Somalia

This article is part of the series: Culture of Somalia Image File history File links Flag_of_Somalia. ... Islam and poetry have been described as the twin pillars of Somali culture. ...

Islam in Somalia Somali language History of Somalia Cinema of Somalia Music of Somalia Somali literature Somali writers Cuisine of Somalia Economy of Somalia Military of Somalia Shax (board game) Somali National Anthem Currency of Somalia Public holidays

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Somalia (Somali: Soomaaliya) is a coastal nation in East Africa, widely known as Horn of Africa. Continentally, it is surrounded by Ethiopia and Djibouti on the north and mid-west, and Kenya on its south-west. The Gulf of Aden is located on its far north. The vast majority of Somalis are Sunni Muslims. ... The Somali language (Af Soomaali) is a member of the East Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family. ... Chopper scene from the Movie Rajo. ... Somalia has the distinction of being one of only a handful of African countries that are composed almost entirely of one ethnic group, the Somalis. ... Somalia produced a large amount of literature through Islamic poetry and Hadith from Somali Scholars of the last centuries to modern fiction from present day Somali writers which have received widespread success respectivly. ... Cuisine of Somalia varies from region to region and it encompasses different styles of cooking. ... A Somali rancher herds cattle in Kismayo. ... The Somali National Army was, up until 1991, made up of the army, navy, air force, and air defense command. ... The board used for Shax. ... The Somali national anthem, Somalia, Wake Up, was composed by Ali Mire Awale-July 1947. ... The Somali shilling (shilin soomaali) is the currency used in the African nation of Somalia. ... The holidays in Somalia: Somalia uses two calendar systems: the Gregorian calendar primarily, but the Islamic calendar for religious holidays. ...  Eastern Africa (UN subregion)  East African Community  Central African Federation (defunct)  geographic, including above East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easternmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. ... The Horn of Africa. ... Gulf of Aden in 1860 The Gulf of Aden (Arabic: خليج عدن; transliterated: Khalyj Adan) is located in the Indian Ocean between Yemen on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula and Somalia in Africa. ...

This article describes its overall history. See Somalia for details of the country as it is today.

The Land of Punt

Somalia, together with Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti (collectively known as the Horn of Africa), were known to the Ancient Egyptians as the Land of Punt. The earliest definite record of contact between Ancient Egypt and Punt comes from an entry on the Palermo stone during the reign of Sahure of the Fifth Dynasty (around 2250 BC). It says in one year 80,000 units of myrrh and frankincense was brought to Egypt from Punt as well as other quantities of goods that were highly valued in Ancient Egypt. Between the Thirteenth and Seventeenth Dynasties, the contact between Egypt and Punt was broken. This was due to the fact that Egypt was invaded by the Hyksos. The fifth ruler in the Eighteen Dynasty of Egyptian Pharaohs was Queen Hatshepsut, daughter of Thutmose III. She became Queen in the year 1493 BC and made a landmark expedition to the land of Punt which is recorded on the walls of the Deir ci-Bahari temple located in Alexandria. Her eight ships sailed to Puntland and came back with cargoes of fine woods, ebony, myrrh, cinnamon and incense trees to plant in the temple garden. The Horn of Africa. ... Map of Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt was the civilization of the Nile Valley between about 3000 BC and the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. As a civilization based on irrigation it is the quintessential example of an hydraulic empire. ... The Land of Punt, which the Ancient Egyptians called Ta Netjeru, meaning Land of the Gods, was a fabled and exotic site in eastern Africa, which carried on extensive trade with Ancient Egypt, China and Arabia. ... The Palermo Stone is an ancient Egyptian stone of black [basalt] engraved toward the end of the 5th dynasty (twenty-fifth century BC) and is probably the earliest Egyptian historical text. ... Father Userkaf(?) Mother Khentkaus I Died 2475 BC Major Monuments Pyramid at Abusir Sahure was the second king of ancient Egypts 5th Dynasty. ... Known rulers, in the History of Egypt, for the Fifth Dynasty. ... 100g of Myrrh. ... 100g of frankincense resin. ... An image representing the Egyptian pharaoh Ahmose I defeating the Hyksos in battle. ... For other uses, see Pharaoh (disambiguation). ... Cleopatra is one of the most well-known queens regnant A queen regnant (plural queens regnant) is a woman monarch possessing and exercising all of the monarchal powers of a king, in contrast with a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king, and in and of her... Maatkare[1] Truth is the Ka of Re Nomen Khnumt-Amun Hatshepsut[1] Joined with Amun, Foremost of Noble Ladies Horus name Wesretkau [1] Mighty of Kas Nebty name Wadjrenput[1] Flourishing of years Golden Horus Netjeretkhau [1] Divine of appearance Consort(s) Thutmose II Issue Neferure Father Thutmose I... Menkheperre Lasting is the Manifestation of Re[1] Nomen Thutmose Neferkheperu Thoth is born, beautiful of forms Horus name Kanakht Khaemwaset Mighty Bull, Arising in Thebes Nebty name Wahnesytmireempet Enduring in kingship like Re in heaven Golden Horus Sekhempahtydsejerkhaw Powerful of strength, holy of diadems Consort(s) Hatshepsut-Meryetre, Nebtu... This article is about the city in Egypt. ... For other uses, see Ebony (disambiguation). ... Binomial name J.Presl Cassia (Chinese cinnamon) is also commonly called (and sometimes sold as) cinnamon. ...

Ancient trading ports

G.W.B. Huntingford has argued in his translation of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, written in the first century BC, that the "Lesser and Greater Bluffs", the "Lesser and Greater Strands", and the "Seven Courses" of Azania all should be identified with the Somali coastline from Hafun south to Siyu Channel. This indicates that parts of Somalia were familiar to Roman and Indian traders by this time. Names, routes and locations of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. ... Azania is the name that has been applied to various parts of sub-Saharan Africa. ... Hafun (Xaafuun) is a small low-lying peninsula in the Bari region of northern Somalia. ... For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ...

12th century Mosque.

The inhabitants were referred to as the Black Berbers. For five centuries (second to seventh century AD) parts of Somalia came under the rule of the Ethiopian/Eritrean Kingdom of Aksum. Image File history File links Fakr_Ud_Din_Mosque. ... Image File history File links Fakr_Ud_Din_Mosque. ... The Kingdom of Aksum (or Axum, Geez አክሱም), was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa, growing from the proto-Aksumite period ca. ...

