both sides. The captured Sultan sent a message to Hersi saying as a noble he should be spared. In response, Hersi replied with Laba Gob Kii Beer Jilicsan Baa Jaba meaning, amongst two counterparts the soft-hearted shall perish and the captive Sultan was subsequently executed.The Unknown Horn of Africa, Frank Linsly James, pg.335 Hersi then resumed his conquest and penetrated further into Ogaden lands taking Dollo. In Dollo Hersi occupied, and invaded grazing lands and wells, as well as thousands of camels, he then proceeded to invade the lands of other Darood clans such as the Reer Cabdalle and Reer Makahil forcing them to flee to Hiraan. Ali Dhuh referred to these wars as the Guba wars due to the defeat of the Ogaden clans. Ethiopia,and British influence over the Habar Yunis Whilst Hersi was invading Ogaden the British and Ethiopian empires were getting worried due to the Habar Yunis expansion. The Ethiopians saw the Ogaden as their servants and gateway to Muslim territory. Whilst the British saw Ogaden as a major state, and kept their eye on the province, and would later invade it in 1887. Upon one occasion Hersi raided Ogaden, and took 1330 camels from the Ogaden, however the British and Ethiopians warned them and told them to return the camels to their owners. The Habr Yunis knowing they couldn’t afford a fight with a foreign power obliged, and returned the camels and promised to not lead any raids in Ogaden. Despite their promise they continued to raid Ogaden. Historian sigebery Uhlig commenting on the Guba poems writes the following: From a historical point of view Ali dhuhs poem explicitly details the large gains in traditionally Ogaden territory and wells, and the looting of Ogaden camels by the Isaq. He details the scatterring of the Ogaden clan, their forced migration southwards seeking refuge in the feverish river valleys, and even turning to hunting and farming- measures that were again considered very shameful usually only undertaken by slaves and low-caste Somalis and utterly demeaning for the once great pastoral Ogaden clan. The Ogaden, Ali recounts, have been forced to accept refuge with the clans that defeated them, especially the Habr Yunis, and cannot take revenge. The Isaq are portrayed as particularly callous and shameful in the way they parade looted Ogaden camels in front of their previous owners. Even in translation it is a very evocative poem". Dhulbahante war After defeating every threat in eastern Ethiopia the Habr Yunis looked east and focus on the Darood clans that inhabited eastern Somali-land, such as the Dhulbahante, and Warsangli, the Habr Yunis were much more powerful than these clans this conflicted resulted in the Habar Yunis looting Dhulbhante territory taking camels and land. The Dhulbahante put up no resistance, and feared the Habr Gerhajis (Habr Yunis) so much so that they didn’t even avenge their casualties and instead intermarried with the Habr Yunis. The Ismail Arreh clan which were part of the Habr Yunis expanded from Berbera to Gulay, whilst the Muse Arreh Expanded far in to Warsangli Territory, and served as a border between the Habr Yunis and Majeerteen (Majeerteen Sultanate). Hersi is one of the most notable sultans and was a great king that penetrated far into Ogaden (Darood). Hersi influenced Zeila which were ran by the Gadabuursi,and Habar Awal sultanates. . Reer Samatar (Gadabuursi War) German explorer Felix Rosen who visited British Somaliland and Ethiopian Empire in 1907 met and discussed with the Somalis in the area and was told about Hersi and other legendary figures who had died in the decades prior. One such story was the battle between Sultan Hersi& the famed warrior Kirh of the Rer Samatar subclan. Sultan Hersi's powerful section of Rer Ammaan had been raided by Kirh and his Rer Samatar. Given the fierce reputation of their target, Kirh's companions were uneasy and fled after the raid, leaving Kirh for dead. His wife began to mourn alongside his kinsmen but to everyone's surprise, Kirh had survived the wilderness and emerged with 100 camels he had captured. This feat impressed Hersi and there was no attempt to recover the lost stock. Kirh recited a boastful gabay O yalahe hoi, o yalahe hoi, yalahe My, our lore of death has spread through all tribes near and far And we felt so safe that we spurned the camels with the lance to prick our mark of possession Let the animals move slowly so that the camel fillings do not become tired At the time when the cowards among our companions