The Battle of Saraye was fought in 1535 between Adal Sultanate forces under Wazir Abbas and the Abyssinian army under Tafsā Le’ul.
| Battle of Saraye | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Ethiopian–Adal war | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Adal Sultanate |
 Ethiopian Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Wazir Abbas |
Tasfa Le’ul † | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 600 | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Minimal | Heavy; entire force annihilated | ||||||||
Prelude
editAfter conquered Tigre and Aksum, Imam Ahmed Gurey sent his top general Wazir ‘Addoli to support his nephew Wazir Abbas who was conquering the northern regions of Medri Bahri specifically Seraye.[1] However Addoli and Abbas were ambushed by an Azmach of Saraye named Tafsā Le’ul though outnumbered Addoli valiantly used himself to help his men escape facing the massive army alone before eventually succumbing to his wounds. [1]: 368 [2] Tafsā Le’ul then beheaded Addoli's corpse and sent it Dawit II who prepared a feast a celebrated what he supposed was a turning of the tide of the war. Imam Ahmed upon hearing the news marched at the head of an army to meet up with Abbas however Tafsā Le’ul heard this news and encountered Abbas before he could meet up with The Imam. [1]: 368
Battle
editThe Adalite forces meager as they were however fought valiantly and push back the Abyssinian wave. Tafsā Le’ul himself was slain by a Somali infantrymen who struck him on the shoulder. Upon seeing his death the Abyssinian army scattered in a disorganized retreat leading them to an open field where they were all killed to the last man including all of Tafsā Le’ul's sons.[3] The Tarike Negast dates this battle to the month Hamle which corresponds to July.[citation needed]
Aftermath
editAfter the battle Tafsā Le’ul's corpse was beheaded along with the corpses of all his sons and sent to Imam Ahmed.[4] The Imam then placed Abbas as the Grand Vizier in place of Addoli and gave his previous title of Bahr Negash to an Emir named ‘Afra. The people of Medri Bahri, who had been receptive to the Adalite army before the battle, all either converted or paid the Jizya voluntarily.[1]: 373
References
edit- ^ a b c d Shihāb al-Dīn, Aḥmad ibn ʻAbd al-Qādir (2003). Futūḥ Al-Ḥabaša: The Conquest of Abyssinia [16th Century]. Translated by Stenhouse, Paul Lester. Hollywood, California, USA: Tsehai Publishers & Distributors. p. 367. ISBN 9780972317269.
- ^ The Tragedy of Emperor Libne-Dingil of Ethiopia (1508-1540) pg.32
- ^ Pankhurst, Richard (1997). The Ethiopian Borderlands Essays in Regional History from Ancient Times to the End of the 18th Century. Red Sea Press. p. 218. ISBN 9780932415196.
- ^ Frederick A. Edwards (1905). The Conquest of Abyssinia pp.351.