Ahmed Sharif es Senussi
Encyclopedia
Ahmed Sharif as-Senussi (1873, Jaghbub, Libya
– 10 March 1933, Medina
, Saudi Arabia
), the supreme leader of the Senussi order (1902–1933), although his leadership between the years (1917–1933) could be considered nominal. His daughter, Fatima el-Sharif was the Queen consort of King
Idris I of Libya
.
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
– 10 March 1933, Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
), the supreme leader of the Senussi order (1902–1933), although his leadership between the years (1917–1933) could be considered nominal. His daughter, Fatima el-Sharif was the Queen consort of King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
Idris I of Libya
Idris I of Libya
Idris, GBE , , was the first and only king of Libya, reigning from 1951 to 1969, and the Chief of the Senussi Muslim order.- Early life :...
.
Early life
- Ahmed Sharif as-Senussi was the grandson of Muhammad ibn Ali as-SenussiMuhammad ibn Ali as-SenussiSayyid Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi was the founder of the Senussi order. The order was founded in 1837.Al-Senussi was born in al-Wasita near Mostaganem, Algeria, and was named al-Senussi after a venerated Muslim teacher. He was a member of the Walad Sidi Abdalla tribe, and was a sharif tracing his...
, who founded the SenussiSenussiThe Senussi or Sanussi refers to a Muslim political-religious order in Libya and the Sudan region founded in Mecca in 1837 by the Grand Senussi, Sayyid Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi. Senussi was concerned with both the decline of Islamic thought and spirituality and the weakening of Muslim political...
religious order in Cyrenaica in the middle of nineteenth century. In 1895, as-Senussi accompanied his father, Mohammed ash Sharif, and his uncle Mohammed el Mahdi, then leader of the Senussi order, on their trip from Jaghbub to KufraKufraKufra is a basin and oasis group in Al Kufrah District, southeastern Cyrenaica in Libya. Kufra is historically important above all because at the end of nineteenth century it became the center and holy place of the Senussi order...
, where they remained until 1899, and where Ahmed’s father died in 1896. - On 1899 Mohammed el Mahdi and as-Senussi moved from Kufra to Zawiat Guru, in ChadChadChad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
, then to Bergo, aiming to check the French advance in Chad.
Struggle against the French
- On 1900, the French forces approached to Kanem, Mohammed el Mahdi assigned his nephew Ahmed to lead the struggle. Between those who fought with Mohammed el Barrani (probably after whom the town Sidi BarraniSidi BarraniSidi Barrani is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the border with Libya, and around from Tobruk, Libya.Probably named after Sidi Mohammed el Barrani, a Senussi fighter in the early 1900s, the village is mainly a Bedouin community...
was named), and Omar MukhtarOmar MukhtarOmar Mukhtar , of the Mnifa, was born in the small village of Janzour, near Tobruk in eastern Barqa in Libya. Beginning in 1912, he organized and, for nearly twenty years, led native resistance to Italian colonization of Libya. The Italians captured and hanged him in 1931...
, the future resistance leader in Libya. - On 1 June 1902, Mohammed el Mahdi died. Because his son Mohammed IdrisIdris I of LibyaIdris, GBE , , was the first and only king of Libya, reigning from 1951 to 1969, and the Chief of the Senussi Muslim order.- Early life :...
was only 12 years old, he named, before his death, his nephew Ahmed Sharif to be his successor. - Ahmed ash Sharif continued the struggle against the French in ChadChadChad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
which resulted at last into a failure as the French forces took Wadai on 1909.
Struggle against the Italians
- In October 1911 the Italians invaded Libya, so as-Senussi suspended the struggle against the French in Chad, and concentrated his efforts against the Italians. The Senussi movement had no big difficulty in unifying the capabilities of the tribes of Cyrenaica against the Italians.
- The first major battle was attended by as-Senussi was Sidi Kraiyem near Derna. The battle itself was a setback to the Italian forces.
- On 1915, after four years of hostilities, the Italian forces in Cyrenaica were almost confined to some separated points on the coast.
War with the British in Egypt
- With the outbreak of World War I, the Ottoman EmpireOttoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, former rulers of LibyaLibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, was allied with the Central Powers and came into conflict with the British EmpireUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. ItalyKingdom of Italy (1861–1946)The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
joined the Allies in May 1915.
- In February 1915 the Turks attacked the Suez CanalSuez CanalThe Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
. At first, Ahmed ash Sharif, already a deputy in North Africa for the Ottoman caliph, was not involved in the conflict against the British. But in November 1915, encouraged by the Turks, the Senussi horsemen under him invaded Egypt and took Sallum. British forces withdrew to Mersa Matruh.
- Since the Senussi had a great influence over the peoples of many Egyptian oases - SiwaSiwa OasisThe Siwa Oasis is an oasis in Egypt, located between the Qattara Depression and the Egyptian Sand Sea in the Libyan Desert, nearly 50 km east of the Libyan border, and 560 km from Cairo....
, KhargaKharga OasisEl-Kharga , also known as Al-Kharijah, is the southernmost of Egypt's five western oases. It is located in the Libyan Desert, about 200 km to the west of the Nile valley, and is some 150 km long. It is located in and is the capital of New Valley Governorate...
, and Dakhla, for example - the British had to take the Senussi threat seriously.
- In February 1916 the British counterattacked and recaptured Unjela, between Mersa Matruh and Sidi Barrani, and on 14 March they re-took Sallum.
- Weakened by this defeat, as-Senussi conceded the leadership of the Senussi order to his 26-year old cousin Mohammed IdrisIdris I of LibyaIdris, GBE , , was the first and only king of Libya, reigning from 1951 to 1969, and the Chief of the Senussi Muslim order.- Early life :...
(later King Idris I of Libya), who conducted the negotiations with the British.
Death
- In August 1918, as-Senussi left Libya for Austria-HungaryAustria-HungaryAustria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, then to the Ottoman EmpireOttoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, and at last to HejazHejazal-Hejaz, also Hijaz is a region in the west of present-day Saudi Arabia. Defined primarily by its western border on the Red Sea, it extends from Haql on the Gulf of Aqaba to Jizan. Its main city is Jeddah, but it is probably better known for the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina...
, where he died at MedinaMedinaMedina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
on 10 March 1933.