took flight and the hiding places Then the lion's mane grew around our shoulders My wife! little was our Seriba; I have filled ten Serbs for you Come, now fill the milk baskets; we have plundered the tribe of AmmanWhen fighting would eventually resume, Hersi called out inquiring where Kirh was in the heat of battle. In response, a spear flew and grazed the Sultan's head. Hersi grabbed the spear which Kirh had thrown and returned the favour piercing through Kirh's famed horse and embedding deep in Kirh. He would escape the battlefield despite the wound leaving Hersi and the Rer Ammaan victorious having killing one& capturing another man named Hashi. Hersi now answered the previous gabay and mocked his opponent How Kirh first bragged so much - now his speeches are silent! Once the Samatar tribe was large and rich, now it is small and become poor Now their caravans are afraid, even a day's march from Amud to go so far! We killed one of their men, we caught one of them, and one we drove the lance through the body Tell us, according to the truth, O Hashi! About which of the three you mourn the most that we like from your tribe?Hashi having being challenged by the Sultan spoke That you killed one of our men was by fate Predestined that you captured me does no harm But no mother has ever given birth to a hero like KirhHersi being moved by these words spared Hashi from the usual deadly fate of a captive instead giving him a fine horse and sent medicines& gifts with Hashi to deliver to Kirh. Kirh would return the favour finally reconciling the feud. First Civil War Despite the great successes of Hersi Aman and new territory acquired, the other branches of the Rer Sugule grew wary of his increasing power as a ruler and stood to challenge him, fearing his unchecked leadership. The wise Guled Haji, another prominent member and elder of the Rer Sugule, had a fallout with Sultan Hersi, and his son was killed by one of Hersis' sons. Hersi's son approached his father and implored him to pay the traditional mag compensation to Guled for the loss of his child. Hersi arrogantly rebuffed his son and all-out conflict would break out between Ba Awal (Hersi's branch) and Baho Sugule branches of the Rer Sugule.War and Peace: An Anthology of Somali literature, p.169 Haji Guled in 1906. War continued with the Rer Sugeleh and the Ba Awal, one of the Ba Awal warriors Warsame attacked the Rer Sugeleh and killed three men, he also captured a respected young noblemen named Jama Amume Jama was the grandson of Deria Sugulleh Ainashe. Due to his Nobility he was released, later Jama then led a battle against the Ba Awal, Jama severely wounded Warsame. He then praised his horse Hamar who had performed well, and recited the following poem. Rendiconti by Reale Accademia dei Lincei; Reale Osservatorio del Campidoglio published 1885. Page 227-228.Col aloosan Xamarow haddii xalay la ugaanshay Heensaha hadddaan kugu itibay goor aleyl dhexe ah Indhaalaha haddaan kuu xidh-xidhay suuman la adkeeyay Isha bari hadii loo kiciyo awrtii reer Sugule Kuwii lays aqoon jiray haddii lagu ogaan duulay Abaanduule Guuleed (Guled Haji) hadii ubaxa loo gooyay Waa boqor agtiisa'e hadday "ililidii" yeedh'dhay Usha Daba-xidh ooddiyo haddii laysu wada giijay Eebada haddii laysku riday ilig-jartii hooto Abdikayba intii hore hadaan dabo adeegaayay Kolku ina qolyaeedkii sidii aarka nagu qayshay Anigoo aqoon jirin haddii lay ogeysiiyay Onkad baxay la moodyow kolkan amarka qaadsiiyay Doc aroorka uguma tago orodka saydhshaaye Oogada hadduu igala maray agabarkuu joogo Anna Awlaxaan siday haddaan oofta midig gooyay Kol haddaan Warsame aayiroon Baho agoonteeyay Kol haddaan ugaaskii ka dilay u ololiyeynaayay Kol hadaan ka oon baxay afku aramigu jiifay Alxamdu lilaa Eebaw haddaan umalkii qaar reebayHersi died in that battle and later Warsame would also fall. Warsame's sister lamented to her son Ali for the loss of Hersi, her husband Geid and other relatives in this poem recorded separately by both Phillip Paulitschke and Robecchi Brichetti.Rendiconti by Reale Accademia dei Lincei; Reale Osservatorio del Campidoglio published 1885. Page 228. Frank Linsly James visited Sultan Awad at Burao in 1884 and witnessed the dissenting situation between the two Sultans. Describing the political situation in the region and frequent raids between the two rival Rer Sugulleh factions and their allied Habr Yunis subclans It appeared the great Habr Gerhajis tribe was divided into two rival factions, the one owning allegiance to Sultan Owd, the other to his cousin, Sultan Noor. Between these two the country was about evenly divided, and the border-line was an everlasting scene of wars and rumours of wars, cattle raids, and attempted murders.The Unknown Horn of Africa: An Exploration From Berbera to the Leopard River, 1888 The Haber-Gerhajis tribe had formerly been under one Sultan and were very powerful, making frequent raids into Ogadayn, but on his death, two cousins, Awad and Nur, divided the country between them.Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society and Monthly Record of Geography, 1885, Volume 7, p.627 Awad was killed fighting in Ogaden by the Reer Ali. This allowed Nur to establish himself at Burao and rule over the entirety of the Habr Yunis. The Baha Deria still did not concede defeat and would eventually chose Awad's nephew, Madar Hersi, as their successor following Nur's death.Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 21, p.161 Sultan Nur convened a shir of the Habr Yunis and decided to draw lots to settle the dispute with his challenger Madar Hersi rather than continue the senseless infighting that had lasted since Hersi Aman's death. Sultan Nur won the draw and gave Madar Hersi 100 camels as compensation and was proclaimed the uncontested Sultan of the Habr Yunis.British Somaliland by Drake Brockman, pages 79–82, 1912. The reunified rule under one Sultan Nur would last until the formation of the Dervish Movement several years later in 1899. Early Dervish Era Sultan Nur & Habar Yunis horsemen 1896 Sultan Nur had been the architect of disturbances at Berbera and was the man who narrated the famous story of French Catholic missionaries in Berbera converting Somali children.Under the flag: and Somali coast stories by Walsh, Langton Prendergast. p. 243Somali Coast administration Report of the protectorate 1892–1893, Bombay Castle, NAY, New Delhi According to the consul-general James Hayes Sadler this news was either spread or concocted by Sultan Nur of the Habr Yunis. Madar Hersi his former rival for the Sultan title had aided the Mullahs of Kob Fardod in recovering livestock that was previously looted by some of the Habr Yunis and this reignited after receiving aid from the Mullahs there notably Mohammed Abdullah Hassan.Churchill and the Mad Mullah of Somaliland: Betrayal and Redemption 1899-1921. p. 24 by Roy Irons Correspondence respecting the Rising of Mullah Muhammed Abdullah in Somaliland, and consequent military operations, 1899-1901. P. 4. Upon his visit to Oodweyne in July 1899 Sultan Nur convened a great shir of the western Habr Yunis clans and called on them to join the new Dervish movement and upon their refusal he would leave to Burao and successfully rallied the eastern sections of the clan. The Dervish would declare war from Burao on September 1 of 1899.Correspondence respecting the Rising of Mullah Muhammed Abdullah in Somaliland, and consequent military operations, 1899-1901. P. 8. Madar was soon propagated as the legitimate Sultan by British authorities and managed the western sections of the clan throughout the period of the Dervish wars. Incorporation into British Somaliland Early encounters with Britain started in 1882 duirng which was during the time of Sultan Nur. During his time the British had invaded Yemeni islands, and had a interest for the Habr Yunis and the Isaaq Sultanate due to their rich ports the British would establish them self’s in Berbera the Capital of the HabarAwal.Under the flag: and Somali coast stories by Walsh, Langton Prendergast. p. 243,Somali Coast administration Report of the protectorate 1892–1893, Bombay Castle, NAY, New Delhi After establishing a base in Somaliland the British would proceed to attack the Dervish on neighbouring cities such as Taleh. Sultan Nur continued the Dervish Campaign and would be heavily involved as a key figure of the Dervish movement and the main signatory of the Treaty of Illig in 1905 that granted them large tracts of today's Nugaal and the port of Eyl from the Italians to use.Il Benadir, Vico Mantegazza. 