Warsangali Sultanate

Saldanadda Warsangeli
سلطنة الورسنجلي

1218–1886

Location and extent of the Warsangali Sultanate circa 1857.

Capital

Las Khorey

Languages

Somali · Arabic

Religion

Islam

Government

Absolute Monarchy

Sultan

•

1298–1311 (first)

Garaad Dhidhin

•

1897–1960 (last)

Mohamoud Ali Shire

History

•

Established

1218

•

Decline

1886

Succeeded by

British Somaliland

Today part of

Somalia

The Warsangali Sultanate (Somali: Saldanadda Warsangeli, Arabic: سلطنة الورسنجلي‎‎) was a Somali imperial ruling house centered in northeastern and in some parts of southeastern Somalia. It was one of the largest sultanates ever established in the territory, and, at the height of its power, included the Sanaag region and parts of the northeastern Bari region of the country, an area historically known as Maakhir or the Maakhir Coast. The Sultanate was founded in the late 13th century in northern Somalia by a group of Somalis from the Warsangali branch of the Darod clan, and was ruled by the descendants of the Garaad Dhidhin. In the late 19th century, the influential Sultan Mohamoud Ali Shire governed the Sultanate, assuming control during some of its most turbulent years. The Akil Dhahar ruled south of Sanaag and some portions of the Bari region. In 1884, the United Kingdom established the protectorate of British Somaliland through various treaties with the northern Somali sultanates, including the Warsangali Sultanate.

Although there is a dearth of historical testimony on Akil Dhahar, according to oral tradition, he fought against the Abyssinians. In honor of his accomplishments, Akil Dhahar's name is immortalized in the valley and mountains of the city known as Dhahar.

I. M. Lewis, in his book A Pastoral Democracy: A Study of Pastoralism and Politics Among the Northern Somali of the Horn of Africa, refers to the Sultan from the colonial literature as a "man of unusual influence", a "man of mercurial image", and a "man of unusual strength". Several Somali Sultanates existed in Somalia prior to the European imperialism of the 19th century, but the Warsangali Sultanate was the only one with a robust tax-based centralized administration. Lewis writes:

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