In the northern part of the Eastern Horn, change of much less sweeping sorts characterized the end of the last millennium B.C and the first five centuries A.D. The most notable external impact came through the growth of seagoing trade in the Red Sea. At the turn of the era, several significant trading emporia existed along the southern shores of the Gulf of Aden, the most significant of these being at Malao (present-day Berbera). Other commercial sites included Mundu (modern Hais) and Mosyllon (modern Elayu; or Ceelaayo). A good variety of commodities were imported at these locations, such as clothing, drinking vessels, iron wares, and Roman coins. A lesser range of goods passed into the outward bound trade----mainly raw materials, in particular myrrh from Malao and frankincense from Mundu and Mosyllon. Tortoise shell also was a valued product of those coasts. (refer to Lionel Casson, The periplus Maris Erythraei Princeton) 100g of Myrrh. ...

In the 7th century AD, Arab traders began to trade with the locals who according to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea already were active in commerce with foreign nations, the local Cushitic people, founded the sultanate of Adal, the main port of which was Zeila (now Saylac). Names, routes and locations of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. ... The Cushitic languages are a subgroup of the Afro-Asiatic languages phylum, named after the Biblical figure Cush by analogy with Semitic. ... Zeila (also Seyla`, Seelaac, Zaila, Zeyla, Zeylac, Zayla, Séyla‘, Seylac) (Somali: Saylac) 11. ...

The newly established Sultanate put the Somalis in contact with Arab traders travelling along the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. In the ensuing centuries, the Somalis converted to Islam. To the west there was a lot of trading done with the people living with the Oromos, the Afars and the people living in modern-day Eritrea. A sultan (Arabic: سلطان) is an Islamic monarch ruling under the terms of shariah. ... For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ... Location of the Red Sea The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... For the language, see Oromo language. ... Afar (or Danakil) are a tribal people who reside principally in the Danakil Desert in the Afar Region of Ethiopia and in Eritrea and Djibouti. ...

Zheng He & Ibn Battuta

Between the 13th and 14th centuries Somalia was visited by two famous Muslim explorers Ibn Battuta and Zheng He. Ibn Battuta in 1331 visited Mogadishu, which he described as a town of enormous size and its merchants possessed vast resources; they owned large numbers of camels, of which they slaughtered hundreds every day for food, and also had large quantities of sheep. The woven fabrics that were manufactured there he claimed were unequalled and were exported as far as Egypt and elsewhere. Zheng He on his fifth voyage (1417-19) visited several city states on the Somali coast including Mogadishu. It has been suggested that Travelling route of Ibn Batuta be merged into this article or section. ... A modern illustration of Zheng He, by an unidentified artist. ... A modern illustration of Zheng He, by an unidentified artist. ...

The rise of Marehan Sultanates and Dynasty of Adal & the Ethiopian Empire war

Muslim Somalia enjoyed friendly relations with neighboring Christian Ethiopia for centuries. Despite jihad raging everywhere else in the Muslim world, Muhammad had issued a hadith proscribing Muslims from attacking Ethiopia (so long as Ethiopia was not the aggressor), as it had sheltered some of Islam's first converts from persecution in modern-day Saudi Arabia. Parts of northwestern Somalia (modern northwestern Somaliland) came under the rule of the Solomonic Ethiopian Kingdom in medieval times, especially during the reign of Amda Seyon I (r. 1314-1344). In 1403 or 1415 (under Emperor Dawit I or Emperor Yeshaq I, respectively) measures were taken against the medieval Muslim kingdom of Adal (located in eastern Ethiopia and western Somaliland, centered around Harar and comprised of both Somalis and Afars), a tributary kingdom that revolted and whose raids were disrupting rule in adjacent areas. His campaign was eventually successful, but took much longer than other campaigns at the time due to the tendency of Adal warriors to disappear into the countryside after fighting. In 1403 (or 1415), the Emperor eventually captured King Sa'ad ad-Din II in Zeila and had him executed, with the Walashma ruling family exiled to Yemen. The Walashma Chronicle, however, records the date as 1415, which would make the Ethiopian victor Emperor Yeshaq I. After the war, the reigning king had his minstrels compose a song praising his victory, which contains the first written record of the word "Somali". For other uses, see Jihad (disambiguation). ... Muhammad in a new genre of Islamic calligraphy started in the 17th century by Hafiz Osman. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... For other territories formerly called Somaliland, see Somaliland (disambiguation). ... The Solomonid dynasty is the traditional royal house of Ethiopia, claiming descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, who is said to have given birth to the traditional first king Menelik I after her Biblically-described visit to Solomon in Jerusalem. ... Seyon one of the great swimmers to emerge from Sri Lanka. ... Dawit I was (1382 - 1413) of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonid dynasty. ... Yeshaq I or Isaac (throne name Gabra Masqal II) was negus (1414 - 1429) of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonid dynasty. ... Adal Sultanate Adal (mythology) Adal (sheep) Adal Ramones Adal (Ancient Turkish Name) Category: ... Harar (sometimes spelled Harrar, Hārer, or Harer) is an eastern city in Ethiopia, and the capital of the modern Harari ethno-political division (or kilil) of Ethiopia. ... Afar (or Danakil) are a tribal people who reside principally in the Danakil Desert in the Afar Region of Ethiopia and in Eritrea and Djibouti. ... Saad ad-Din II (ruled circa 1400) was a sultan of Ifat, and the brother of Haqq ad-Din II. He was born at the court of Emperor Newaya Krestos. ...

Ahmed Gurey monument in Mogadishu.

The area remained under Ethiopian control for another century or so. However, starting around 1527 under the charismatic leadership of Imam Ahmed Gragn (Gurey in Somali, Gragn in Amharic, both meaning "left-handed), Adal revolted and invaded Ethiopia. Regrouped Muslim armies with Ottoman support and arms marched into Ethiopia employing scorched earth tactics and slaughtered any Ethiopian that refused to convert from Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity to Islam. Image File history File linksMetadata Ahmed_Gurey_Mogadishu_Monument. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Ahmed_Gurey_Mogadishu_Monument. ... Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi (c. ... Mogadishu (Somali: Muqdisho, popularly Xamar; Arabic: ; Italian: ), is the largest city in Somalia, and its capital. ... Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi (c. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... Ottoman redirects here. ... For the computer game, see Scorched Earth (computer game). ... This Ethiopian icon shows St. ...