1908. pp. 323–324 Following Sultan Nur's death in 1907 he was entombmed in Taleh the headquarters of the movement and his son Dolal Nur was crowned by the Dervish Habr Yunis clans while Sultan Madar who was much more powerful often raided the Ba Awal domain. Later Sultan Dolal Nur died prematurely and was left with no ai Rs however his cousin Jama Hersi succeeded him .British Somaliland by Drake Brockman, pages 82, 1912. Cosmos: communicazioni sui progressi recenti e notevoli della geografia e delle scienze affini di Guido Cora p. 201 With the widespread involvement of the British in the interior against the Dervish the once defacto independent interior clans were brought under British administration and the Habr Yunis Sultanate would end. Economy 300 px|Map of the Daallo Mountain Ranges and coastal Sanaag showing the Musa Arreh (Habar Yunis) settled in Maydh in the year 1860 The Habr Yunis Sultanate had strong economy and controlled two routes to the major port of Berbera leading from the Jerato and Sheikh mountain passes into the Hawd and Ogaden country. The key city of Burao was the Trade was significant and bolstered during the period that a Habr Yunis man Sharmarke Ali Saleh had established himself as Emir of Berbera and Zeila. The eastern sections of the Habr Yunis had coastal access and several ports of their own. They attained a lot of frankincense in the mountains south of Maydh and Harshaw. Arab and Banyan merchants would visit Maydh for commerce before continuing on to the larger ports such as Berbera and Zeila. Maydh was the preeminent export point for large hides the town had dialogue with Berbera with a large amount of cross trade occurring usually by dhow. As well alongside other northern Somalis and Isaaqs in particular, the Habr Yunis were significant traders in Yemen with Frederick Hunter giving an 1877 account of their trade.Hunter, Frederick (1877). An Account of the British Settlement of Aden in Arabia. Cengage Gale. p. 41. Somalis of the Habr Gerhajis tribe arrive from Ogadain with feathers, myrrh, gum, sheep, cattle, and ghee, carrying away in exchange piece goods; they also make four trips in the season; they remain for less than a month, and during their stay reside with fellow-tribesmen, taking their meals in the mokhbâzah or eating-house. Administration Sultans of the Habr Yunis exercised power both indirectly and directly through allied Akils and leaders of the various subclans of the wider clan and by leading the Habr Yunis in battle against rivals. The seat of Habr Yunis Sultans was deliberately chosen in Wadhan and later Burao along the caravan route in order to have a firm grip on trade and also ensure a steady stream of taxes from passing traders. New information would be passed along these trade routes and the Sultans would be well informed of occurrences as the Somalis have a penchant for being informed about things. Explorer Ricahrd Burton in his 1854 journey to Harar heard from local Somalis who told him the latest reports from the ongoing Crimean War.First Footsteps in East Africa: Or, An Explanation of Harar. Richard Francis Burton, pg 188 The capitals of Wadhan and Burao served as important watering places for both merchants and nomads alike and access to them was crucial for orderly trade from the Hawd and Ogaden regions to Berbera.A Pastoral Democracy: A Study of Pastoralism and Politics Among the Northern Somali of the Horn of Africa, pg.187 According to the current Sultan Osman Ali, the oldest son of a Sultan is the rightful heir, but if he does not fill the requirements another son can be selected. A Sultan has to be religious, an eloquent speaker, courageous, and has to be fertile. A guurti of 40 leading elders from the Habr Yunis subclans would come to make this decision on the successor.Suldaan Cismaan Cali Madar Interview, SAAB TV, 18/05/2017. URL Sultans would receive a yearly tribute or saado of livestock imposed on the rest of the Habr Yunis.The Journal of The anthropological institute of Great Britain and Ireland| Vol.21 p. 161 Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society: Official Publication of the Coryndon Memorial Museum Vol.17 p. 76 Sultan Osman Ali states that the Sultan distributed the livestock amongst the Habr Yunis to the less fortunate and needy as a form of welfare.Suldaan Cismaan Cali Madar Interview, SAAB TV, 18/05/2017. URL Rulers The Habr Yunis Sultanate had 8 rulers throughout it's duration and the institution of Sultan still lasts today with the Baha Deria leading I conflict still not being completely resolved. The Bah Makahil maintain a well respected pretender although the current Sultan Osman Ali Madar of the Baha Deria is considered as the Sultan of the Habr Yunis. NameReign FromReign Till1 Ainasha Hersi (traditional chief)2Sultan Sugulleh Ainasha (first sultan)3Sultan Diriyeh Sultan Sugulleh Ainasha 4Sultan Hersi Aman Sultan Diriyeh5Sultan Nur Ahmed Aman Sultan Diriyeh 6Sultan Awad Sultan Diiriye7Sultan Dolal Sultan Nur8Sultan Madar Hersi Sultan Diiriye Legacy Amongst the Habr Yunis the traditional institution and leadership of the clan survived the British Somaliland period into present times. The Rer Ainashe Sultans although no longer ruling vast territory and with separate Habr Yunis subclans having their own Sultans still remain status the recognized leaders of the Habr Yunis. The current Sultan is Osman Ali Madar who is active in social issues in modern day Somaliland. References
