Italian Somaliland
Encyclopedia
Italian Somaliland also known as Italian Somalia, was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy
from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia
. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali
Sultanate of Hobyo
and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy
through various treaties. In 1936, the region was integrated into Africa Orientale Italiana as part of the Italian Empire. This would last until 1941, during World War II
. Italian Somaliland then came under British administration until 1949, when it became a United Nations trusteeship, the Trust Territory of Somalia
, under Italian administration. On July 1, 1960, the Trust Territory of Somalia united as scheduled with the briefly extant State of Somaliland
(the former British Somaliland
) to form the Somalia
Republic.
. The European powers (Italy
, Great Britain
and France
) first gained a foothold in Somalia through the signing of various pacts and agreements with the Somali
Sultan
s that then controlled the region, such as Yusuf Ali Kenadid, Boqor Osman Mahamuud and Mohamoud Ali Shire
.
In late 1888, Sultan Kenadid entered into a treaty with the Italians, making his Sultanate of Hobyo
an Italian protectorate
. His rival Boqor Osman was to sign a similar agreement vis-a-vis his own Majeerteen Sultanate the following year. Both rulers had signed the protectorate treaties to advance their own expansionist objectives, with Kenadid looking to use Italy's support in his dispute with the Sultan of Zanzibar over an area bordering Warsheekh, in addition to his ongoing power struggle over the Majeerteen Sultanate with Boqor Osman. Both Sultan Kenadid and his rival Boqor Osman also hoped to exploit the conflicting interests among the European imperial powers that were then looking to control the Somali peninsula, so as to avoid direct occupation of their territories by force.
The Italians, for their part, were interested in this largely arid country mainly because of its port
s, the latter of which could grant them access to the strategically important Suez Canal
and the Gulf of Aden
. The last piece of land acquired by Italy in Somalia in order to form Italian Somaliland was the Kismayo region (Jubaland), which was earlier controlled by Britain before World War I
.
However, the relationship between Hobyo and Italy
soured when Sultan Kenadid refused the Italians' proposal to allow a British
contingent of troops to disembark in his Sultanate so that they might then pursue their battle against the Somali religious and nationalist leader Muhammad Abdullah Hassan's Dervish
forces. Viewed as too much of a threat, Sultan Kenadid was eventually exiled to Aden
in Yemen and then to Eritrea
, as was his son Ali Yusuf, the heir apparent to his throne.
At the end of the 19th century, a growing social-political movement developed within Italy to start expanding its influence, since many other European countries had already been doing so, which was effectively leaving Italy behind. There was also a huge shortage of capital and serious economic problems in Italy. It is also argued by some historians that Italy had a minor interest in the mutton and livestock that were then plentiful in Somalia, though whatever designs Italy may have had on the resource-challenged Somali landscape were undoubtedly subordinate to its interest in the region's ports and the waters and lands they gave access to.
Cesare Correnti organized an expedition under the "Società Geografica Italiana" in 1876. The next year "L’Esploratore" was established by Manfredo Camperio - a travel journal. In 1879 "Società di Esplorazioni Commerciali in Africa" was created, with the Italian Industrial Establishment involved as well. The "Club Africano", which three years later became the "Società Africana D’Italia", was established in Somalia in 1879.
However, in January 1887 Italian troops from Somalia fought a battle against Ras Alula Engida’s militia in Dogali, Eritrea
, where they lost 500 troops. The Prime Minister, Agostino Depretis
, resigned because of this defeat in July 1887. Prime Minister Francesco Crispi
replaced him, and had new plans to create new areas for immigration for Italians. On May 2, 1889 Menelik II, the Emperor of Ethiopia
, and Italy signed a peace treaty.
Around 1895, Italy launched the First Italo-Abyssinian War
against Ethiopia from its territories in Eritrea
and Somalia.
Italy gained control of the ports of the Benadir
coastal area with the concession of a small strip of land on the coast from the Sultan of Zanzibar
, and over the following decades, Italian settlement was encouraged. In 1905, Italy assumed the responsibility of creating a colony in southern Somalia, after several failed attempts, following revelations that the Benadir Company had tolerated or collaborated in the perpetuation of the slave trade. The administrative regulator was Governor Mercantelli, with the six subdivisions of Brava
, Merca
, Lugh, Itala, Bardera
, and Jumbo.
On April 5, 1908 the Italian Parliament enacted a basic law to unite all of the parts of southern Somalia into an area called "Somalia Italiana". The colonial power was then divided between the Parliament, the metropolitan government, and the colonial government. The power of the colonial government was the only power that was changed. The civil governor controlled export rights, regulated the rate of exchange, raised or lowered native taxes, and administered all civil services and matters relating to hunting, fishing, and conservation. The governor was in control of the police force, while nominating local residents and military arrangements. Effective Italian control remained largely limited to the coastal areas until the early 1920s. After the collapse of Muhammad Abdullah Hassan’s resistance movement, rebellion and revolt occurred with disputes between different clans in Northern Somalia. The government of the time again worked together with the old clansmen in order to try and keep peace between the several clans, while maintaining close control over the military.
, in order to explore the agricultural potential of Africa. On December 5, 1923 Fascism
came to Somalia with Governor Cesare Maria De Vecchi di Val Cismon. He brought with him forceful ways of colonial rule and ideas.