^[1] Moreover, hundreds of churches were destroyed during the invasion, and an estimated 80% of the manuscripts in the country were destroyed in the process. Adal's use of firearms, still only rarely used in Ethiopia, allowed the conquest of well over half of Ethiopia, reaching as far north as Tigray. The complete conquest of Ethiopia was averted by the timely arrival of a Portuguese expedition led by Cristovão da Gama, son of the famed navigator Vasco da Gama. The Portuguese had been in the area earlier in early 16th centuries (in search of the legendary priest-king Prester John), and although a diplomatic mission from Portugal, led by Rodrigo de Lima, had failed to improve relations between the countries, they responded to the Ethiopian pleas for help and sent a military expedition to their fellow Christians. A Portuguese fleet under the command of Estêvão da Gama was sent from India and arrived at Massawa in February 1541. Here he received an ambassador from the Emperor beseeching him to send help against the Muslims, and in July following a force of 400 musketeers, under the command of Christovão da Gama, younger brother of the admiral, marched into the interior, and being joined by Ethiopian troops they were at first successful against the Muslims but they were subsequently defeated at the Battle of Wofla (28 August 1542), and their commander captured and executed. On February 21, 1543, however, a joint Portuguese-Ethiopian force defeated the Muslim army at the Battle of Wayna Daga, in which Ahmed Gragn was killed and the war won. Tigray may refer to a place in Ethiopia or a people in Ethiopia: Tigray Region Tigray Province Tigray-Tigrinya people Category: ... Cristovão da Gamas signature, from the Lisbon Archives Cristovão da Gama (c. ... For other uses, see Vasco da Gama (disambiguation). ... Preste enthroned on a map of East Africa in an atlas prepared for Queen Mary, 1558. ... Estêvão da Gama (c. ... Massawa in the 19th century Massawa or Mitsiwa (15° 36′ 33″ N 39° 26′ 43″ E) is a port on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. ... For other uses of this term, see Musketeer (disambiguation). ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... Combatants Muslims Portuguese expeditionary force to Ethiopia Commanders Imam Ahmad Gragn Christovão da Gama Strength between 600-900 Ottoman musketeers, 20 Ottoman horsemen, several thousand foot about 290 Portuguese musketeers, unknown number of Ethiopian infantry Casualties unknown 160 Portuguese killed, unknown number of Ethiopians; countless wounded The Battle of... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events February 21 - Battle of Wayna Daga - A combined army of Ethiopian and Portuguese troops defeat the armies of Adal led by Ahmed Gragn. ... Combatants Ethiopia Adal Sultanate Commanders Emperor Galawdewos Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi Strength 8,000 Ethiopian infantry, 500 Ethiopian horse, 70 Portuguese musketeers, 60 Portuguese horse 14,000 infantry, 1200 horse, 200 Ottoman musketeers Casualties unknown extensive, but not precisely known; 160 Ottoman musketeers killed The Battle of Wayna...

Ahmed Gragn's widow married Nur ibn Mujahid in return for his promise to avenge Ahmed's death, who succeeded Ahmed Gragn, and continued hostilities against his northern adversaries until he killed the Ethiopian Emperor in his second invasion of Ethiopia, Emir Nur died in 1567; the Ethiopians sacked Zeila in 1660.^{[citation needed]} The Portuguese, meanwhile, tried to conquer Mogadishu but according to Duarta Barbosa never succeeded in taking it. The sultanate of Adal disintegrated into small independent states, many of which were ruled by Somali chiefs.^{[citation needed]} Zeila became a dependency of Yemen, and was then incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. Nur ibn Mujahid ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah al Dhuhi Suha (literally the morning star; died 1567) was Emir of Harar in the 16th century. ... Adal was a sixteenth century province-cum-sultanate of Ethiopia located in modern Somali, Oromia, and Afar regions in Ethiopia, as well as southern Djibouti and western Somaliland. ... Ottoman redirects here. ...

Ajuuraan Dynasty

Market in Mogadishu around 1882.

On the other side of East Africa in the 14th century, the Ajuuran dynasty formed a centralized state in the lower Shabeelle valley, ruling over a territory that stretched as far inland as modern Qalafo and towards the coast almost to Mogadishu. Said S. Samatar, writing with David Laitin, notes that the Ajuuran sultanate "represents one of the rare occasions in Somali history when a pastoral state achieved large-scale centralization", and notes that it grew larger and more powerful than coastal city-states of Mogadishu, Merka and Baraawe combined.^[2] Image File history File links Mogadishu_marketplace_1882. ... Image File history File links Mogadishu_marketplace_1882. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Shebelle Valley or Shabeelle Valley is a valley in the Horn of Africa. ... Said Sheikh Samatar Ph. ... Merca (also Marka or Merka or Marca) is a port city in southern Somalia on the Indian Ocean. ... Barawa or Brava (Somali: Baraawe; Arabic: ‎ ; Bravanese: Mwiini or Nti ya Mbalazi) is a port town in the south eastern coast of Somalia. ...

Hobyo, the ancient port of Somalia was the commercial centre of the Ajuuraan Sultanate, all the commercial goods grown or harvested along the Shabelle river were brought to Hobyo to trade, as Hobyo remained the active mercantile pitstop of ancient times. The Ajuuraan rulers collected their tribute from the town in the form of sorghum (durra), making the port of Hobyo incredibly profitable for the Ajuuraan sultans. Hobyo is an ancient harbor city in the Mudugh region of Somalia. ...

Trade between Hobyo and the Banaadir coast flourished for some time. So vital was Hobyo to the prosperity of the Ajuuraan Sultanate, that when local sheikhs successfully revolted against the Ajuuraan Sultan and established an independent Imamate of the Hiraab, the power of the Ajuuraan sultans crumbled within a century.