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Establishment
Origins
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Sultanate finds its roots in the Isaaq Sultanate which was established by the Rer Guled branch of the Eidagale after the Isaaq successfully defeated the Absame clanat Lafaruug in
are part of the Garhajis clan confederation, and are a sub clan of the Isaaq tribe. The founder of the Rer Sugelleh dynasty is Ainashe Hersi a chief of the HabrYunis. Ethnographie Nordost-afrikas pp.45. Philip Paulitscheke. Publisher: D. Reimer. 1893Ainashe was the son of Ismail Arre a Habar Yunis noblemen, and a women of the Ali Sayid clan. He had seven brothers: Said, Fahiya, Hildid, Warsame, Yusuf, Ali and Abdi whom they shared the same mother and are together known as the Ba Ali in reference to their mother's clan.Tribes of British Somaliland, 1941, pp. 10. later in
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. With time the Habr Yunis and later the Habr Awal and Habr Je'lo would break from the Isaaq Sultanate with the Habr Yunis forming their own Sultanate led by Sugulle the son of the previous Habr Yunis Cheiftain, Ainanshe
Ainashe was elected to be the Tribal Ugaas of the Habar Yunis clan. As was the norm of Somali chieftains, Ainanshe had multiple wives. His first wife belonged to the Jibrahil clan and was the mother of his eldest son Sugulle who proceeded to establish the Habar Yunis sultanate. Sugelleh was part of the Ba Jibrhil Rer Sugulle which is the ruling tribe of the Habar Yunis. Ainanshe's other wives Mun, Basla and Egalo bore him 16 sons who are collectively known as the Baha Ainanshe.Genealogies of the Somal. Eyre and Spottiswoode (London). 1896.
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Establishment After the fall of the Adal Sultanate many successor states were established in Somaliland such as the Habar Yunis and Isaaq Sultanate. Before this The whole of the Isaaq clan were ruled by the Habar Jelo or Toljeclo dynasty. The Tol Jeclo claim descent from sheikh Isaaq’s Harari wife. After a devastating reign Garad Dhuh Barar of the Habar Je’clo was defeated and the Somali Isaaqs gained independence from the Harari branch of the Isaaq. After gaining independence the Isaaq Sultanate got into conflict with the Darood Absame, and penetrated deep in their territory, whilst this was happening Isaaq clans were rebelling, and the opportunist Habr Yunis broke of the United Isaaq Sultanate. the Habar Yunis Ugaazte developed into a large independent kingdom, and influenced many Darood, and Isaaq clans. The Habar Yunis established their kingdom under Sugulleh
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The Sultan Deria Sugulleh would establish his capital at
Sugelleh’s successor Deria Sugulleh established
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as the political-military-economic centre for his people which was
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's death in the 1850s his grandson Hersi Aman would come to succeed him and usher in an era of conquest. Hersi
’s death a Great War broke out between the different branches of the Reer Sugelleh, Hiwever the young ambitious Hersi Aman proclaimed him self as Sultan in the 1850’s. Hersi was a smart man, and was ready for conflict with any tribe. Hersi
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the Hawd
modern day Haud (Ethiopia)
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had
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notable
noble
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Hersi then resumed his conquest and penetrated further into Ogaden lands taking Dollo. In Dollo Hersi occupied, and invaded grazing lands and wells, as well as thousands of camels, he then proceeded to invade the lands of other Darood clans such as the Reer Cabdalle and Reer Makahil forcing them to flee to Hiraan. Ali Dhuh referred to these wars as the Guba wars due to the defeat of the Ogaden clans.
