Haqq ad-Din II
Encyclopedia
Haqq ad-Din II (ruled late 14th century) was a Sultan
of the Ifat Sultanate, the brother of Sa'ad ad-Din II
, and the son of Ahmad ibn Ali
.
Taddesse Tamrat credits Haqq as "the founder of the kingdom of Adal
as we know it in its protracted struggle with the Christian kingdom [of Ethiopia
]"
states that both Haqq ad-Din and his brother Sa'ad ad-Din II were born at the Ethiopian court, both grew up to be the strongest champions of Islam
in the Ethiopian region. According to Tamrat Taddesse, due to the antipathy the rest of the Walashmas had to his father Ahmad for his collaboration over the Ethiopians, Haqq started his career as an outlaw at odds with both his grandfather Ali ibn Sabr ad-Din
and his uncle Mola Asfah. Taddesse Tamrat credits him with a great deal of Islamic learning, and in time became the leader of the militant Islamic group in the region.
Once surrounded by numerous followers, he declared war on his two male relatives. They turned to the Ethiopian Emperor
Newaya Krestos
for help, but in a series of engagements he defeated their combined army, and his uncle Mola Asfah was killed in battle. The Ethiopian Emperor triumphantly entered the city of Ifat, where he magnaminously confirmed his grandfather as titular ruler of the city; although he founded a new capital at Wahal. (Trimingham calls this new city Wafat.) Taddesse Tamrat notes that while this new location helped preserve Ifat's autonomy under Ethiopia, it had a cost in that it gave up all of the dynastic political influence over Shewa
and the neighboring Muslim kingdoms of Dawaro, Hadiya
and Bale.
. Taddesse Tamrat argues that Al-Maqrizi was right about Haqq's year of death, but confused Emperor Newaya Maryam
with his more famous successor Dawit I; Richard Pankhurst
, on the other hand, accepts the chronicle's date and al-Makrizi's identification of Dawit I.
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of the Ifat Sultanate, the brother of Sa'ad ad-Din II
Sa'ad ad-Din II
Sa'ad ad-Din II was a Sultan of the Ifat Sultanate. He was the brother of Haqq ad-Din II, and the father of Mansur ad-Din, Sabr ad-Din II and Badlay ibn Sa'ad ad-Din. The historian Richard Pankhurst describes him as "the last great ruler of Ifat."-Reign:Sa'ad ad-Din II was born at the court of...
, and the son of Ahmad ibn Ali
Ahmad ibn Ali
Ahmad ibn Ali was the son of Jamal ad-Din I. The Emperor of Ethiopia Newaya Krestos made him Governor of Ifat after his father Ali ibn Sabr ad-Din unsuccessfully revolted against the Emperor and was put into prison.-Reign:...
.
Taddesse Tamrat credits Haqq as "the founder of the kingdom of Adal
Adal Sultanate
The Adal Sultanate or the Kingdom of Adal was a medieval multi-ethnic Muslim state located in the Horn of Africa.-Overview:...
as we know it in its protracted struggle with the Christian kingdom [of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
]"
Reign
Although Al-MaqriziAl-Maqrizi
Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn 'Ali ibn 'Abd al-Qadir ibn Muhammad al-Maqrizi ; Arabic: , was an Egyptian historian more commonly known as al-Maqrizi or Makrizi...
states that both Haqq ad-Din and his brother Sa'ad ad-Din II were born at the Ethiopian court, both grew up to be the strongest champions of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in the Ethiopian region. According to Tamrat Taddesse, due to the antipathy the rest of the Walashmas had to his father Ahmad for his collaboration over the Ethiopians, Haqq started his career as an outlaw at odds with both his grandfather Ali ibn Sabr ad-Din
Ali ibn Sabr ad-Din
Ali ibn Sabr ad-Din was the son of Sabr ad-Din I. The Emperor of Ethiopia Newaya Krestos made him Governor of Ifat after the death of his father.-Reign:...
and his uncle Mola Asfah. Taddesse Tamrat credits him with a great deal of Islamic learning, and in time became the leader of the militant Islamic group in the region.
Once surrounded by numerous followers, he declared war on his two male relatives. They turned to the Ethiopian Emperor
Emperor of Ethiopia
The Emperor of Ethiopia was the hereditary ruler of Ethiopia until the abolition of the monarchy in 1974. The Emperor was the head of state and head of government, with ultimate executive, judicial and legislative power in that country...
Newaya Krestos
Newaya Krestos
Newaya Krestos was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the oldest son of Amda Seyon I....
for help, but in a series of engagements he defeated their combined army, and his uncle Mola Asfah was killed in battle. The Ethiopian Emperor triumphantly entered the city of Ifat, where he magnaminously confirmed his grandfather as titular ruler of the city; although he founded a new capital at Wahal. (Trimingham calls this new city Wafat.) Taddesse Tamrat notes that while this new location helped preserve Ifat's autonomy under Ethiopia, it had a cost in that it gave up all of the dynastic political influence over Shewa
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
and the neighboring Muslim kingdoms of Dawaro, Hadiya
Hadiya
The Hadiya Kingdom was an ancient kingdom in located in southwestern Ethiopia, south of the Abbay River and west of Shewa. It was ruled by the Hadiya people, who spoke the Cushitic Hadiyya language. The historical Hadiya area was situated between Kembata, Gamo, and Waj, southwest of Shewa...
and Bale.
Death
Haqq ad-Din ruled for ten years, until he was killed in action against soldiers of the Ethiopian Emperor. The date of his death is disputed: in the account of Al-Maqrizi, Haqq ad-Din was killed in AH 776 (= AD 1373/1374); however, the chronicle of the Walashma dynasty states he died in AD 1386. The matter is not helped by the fact Al-Maqrizi says the Emperor who ruled at the time of Haqq ad-Din's death was Dawit I, while Ethiopian sources state that the Sultan's reign began in the reign of Emperor Newaya KrestosNewaya Krestos
Newaya Krestos was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the oldest son of Amda Seyon I....
. Taddesse Tamrat argues that Al-Maqrizi was right about Haqq's year of death, but confused Emperor Newaya Maryam
Newaya Maryam
Newaya Maryam was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the oldest son of Newaya Krestos....
with his more famous successor Dawit I; Richard Pankhurst
Richard Pankhurst (academic)
Richard Keir Pethick Pankhurst OBE is a British academic with expertise in the study of Ethiopia.-Early life and education:...
, on the other hand, accepts the chronicle's date and al-Makrizi's identification of Dawit I.