Due to Portuguese predations, internal discord, and encroaching nomads from the north, the Ajuuran sultanate disintegrated at the end of the 17th century. According to Said Samatar, almost a full century passed before a successor state emerged: the Geledi Sultanate, which was based in the town of Afgooye and ruled over the lower Shabeelle region. Meanwhile, the Sultanate of Oman of south Arabia ousted the Portuguese from the Benaadir coast, and ruled the Benaadir coast with what Samatar describes as a "light hand" until the European Scramble for Africa in the 1880s. "As long as the Somali cities paid their yearly tribute (which was by no means extortionate), flew the Omani flag, and accepted Omani overlordship, the Omanis allowed the Somalis to run their internal affairs. The role of the Omani governors in Mogadishu, Merca, and Baraawe was largely a ceremonial one. However, when Omani authority was challenged, the Omanis could be severe."^[3] Afgooye is a Somali town, located in Shabeellaha Hoose region. ... The Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula is a mainly desert peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia and an important part of the greater Middle East. ... Cecil Rhodes: Cape-Cairo railway project. ...

In the 17th century, Somalia fell under the sway of the rapidly expanding Ottoman Empire, who exercised control through hand picked local Somali governors. In 1728 the Ottomans evicted the last Portuguese occupation and claimed sovereignty over the whole Horn of Africa. However, their actual exercise of control was fairly modest, as they demanded only a token annual tribute and appointed an Ottoman judge to act as a kind of Supreme Court for interpretations of Islamic law. By the 1850s Ottoman power was in decline. Ottoman redirects here. ... The supreme court functions as a court of last resort whose rulings cannot be challenged, in some countries, provinces and states. ...

Kingdom OF Majeerteenia

Farther east on the Bari coast, two kingdoms emerged that would play a significant political role on the Somali Peninsula prior to colonization. These were the Majeerteen Sultanate of Boqor(king) Osman Mahamuud, and that of his kinsman Sultan Yuusuf Ali Keenadiid of Hobyo (Obbia). The Majeerteen Sultanate originated in the mid eighteenth century, but only came into its own in the nineteenth century with the reign of the resourceful Boqor Osman. Boqor Osman Mahamuud's kingdom benefited from British subsidies (for protecting the British naval crews that were shipwrecked periodically on the Somali coast) and from a liberal trade policy that facilitated a flourishing commerce in livestock, ostrich feathers, and gum arabic. While acknowledging a vague vassalage to the British, the Sultan kept his kingdom free until well after the 1900s. Bari is a region (gobolka) in northern Somalia. ...

Boqor Ismaan Mahamuud's sultanate was nearly destroyed in the middle of the nineteenth century by a power struggle between him and his young, ambitious cousin, Keenadiid. Nearly five years of destructive civil war passed before Boqor Ismaan Mahamuud managed to stave off the challenge of the young upstart, who was finally driven into exile in Arabia. A decade later, in the 1870s, Keenadiid returned from Arabia with a score of Hadhrami musketeers and a band of devoted lieutenants. With their help, he carved out the small kingdom of Hobyo after conquering the local clans.

Warsangeli Sultanate or Sultanate of Northern Somalia

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The Warsangeli Sultante was an imperial power centered around the borders of the North East of British Somaliland and some parts of South East of Italian Somaliland. It was one of the largest Sultanates of all times in Somalia, and, at the height of its power, it included the Sanaag region, parts of North East of Bari region. It was established by a tribe of Warsangeli in North of Somalia and ruled by the descendants of the Gerad Dhidhin. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

The Sultan (also known as the Gerad in some parts of Somalia) was the sole regent and government of the Sultanate, at least officially. The dynasty is most often called the Gerad or the House of North East Somaliland Sultan. The sultan enjoyed many titles such as Sovereign of the House of North East of Somaliland Sultanate , Sultan of Sultans of Somaliland. Note that the first rulers never called themselves sultan s. The sultan title was established by Sultan Mohamud Ali Shirein 1897.

Gerad Dhidhin (1298–1311) Gerad Hamar Gale(1311–1328) Gerad Ibrahim (1328–1340) Gerad Omer (1340–1355) Gerad Mohamud (1355–1375) Gerad Ciise (1375–1392) Gerad Siciid (1392–1409) Gerad Ahmed (1409–1430) Gerad Siciid (1430–1450) Gerad Mohamud (1450–1479) Gerad Ciise (1479–1491) Gerad Ali dable (1491–1503) Gerad Liban (1503–1525) Garad Yuusuf (1525–1555) Garad Mohamud (1555–1585) Garad Abdale (1585–1612) Garad Ali (1612–1655) Gerad Mohamud (1655–1675) Garad Naleye (1675–1705) Garad Mohamed (1705–1750) Gerad Ali (1750–1789) Gerad Mohamud Ali (1789–1830) Gerad Aul (1830-1870) Gerad Ali Shire (1870–1897) Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire (1897–1960) Sultan Abdul Sallan (1960–1997)^{[citation needed]} sultan siciid cabdi salaan suldaanka buuraha warsangeli ee somaliland

Scramble for Africa

Starting in 1875 the age of imperialism in Europe transformed Somalia. Britain, France, and Italy all made territorial claims on the peninsula. Britain already controlled the port city of Aden in Yemen, just across the Red Sea, and wanted to control its counterpart, Berbera, on the Somali side. The Red Sea was a crucial shipping lane to British colonies in India, and they wanted to secure these "gatekeeper" ports at all costs. Cecil Rhodes: Cape-Cairo railway project. ... Port of Aden (around 1910). ... Berbera (Somali Berbera) (coordinates:) is a city in the newly established Saaxil region of Somalia, and is currently part of the internationally unrecognized Republic of Somaliland. ...

The French were interested in coal deposits further inland and wanted to disrupt British ambitions to construct a north-south transcontinental railroad along Africa's east coast, by blocking an important section. This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ...

Italy had just recently been reunited and was an inexperienced colonialist. They were happy to grab up any African land they didn't have to fight other Europeans for. They took control of the southern part of Somalia, which would become the largest European claim in the country, but the least strategically significant. Italian unification (called in Italian the Risorgimento, or Resurgence) was the political and social process that unified different states of the Italian peninsula into the single nation of Italy. ...