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Ethiopia,and British influence over the Habar Yunis Whilst Hersi was invading Ogaden the British and Ethiopian empires were getting worried due to the Habar Yunis expansion. The Ethiopians saw the Ogaden as their servants and gateway to Muslim territory. Whilst the British saw Ogaden as a major state, and kept their eye on the province, and would later invade it in 1887. Upon one occasion Hersi raided Ogaden, and took 1330 camels from the Ogaden, however the British and Ethiopians warned them and told them to return the camels to their owners. The Habr Yunis knowing they couldn’t afford a fight with a foreign power obliged, and returned the camels and promised to not lead any raids in Ogaden. Despite their promise they continued to raid Ogaden.
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Historian sigebery Uhlig commenting on the Guba poems writes the following:
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From a historical point of view Ali dhuhs poem explicitly details the large gains in traditionally Ogaden territory and wells, and the looting of Ogaden camels by the Isaq. He details the scatterring of the Ogaden clan, their forced migration southwards seeking refuge in the feverish river valleys, and even turning to hunting and farming- measures that were again considered very shameful usually only undertaken by slaves and low-caste Somalis and utterly demeaning for the once great pastoral Ogaden clan. The Ogaden, Ali recounts, have been forced to accept refuge with the clans that defeated them, especially the Habr Yunis, and cannot take revenge. The Isaq are portrayed as particularly callous and shameful in the way they parade looted Ogaden camels in front of their previous owners. Even in translation it is a very evocative poem".
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Dhulbahante war After defeating every threat in eastern Ethiopia the Habr Yunis looked east and focus on the Darood clans that inhabited eastern Somali-land, such as the Dhulbahante, and Warsangli, the Habr Yunis were much more powerful than these clans this conflicted resulted in the Habar Yunis looting Dhulbhante territory taking camels and land. The Dhulbahante put up no resistance, and feared the Habr Gerhajis (Habr Yunis) so much so that they didn’t even avenge their casualties and instead intermarried with the Habr Yunis. The Ismail Arreh clan which were part of the Habr Yunis expanded from Berbera to Gulay, whilst the Muse Arreh Expanded far in to Warsangli Territory, and served as a border between the Habr Yunis and Majeerteen (Majeerteen Sultanate). Hersi is one of the most notable sultans and was a great king that penetrated far into Ogaden (Darood). Hersi influenced Zeila which were ran by the Gadabuursi,and Habar Awal sultanates. .
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Reer Samatar (Gadabuursi War) German explorer Felix Rosen who visited British Somaliland and Ethiopian Empire in 1907 met and discussed with the Somalis in the area and was told about Hersi and other legendary figures who had died in the decades prior. One such story was the battle between Sultan Hersi
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the famed warrior Kirh of the Rer Samatar subclan. Sultan Hersi's powerful section of Rer Ammaan had been raided by Kirh and his Rer Samatar. Given the fierce reputation of their target, Kirh's companions were uneasy and fled after the raid, leaving Kirh for dead. His wife began to mourn alongside his kinsmen but to everyone's surprise, Kirh had survived the wilderness and emerged with 100 camels he had captured. This feat impressed Hersi and there was no attempt to recover the lost stock.
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Kirh recited a boastful gabay O yalahe hoi, o yalahe hoi, yalahe My, our lore of death has spread through all tribes near and far And we felt so safe that we spurned the camels with the lance to prick our mark of possession Let the animals move slowly so that the camel fillings do not become tired At the time when the cowards among our companions took flight and the hiding places Then the lion's mane grew around our shoulders My wife! little was our Seriba; I have filled ten Serbs for you Come, now fill the milk baskets; we have plundered the tribe of AmmanWhen fighting would eventually resume, Hersi called out inquiring where Kirh was in the heat of battle. In response, a spear flew and grazed the Sultan's head. Hersi grabbed the spear which Kirh had thrown and returned the favour piercing through Kirh's famed horse and embedding deep in Kirh. He would escape the battlefield despite the wound leaving Hersi and the Rer Ammaan victorious having killing one
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capturing another man named Hashi.
