Sultanate of Ifat

Sultanate of Ifat
1285–1415
The Ifat Sultanate in the 14th century.
Capital		Zeila
Languages		Somali, Harari, Arabic, Afar Ethio-Semitic
Religion		Islam
Government		Monarchy
History
•	Established	1285
•	Disestablished	1415
Preceded by Succeeded by Sultanate of Showa Adal Kingdom Adal Sultanate
Today part of		Somaliland  Djibouti  Ethiopia

The Sultanate of Ifat was a medieval Muslim state in the eastern regions of the Horn of Africa between the late 13th century and early 15th century. Led by the Walashma dynasty, it was centered in ancient city of Zeila and Shewa. The kingdom ruled over parts of what are now eastern Ethiopia, Djibouti and northern Somaliland.

According to Al-Omari, Ifat was a state close to the Red Sea coast, 15 days by 20 days "normal traveling time". The state had a river (Awash River), was well peopled and had an army of 20,000 soldiers and 15,000 horsemen. Al-Omari mentioned seven cities in Ifat: Belqulzar, Kuljura, Shimi, Shewa, Adal, Jamme and Laboo. While reporting that its center was "a place called Walalah, probably the modern Wäläle south of Šäno in the Ěnkwoy valley, about 50 miles ENE of Addis Ababa", G.W.B. Huntingford "provisionally" estimated its southern and eastern boundaries were along the Awash River, the western frontier a line drawn between Medra Kabd towards the Jamma river east of Debre Libanos (which it shared with Damot), and the northern boundary along the Adabay and Mofar rivers. The Al-Omari territorial account of Ifat Sultanate implies a size of 300 kilometers by 400 kilometers, which may be an exaggeration, according to Richard Pankhurst.

According to Taddesse Tamrat, Ifat's borders included Fatagar, Dawaro and Bale. The port of Zeila provided an entry point for trade and served as the most important entry point for Islam into Ethiopian lands. Ifat rulers controlled Zeila, and it was an important commercial and religious base for them.