In 1884 Egypt, which had declared independence from the waning Ottoman Empire, had ambitions of restoring its ancient power, and set its sights on East Africa. However, the Sudanese resisted Egypt's advance and the Mahdist revolution of 1885 ejected the Egyptians from Sudan and shattered Egypt's hope of a neo-Egyptian empire. The few advance troops that had made it to Somalia had to be rescued by the British and escorted back to their own side of the fence.

Thereafter, the biggest threat to European colonial ambitions in Somalia came from Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II who had successfully avoided having his own country occupied, and was planning to invade Somalia again. By 1900 he had seized the Ogaden region in western Somalia, which was reconquered by the socalled "Mad Mullah" during the Dervish colonial resistance war[2] and then ceded to Ethiopia by Britain in 1945. Even today, long after all the Europeans had given up on their relatively valuable colonial possessions, Ogaden, the most barren of Somali provinces, is still frequently fought over by the two bordering nations. Menelik II (August 17, 1844 - December 12, 1913), Conquering Lion of Judah, Elect of God, King of Kings of Ethiopia was negus negust (emperor) of Ethiopia from 1889 to his death. ... This article is about the geographical area. ... The Mad Mullah was the name given by British authorities to Mohammed bin Abdullah, a Somali mullah, religious agitator and dervish of the Habr Suleiman tribe in what was then British Somaliland. ...

Dervish resistance

The First Somali Capital

Somali resistance to foreign powers began in 1899 under the leadership of religious scholar Sayyid Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, Ogaden sub-lineage of the Darod tribe and his mother was Dulbahante sub-lineage of the Darod tribe. Their primary targets were their traditional enemies the Ethiopians, and the British who controlled the most lucrative ports and were squeezing tax money from farmers who had to use the ports to ship their livestock to customers in the Middle East and India. Hasan was a brilliant orator and poet with a very strong following of Islamic fundamentalist dervishes all of which came from the Dulbahante tribe, these relentless and well organized warriors were Hasan's maternal relatives. They waged a bloody guerrilla war. This war lasted over two decades until the British Royal Air Force, having honed their skills in World War I, led a devastating bombing campaign against dervish strongholds in 1920, which caused Hasan to flee (he died of pneumonia soon after). The dervish struggle was one of the longest and bloodiest anti-Imperial resistance wars in sub-Saharan Africa, and cost the lives of nearly a third of northern Somalia's population: the Dulbahante lost half of their population during this era and there were heavy casualties on the Ethiopian and British sides as well. This was mainly due to the Dulbahante's refusal to sign the Protectorate Treaty and submit to British colonial rule. The Isaaq, the Issa, the Warsangali as well as the Gadabuursi signed the treaty with the British without any loss of life. The Dulbahante viewed themselves as the sole protector of greater Somalia, and resented the signatory tribes. After the long Anglo-dervish wars the British colonial leaders did not trust the Somalis; therefore, immediately after the Isaaq, the Issa, the Warsangali, and the Gadabuursi signed the treaty, they invoked article 7 of the treaty, sub-section 3(a)(j)(k) of which allowed the British Colonial Authority to enforce segregation rule and a head tax. It also subjected the children of the tribes that signed the treaty to CCTP (Children under Colonial Power under sub-section 3k).^{[citation needed]} CCTP dictated separating a percentage of the children from their mothers for special education, although the actual intent was to instill fear into the treaty members to enforce law and order. This caused some of the aforementioned tribal leaders to regret signing the treaty and wish they had resisted as the Dulbahante had done.^{[citation needed]}. As a matter of fact, Protection treaties served only major tribes. Dhulbahante were not considered as a significant clan. Clans that did not sign treaty were also Ayoup and Arap, two clans of Somaliland. Protection treaties also differed in their Provisions. British Treaty with Warsangeli was totally different than the other. In it, Warsangeli was granted full control of their territory besides the recognition of their sultanate, which had been in existence for the last six hundred years. Image File history File links FORT_TALEH.jpg‎ This work is in the public domain worldwide. ... Image File history File links FORT_TALEH.jpg‎ This work is in the public domain worldwide. ... A scholar is either a student or someone who has achieved a mastery of some academic discipline, perhaps receiving financial support through a scholarship. ... Mohammed Abdullah Hasssan on his famous horse Xin-Faniin Mohammed Abdullah Hassan (Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan, Sayyid) (born April 7, 1864, in the north of Somalia, died December 21, 1920 in Imi, Ethiopia) was Somalias religious and nationalist leader (called the Mad Mullah by the British, although he was neither... This article is about the ethnic group. ... The Darod (Somali language: Darood, or Daarood) is a Somali clan. ... Dhulbahante are one of the major subclans of the darood family. ... The Darod (Somali language: Darood, or Daarood) is a Somali clan. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Look up orator in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Fundamentalism is a movement to maintain strict adherence to founding principles. ... For other uses, see Dervish (disambiguation). ... “Guerrilla” redirects here. ... “RAF” redirects here. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... A political map showing national divisions in relation to the ecological break (Sub-Saharan Africa in green) A geographical map of Africa, showing the ecological break that defines the sub-Saharan area Sub-Saharan Africa is the term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south... The tomb of Sheikh Isaq, the father of the Isaq tribe The Isaaq (also Isaq, Ishaak) (Somali language: Reer Sheik Isaxaaq); is one of the main Somali clans. ... The Issa are a Somali clan who reside primarily in Djibouti. ... The Warsangali (also Warsengeli or Warsingeli) (Son of Mohamoud Harti) is a Somali clan of the Harti group, part of the Darod clan. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Warsangali (also Warsengeli or Warsingeli) (Son of Mohamoud Harti) is a Somali clan of the Harti group, part of the Darod clan. ... Ayoup or Ayuub is one of the subclans of the Somali Isaaq family. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Warsangeli is the fourth biggest Somali clan from the Darod tribe. ...