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Hersi now answered the previous gabay and mocked his opponent How Kirh first bragged so much - now his speeches are silent! Once the Samatar tribe was large and rich, now it is small and become poor Now their caravans are afraid, even a day's march from Amud to go so far! We killed one of their men, we caught one of them, and one we drove the lance through the body Tell us, according to the truth, O Hashi! About which of the three you mourn the most that we like from your tribe?Hashi having being challenged by the Sultan spoke That you killed one of our men was by fate Predestined that you captured me does no harm But no mother has ever given birth to a hero like KirhHersi being moved by these words spared Hashi from the usual deadly fate of a captive instead giving him a fine horse and sent medicines
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gifts with Hashi to deliver to Kirh. Kirh would return the favour finally reconciling the feud.
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The Sultan Hersi himself would be killed in battle after some early clashes and later his commander
War continued with the Rer Sugeleh and the Ba Awal, one of the Ba Awal warriors Warsame attacked the Rer Sugeleh and killed three men, he also captured a respected young noblemen named Jama Amume Jama was the grandson of Deria Sugulleh Ainashe. Due to his Nobility he was released, later Jama then led a battle against the Ba Awal, Jama severely wounded Warsame. He then praised his horse Hamar who had performed well, and recited the following poem. Rendiconti by Reale Accademia dei Lincei; Reale Osservatorio del Campidoglio published 1885. Page 227-228.Col aloosan Xamarow haddii xalay la ugaanshay Heensaha hadddaan kugu itibay goor aleyl dhexe ah Indhaalaha haddaan kuu xidh-xidhay suuman la adkeeyay Isha bari hadii loo kiciyo awrtii reer Sugule Kuwii lays aqoon jiray haddii lagu ogaan duulay Abaanduule Guuleed (Guled Haji) hadii ubaxa loo gooyay Waa boqor agtiisa'e hadday "ililidii" yeedh'dhay Usha Daba-xidh ooddiyo haddii laysu wada giijay Eebada haddii laysku riday ilig-jartii hooto Abdikayba intii hore hadaan dabo adeegaayay Kolku ina qolyaeedkii sidii aarka nagu qayshay Anigoo aqoon jirin haddii lay ogeysiiyay Onkad baxay la moodyow kolkan amarka qaadsiiyay Doc aroorka uguma tago orodka saydhshaaye Oogada hadduu igala maray agabarkuu joogo Anna Awlaxaan siday haddaan oofta midig gooyay Kol haddaan Warsame aayiroon Baho agoonteeyay Kol haddaan ugaaskii ka dilay u ololiyeynaayay Kol hadaan ka oon baxay afku aramigu jiifay Alxamdu lilaa Eebaw haddaan umalkii qaar reebayHersi died in that battle and later
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Sultan Nur continued
Early encounters with Britain started in 1882 duirng which was during the time of Sultan Nur. During his time the British had invaded Yemeni islands, and had a interest for the Habr Yunis and the Isaaq Sultanate due to their rich ports the British would establish them self’s in Berbera the Capital of the HabarAwal.Under the flag: and Somali coast stories by Walsh, Langton Prendergast. p. 243,Somali Coast administration Report of the protectorate 1892–1893, Bombay Castle, NAY, New Delhi After establishing a base in Somaliland the British would proceed to attack the Dervish on neighbouring cities such as Taleh. Sultan Nur continued the Dervish Campaign
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Hersi the more established and powerful of the two eventually would become the uncontested Sultan as Dolal died prematurely in 1917 and left no heirs
who was much more powerful often raided the Ba Awal domain. Later Sultan Dolal Nur died prematurely and was left with no ai Rs however his cousin Jama Hersi succeeded him
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Cosmos: communicazioni sui progressi recenti e notevoli della geografia e delle scienze affini di Guido Cora p. 201
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eight rulers throughout its
8 rulers throughout it's