Eslamu Explained

Native Name Lang:am
Honorific Prefix:Ras
Eslamu Sagad
Birth Date:15th Century
Death Place:Zari, Fatagar, Ethiopian Empire
Office1:Governor of Fatagar
Term Start1:Unknown
Term End1:1531
Predecessor1:Unknown
Successor1:Ura’i Uthman
Allegiance:Ethiopian Empire
Rank:Azmach
Battles:Ethiopian–Adal War

Eslamu Sagad (Amharic: ልብነ ድንግል) was a general and nobleman in the Ethiopian Empire under Lebna Dengel who served as governor of Fatagar during the Ethiopian-Adal War.

Biography

According to Ethiopian sources he received the name Eslamu Sagad due to his many battle with Muslim Adalites. Eslamu served as governor of Fatagar from at least 1527 to his death in 1531.[1] Eslamu was in Damot during the beginning of the War specifically during Shimbra Kure however after General Degalhan, Lebna Dengel’s Brother-in-Law, requested to return to King's side in order to avoid fighting Ahmed Gurey’s army. Lebna Dengel placed Eslamu as Commander-in-chief of the Ethiopian Army.[2] Eslamu's arrival greatly increased Ethiopian morale due to his reputation and highly esteemed position in the Lebna Dengel's court. However, during The Battle of Antukyah Eslamu's forces were completely routed with a large portion of his army killed. Eslamu fled to Zari where he received orders from Lebna Dengel, who was angered by the loss at Antukyah, berating him for losing to a much smaller force and demoting him and placed him under the command of Takla Iyasus, the governor of Angot. At Zari the Muslims were able to catch the Christian force off guard due to intelligence gathered from native Crypto Muslims. Eslamu was killed by an Adalite cavalryman by the name of Abū Bakr bin Garād Yumaj Ahmad during the battle.[3]

Notes and References

  1. The Tragedy of Emperor Libne-Dingil of Ethiopia (1508-1540) pg.43
  2. Book: Shihāb al-Dīn, Aḥmad ibn ʻAbd al-Qādir . Futūḥ Al-Ḥabaša: The Conquest of Abyssinia [16th Century] ]. Tsehai Publishers & Distributors. . 2003 . 9780972317269 . Hollywood, California, USA . 133 . Stenhouse . Paul Lester.
  3. Book: The Conquest of Abyssinia pp.336. Frederick A. Edwards. 1905.