While the British were bogged down by Mohammed Abdullah Hassan (known to the British as 'The Mad Mullah'), the French made little use of their Somali holdings, content that as long as the British were stymied, their job was done. This attitude may have contributed to why they were more or less left alone by the Dervishes. The Italians, though, were intent on larger projects and established an actual colony to which a significant number of Italian civilians migrated and invested in major agricultural development. By this time Mussolini was in power in Italy. He wanted to improve the world's respect for Italy by expert economic management of Italy's new colonies, upstaging the British and their various embarrassing problems with the Somalis. Mohammed Abdullah Hasssan on his famous horse Xin-Faniin Mohammed Abdullah Hassan (Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan, Sayyid) (born April 7, 1864, in the north of Somalia, died December 21, 1920 in Imi, Ethiopia) was Somalias religious and nationalist leader (called the Mad Mullah by the British, although he was neither... For other uses, see Dervish (disambiguation). ... Mussolini redirects here. ...

Due to the constant fighting the British were afraid to invest in any expensive infrastructure projects that might easily be destroyed by guerillas. As a result, when the country was eventually reunited in the 1960s, the north, which had been under British control, lagged far behind the south in terms of economic development, and came to be dominated by the South. The bitterness from this state of affairs would be one of the sparks for the future civil war.

Italian campaigns

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Somalia in the late 19th century.

The dawn of fascism in the early 1920s heralded a change of strategy for Italy as the north-eastern sultanates were soon to be forced within the boundaries of La Grande Somalia according to the plan of fascist Italy. With the arrival of Governor Cesare Maria De Vecchi on 15 December 1923 things began to change for that part of Somaliland. Italy had access to these parts under the successive protection treaties, but not direct rule. The fascist government had direct rule only over the Benaadir territory. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Shortcut: WP:NPOVD Articles that have been linked to this page are the subject of an NPOV dispute (NPOV stands for Neutral Point Of View; see below). ... Image File history File links Somalia_o1800s. ... Image File history File links Somalia_o1800s. ... is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Given the defeat of the Dervish movement in the early 1920s and the rise of fascism in Europe, on 10 July 1925 Benito Mussolini gave the green light to De Vecchi to start the takeover of the north-eastern sultanates. Everything was to be changed and the treaties abrogated. Fascism is an authoritarian political ideology (generally tied to a mass movement) that considers individual and other societal interests subordinate to the interests of the state. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mussolini redirects here. ...

The real principles of colonialism meant possession and domination of the people, and the protection of the country from other greedy powers. Italy's interpretation of the treaties of protection with the north-eastern sultanates was comparable to her view of the Treaty of Wuchale with Ethiopia, and meant absolute control of the whole territory.^{[citation needed]} Never mind that the subsequent tension between Ethiopiaand Italy had culminated in 1896 in the battle of Adwa in which the Italians were overwhelmed and defeated. Treaty of Wuchale was a treaty signed by King Menelik of Shewa, later the Emperor of Ethiopia with Count Pietro Antonelli of Italy in the town of Wuchale on May 2, 1889. ... Combatants Ethiopia Kingdom of Italy Commanders Ras Makonnen Oreste Baratieri Strength ~100,000 (80,000 with firearms), Unknown number of artillery and machine guns 17,700 (all with firearms), 56 artillery guns Casualties 4,000-6,000 killed, 8,000 wounded[1] 7,000 killed, 1,500 wounded, 3,000...

Governor De Vecchi's first plan was to disarm the sultanates. But before the plan could be carried out there should be sufficient Italian troops in both sultanates. To make the enforcement of his plan more viable, he began to reconstitute the old Somali police corps, the Corpo Zaptié, as a colonial force.

In preparation for the plan of invasion of the sultanates, the Alula Commissioner, E. Coronaro received orders in April 1924 to carry out a reconnaissance on the territories targeted for invasion. In spite of the forty year Italian relationship with the sultanates, Italy did not have adequate knowledge of the geography. During this time, the Stefanini-Puccioni geological survey was scheduled to take place, so it was a good opportunity for the expedition of Coronaro to join with this.

Coron­aro's survey concluded that the Majeerteen Sultanate depended on sea traffic, therefore, if this were blocked any resistance which could be mounted came after the invasion of the sultanate would be minimal. As the first stage of the invasion plan Governor De Vecchi ordered the two Sultanates to disarm. The reaction of both sultanates was to object, as they felt the policy was in breach of the protectorate agreements. The pressure engendered by the new developme­nt forced the two rival sultanates to settle their differences over Nugaal possession, and form a united front against their common enemy. This article is about states protected and/or dominated by a foreign power. ...

The Sultanate of Hobyo was different from that of Majeerteen in terms of its geography and the pattern of the territory. It was founded by Yusuf Ali in the middle of the nineteenth century in central Somaliland. The jurisdiction of Hobyo stretched from El-Dheere through to Dusa-Mareeb in the south-west, from Galladi to Galkayo in the west, from Jerriiban to Garaad in the north-east, and the Indian Ocean in the east.

By 1 October, De Vecchi's plan was to go into action. The operation to invade Hobyo started in October 1925. Columns of the new Zaptié began to move towards the sultanate. H­obyo, El-Buur, Galkayo, and the territory between were completely overrun within a month. Hobyo was transformed from a sultanate into an administrat­ive region. Sultan Yusuf Ali surrendered. Nevertheless, soon suspicions were aroused as Trivulzio, the Hobyo commissioner, reported movement of armed men towards the borders of the sultanate before the takeover and after. Before the Italians could concentrate on the Majeerteen, they were diverted by new setbacks. On 9 November, the Italian fear was realised when a mutiny, led by one of the military chiefs of Sultan Ali Yusuf, Omar Samatar, recaptured El-Buur. Soon the rebellion expanded to the local population. The region went into revolt as El-Dheere also came under the control of Omar Samatar. The Italian forces tried to recapture El-Buur but they were repulsed. On 15 November the Italians retreated to Bud Bud and on the way they were ambushed and suffered heavy casualties. is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Gaalkacyo is the second largest city in Puntland, Somalia, with an estimated population of 190,000. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

While a third attempt was in the last stages of preparation, the operation commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Splendorelli, was ambushed between Bud Bud and Buula Barde. He and some of his staff were killed. As a consequence of the death of the commander of the operations and the effect of two failed operations intended to overcome the El-Buur mutiny, the spirit of Italian troops began to wane. The Governor took the situation seriously, and to prevent any more failure he requested two battalions from Eritrea to reinforce his troops, and assumed lead of the operations. Meanwhile, the rebellion was gaining sympathy across the country, and as far afield as Western Somaliland.

The fascist government was surprised by the setback in Hobyo. The whole policy of conquest was collapsing under its nose. The El-Buur episode drastically changed the strategy of Italy as it revived memories of the Adwa fiasco when Italy had been defeated by Abyssinia. Furthermore, in the Colonial Ministry in Rome, senior officials distrusted the Governor's ability to deal with the matter. Rome instructed De Vecchi that he was to receive the reinforcement from Eritrea, but that the commander of the two battalions was to temporarily assume the military command of the operations and De Vecchi was to stay in Mogadishu and confine himself to other colonial matters. In the case of any military development, the military commander was to report directly to the Chief of Staff in Rome. For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... Mogadishu (Somali: Muqdisho, popularly Xamar; Arabic: ; Italian: ), is the largest city in Somalia, and its capital. ...

While the situation remained perplexed, De Vecchi moved the deposed sultan to Muqdisho. Fascist Italy was poised to re-conquer the sultanate by whatever means. To manoeuvre the situation within Hobyo, they even contemplated the idea of reinstating Ali Yusuf. However, the idea was dropped after they became pessimistic about the results.

To undermine the resistance, however, and before the Eritrean reinforcement could arrive, De Vecchi began to instil distrust among the local people by buying the loyalty of some of them. In fact, these tactics had better results than had the military campaign, and the resistance began gradually to wear down. Given the anarchy which would follow, the new policy was a success.

On the military front, on 26 December 1925 Italian troops finally overran El-Buur, and the forces of Omar Samatar were compelled to retreat to Western Somaliland. is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

By neutralising Hobyo, the fascists could concentrate on the Majeerteen. In early October 1924, E. Coronaro, the new Alula commissioner, presented Boqor (king) Osman with an ultimatum to disarm and surrender. Meanwhile, Italian troops began to pour into the sultanate in anticipation of this operation. While landing at Haafuun and Alula, the sultanate's troops opened fire on them. Fierce fighting ensued and to avoid escalating the conflict and to press the fascist government to revoke their policy, Boqor Osman tried to open a dialogue. However, he failed, and again fighting broke out between the two parties. Following this disturbance, on 7 October the Governor instructed Coronaro to order the Sultan to surrender; to intimidate the people he ordered the seizure of all merchant boats in the Alula area. At Haafuun, Arimondi bombarded and destroyed all the boats in the area. The Majeerteen, Majerteen or Macherten (Muhammad bin Harti bin Amaleh bin Abdi bin Muhammad bin Abdirahman al-Jaberti. ... is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On 13 October Coronaro was to meet Boqor Osman at Baargaal to press for his surrender. Under siege already, Boqor Osman was playing for time. However, on 23 October Boqor Osman sent an angry response to the Governor defying his order. Following this a full scale attack was ordered in November. Baargaal was bombarded and razed to the ground. This region was ethnically compact, and was out of range of direct action by the fascist government of Muqdisho. The attempt of the colonizers to suppress the region erupted into explosive confrontation. The Italians were meeting fierce resistance on many fronts. In December 1925, led by the charismatic leader Hersi Boqor, son of Boqor Osman, the sultanate forces drove the Italians out of Hurdia and Haafuun, two strategic coastal towns on the Indian Ocean. Another contingent attacked and destroyed an Italian communications centre at Cape Guardafui, on the tip of the Horn. In retaliation Bernica and other warships were called on to bombard all main coastal towns of the Majeerteen. After a violent confrontation Italian forces captured Ayl (Eil), which until then had remained in the hands of Hersi Boqor. In response to the unyielding situation, Italy called for reinforcements from their other colonies, notably Eritrea. With their arrival at the closing of 1926, the Italians began to move into the interior where they had not been able to venture since their first seizure of the coastal towns. Their attempt to capture Dharoor Valley was resisted, and ended in failure. is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

De Vecchi had to reassess his plans as he was being humiliated on many fronts. After one year of exerting full force he could not yet manage to gain a result over the sultanate. In spite of the fact that the Italian navy sealed the sultanate's main coastal entrance, they could not succeed in stopping them from receiving arms and ammunition through it. It was only early 1927 when they finally succeeded in shutting the northern coast of the sultanate, thus cutting arms and ammunition supplies for the Majeerteen. By this time, the balance had tilted to the Italians' side, and in January 1927 they began to attack with a massive force, capturing Iskushuban, at the heart of the Majeerteen. Hersi Boqor unsuccessfully attacked and challenged the Italians at Iskushuban. To demoralise the resistance, ships were ordered to raze and bombard the sultanate's coastal towns and villages. In the interior the Italian troops confiscated livestock. By the end of the 1927 the Italians had nearly taken control of the sultanate. Defeated and Hersi Boqor and his top staff were forced to retreat to Ethiopia in order to rebuild the forces. However, they had an epidemic of cholera which frustrated all attempts to recover his force.

With the elimination of the north-eastern sultanates and the breaking of the Benaadir resistance, from this period henceforth, Italian Somaliland was to become a reality.

By 1935, the British were ready to cut their losses in British Somaliland. The dervishes refused to accept any negotiations. Even after they had been soundly defeated in 1920, sporadic violence continued for the entire duration of British occupation. To make matters worse, Italy invaded and conquered Ethiopia in 1936, whom the British had been using to help their effort to put down the Somali uprisings. Now with Ethiopia unavailable, the British were faced with the option of doing the dirty work themselves, or packing up and looking for friendlier territory. The British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the north part of the Horn of Africa, and later part of Somalia and presently the unrecognized Republic of Somaliland. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

By this time many thousand Italian immigrants were living in Romanesque villas on extensive plantations in the south. Conditions for natives were very prosperous under fascist Italian rule, and the southern Somalis never violently resisted. It had become obvious then that Italy had won the horn of Africa, and Britain left upon Mussolini's insistence, with little protest. The Roman Empire contained many kinds of villas. ... Fascism (in Italian, fascismo), capitalized, was the authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. ...

Meanwhile the French colony had faded to obsolescence with Britain's dwindling control, and it too was neglected. The Italians then enjoyed sole dominance of the entire East African region including recently occupied Ethiopia.

Map of Italian East Africa (Africa Orientale Italiana)

On May 9 1936, Mussolini proclaimed the creation of the Italian Empire, calling it the "Africa Orientale Italiana" (A.O.I.) and formed by Ethiopia, Eritrea and Italian Somalia. Many investments in infrastructure were made by the Italians in their Empire, like the Strada Imperiale ("imperial road") between Addis Abeba and Mogadishu. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Benito Mussolini created a fascist state through the use of propaganda, total control of the media and disassembly of the working democratic government. ... The Italian empire in 1940 The Italian Empire was a 20th century empire, which lasted from 9 May 1936 to September 1943. ... Addis Ababa (Amharic new flower) is the capital of Ethiopia. ... Mogadishu (Somali: Muqdisho, popularly Xamar; Arabic: ; Italian: ), is the largest city in Somalia, and its capital. ...

See also:

• Northern Somali sultanates
• Hobyo
• Sayyid Mohammed Abdullah Hassan

Map of Somalia including the self-proclaimed boundary of Somaliland. ... Hobyo is an ancient harbor city in the Mudugh region of Somalia. ... Mohammed Abdullah Hasssan on his famous horse Xin-Faniin Mohammed Abdullah Hassan (Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan, Sayyid) (born April 7, 1864, in the north of Somalia, died December 21, 1920 in Imi, Ethiopia) was Somalias religious and nationalist leader (called the Mad Mullah by the British, although he was neither...

World War II

Italian hegemony of Somalia was short-lived, because of World War II. At the start of the war, Mussolini realized he would have to concentrate his resources primarily on the home front to survive the Allied onslaught. Hegemony (pronounced or ) (Greek: ) is the dominance of one group over other groups, with or without the threat of force, to the extent that, for instance, the dominant party can dictate the terms of trade to its advantage; more broadly, cultural perspectives become skewed to favor the dominant group. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

the Italians conquered the British Somaliland in August 1940, but soon the British were able to totally reconquer Somalia by 1941. Italian officers organized an italian guerrilla with Italian colonial troops, that lasted in Somalia from the end of 1941 to spring 1943. The British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the north part of the Horn of Africa, and later part of Somalia and presently the unrecognized Republic of Somaliland. ... Italian Propaganda Poster (1942): We will return! (to the italian African colonies) When the italian army surrendered in Gondar in november 1941, many Italians decided to start a guerrilla warfare in the mountains and deserts of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. ...

During the war years, Somalia was directly ruled by a British military administration and martial law was in place, especially in the north where bitter memories of past bloodshed still lingered. For other uses, see Martial law (disambiguation). ...

Unfortunately these policies were as ill-advised as they were previously. The irregular bandits and militias of the Somali outback received a windfall in weaponry, thanks to the world wide surge in arms production from the war. The Italian settlers and other anti-British elements made sure the rebels got as many guns as they needed to cause trouble. Despite a fresh Somali thorn in their side, the British protectorate lasted until 1949, and actually made some progress in economic development. The British established their capital in the northern city of Hargeisa, and wisely allowed local Muslim judges to try most cases, rather than impose alien British military justice on the populace. Irregular soldiers in Beauharnois, Quebec, 19th century. ... Hargeisa (Somali: Hargeysa, Arabic: هرجيسا) is a city in Northwestern Somalia and the second largest city in Somalia. ...

The British allowed almost all the Italians to stay, except for a few too risky for their security, and regularly employed them as civil servants and in the educated professions. The fact that 9 out of 10 of the Italians were loyal to Mussolini and probably actively spying on the Italian army's behalf during WWII, was tolerated due to Somalia's relative strategic irrelevance to the larger war effort. Indeed, considering they were technically citizens of an enemy power, the British lent considerable leeway to the Italian residents, even allowing them to form their own political parties in direct competition with British authority.

SYL Somalia's first and most powerful party.

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (550x695, 57 KB) http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (550x695, 57 KB) http://www. ... Strapping Young Lad is the eponymous third album by Canadian heavy metal band Strapping Young Lad. ...

Post-War period

After the war, the British gradually relaxed military control of Somalia, and attempted to introduce democracy, and numerous native Somalian political parties sprang into existence, the first being the Somali Youth League (SYL) in 1945. The Potsdam conference was unsure of what to do with Somalia, whether to allow Britain to continue its occupation, to return control to the Italians, who actually had a significant amount of people living there, or grant full independence. This question was hotly debated in the Somalian political scene for the next several years. Many wanted outright independence, especially the rural citizens in the west and north. Southerners enjoyed the economic prosperity brought by the Italians, and preferred their leadership. A smaller faction appreciated Britain's honest attempt to maintain order the second time around, and gave their respect. The Somali Youth League (SYL) was the first political party of Somalia. ... Harry S. Truman and Joseph Stalin meeting at the Potsdam Conference on July 18, 1945. ...

SYL Monument.

Image File history File links SYL-Freedom. ... Image File history File links SYL-Freedom. ...

Ogaden granted to Ethiopia

In 1948 a commission led by representatives of the victorious Allied nations wanted to decide the Somali question once and for all. They made one particular decision, granting Ogaden to Ethiopia, which would spark war decades later. After months of vaciliations and eventually turning the debate over to the United Nations, in 1949 it was decided that in recognition of its genuine economic improvements to the country, Italy would retain a nominal trusteeship of Somalia for the next 10 years, after which it would gain full independence. The SYL, Somalia's first and most powerful party, strongly opposed this decision, preferring immediate independence, and would become a source of unrest in the coming years. This article is about the geographical area. ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ...

Despite the SYL's misgivings the 1950s were something of a golden age for Somalia. With UN aid money pouring in, and experienced Italian administrators who had come to see Somalia as their home, infrastructural and educational development bloomed. This decade passed relatively without incident and was marked by positive growth in virtually all parts of Somali life. As scheduled, in 1959, Somalia was granted independence, and power transferred smoothly from the Italian administrators to the by then well developed Somali political culture.

Independence

Hawo Tako was a remarkable woman who had played a significant role in Somalia's struggle for independence.[1] .

The freshly independent Somalis loved politics, every nomad had a radio to listen to political speeches, and remarkable for a Muslim country, women were also active participants, with only mild mumblings from the more conservative sectors of society. Despite this promising start, there were significant underlying problems, most notably the north/south economic divide and the Ogaden issue. In hindsight it might have made