After World War I
, Jubaland
, which was then a part of British East Africa, was ceded to Italy. This concession was purportedly a reward for the Italians having joined the Allies in World War I
.
In 1926, after a some resistance, southern Somalia was fully pacified. The Somali colonial troops called Dubats
(and the gendarmerie Zaptié
) were extensively used by De Vecchi in this military campaign.
In the early 1930s, the new Italian governors, Guido Corni and Maurizio Rava, started a policy of assimilation of the Somalis and their clans. Many Somalis were enrolled in the Italian colonial troops. Some thousands of Italian colonists moved to live in Mogadishu, which became a commercial centre with some small manufacturing companies, and in some agricultural areas around the capital such as the "Villaggio duca degli Abruzzi" (or "Villabruzzi", today Jowhar) and "Genale").
In 1920, the Italian explorer and nobleman Luigi Amedeo Savoia-Aosta founded the Villaggio Duca degli Abruzzi
as an agricultural settlement in Italian Somaliland, growing bananas, cotton and sugar.
In 1926, the colony comprised 16 villages, with some 3,000 Somali and 200 Italian inhabitants, and was connected by a 114 km new railway
to Mogadishu. Italian colonial policy followed two principles in Somalia: preservation of the dominant clan and ethnic configurations and respect for Islam as the colony's religion.
was launched into Ethiopia from Italian Somaliland. Italian General
Rodolfo Graziani
commanded the invasion forces in the south.
In June 1936, after the war ended, Italian Somaliland became part of Italian East Africa
. The new colony of the Italian Empire
also included Ethiopia
and Eritrea
and was called Africa Orientale Italiana.
From 1936 to 1940, new roads (like the one called "Imperial Road", from Mogadishu to Addis Abeba) were constructed in the region, as well as new railways (114 km from Mogadishu to Jowhar
) and many schools, hospitals, ports, bridges, etc.
Since the start of the colony, many Somali troops fought in the so-called Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali. The soldiers were enrolled as Dubats
, Zaptié
and Bande irregolari
. During World War II
, these troops were regarded as a wing of the Italian Army's Infantry Division, as was the case in Libya
and Eritrea
. The Zaptié were considered the best: they provided a ceremonial escort for the Italian Viceroy
(Governor) as well as the territorial police. There were already more than one thousand such soldiers in 1922. In 1941, in Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia, 2,186 Zaptìé plus an additional 500 recruits under training officially constituted a part of the Carabinieri
. They were organised into a battalion commanded by Major Alfredo Serranti that defended Culqualber (Ethiopia) for three months until this military unit was destroyed by the Allies
. After heavy fighting, all the Italian Carabinieri, including the Somali troops, received full military honors from the British.
In the first half of 1940, there were 22,000 Italians living in Somalia and the colony was one of the most developed in Africa in terms of the standard of living of the colonists and of the Somalis, mainly in the urban areas. More than 10,000 Italians were living in Mogadishu, an administrative capital of the Africa Orientale Italiana, and new buildings were erected in the Italian architectural tradition. By 1940, the Villaggio Duca degli Abruzzi (or "Villabruzzi") had a population of 12,000 people, of whom nearly 3,000 were Italian Somalians
, and enjoyed a notable level of development with a small manufacturing area with agricultural industries (sugar mills, etc.).
In the second half of 1940, Italian troops invaded British Somaliland
and ejected the British. The Italians also occupied Kenyan areas bordering Jubaland
around the villages of Moyale
and Buna
.
In August 1940 Benito Mussolini
boasted to a group of Somalis in Rome
that with the conquest of British Somalia (that he annexed to Italian Somalia) nearly all the Somali people were united, fulfilling their dream of a union of all Somalis (Greater Somalia
).
In the spring of 1941 Britain regained control of British Somaliland
and conquered Italian Somaliland with the Ogaden
, but until the summer of 1943 there was an Italian guerrilla war
in all the areas of the former Italian East Africa.
, under Italian administration. This administration lasted ten years, from 1950 to 1960, with legislative elections held in 1956
and 1959
.
In 1960, the Trust Territory of Somalia (the former Italian Somaliland) became independent, following in the footsteps of the briefly extant State of Somaliland
(the former British Somaliland
) which had gained independence five days earlier on June 26, 1960. On July 1, 1960, the two territories united as planned to form the Somali Republic
. A government was formed by Abdullahi Issa
, with Aden Abdullah Osman Daar
as President and Abdirashid Ali Shermarke
as Prime Minister
, later to become President (from 1967–1969). On July 20, 1961 and through a popular referendum
, the Somali people ratified a new constitution
, which was first drafted in 1960.
Kingdom 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...
from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
Sultanate of Hobyo
Sultanate of Hobyo
The Sultanate of Hobyo was a 19th century Somali ruling house in present-day northern Somalia. It was carved out of the former Majeerteen Sultanate by Yusuf Ali Kenadid, cousin of the Majeerteen Sultanate's ruler, Boqor Osman Mahamuud....
and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
through various treaties. In 1936, the region was integrated into Africa Orientale Italiana as part of the Italian Empire. This would last until 1941, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Italian Somaliland then came under British administration until 1949, when it became a United Nations trusteeship, the Trust Territory of Somalia
Trust Territory of Somalia
The Trust Territory of Somalia was a United Nations Trust Territory that was administered by Italy from 1949 to 1960, following the dissolution of the former Italian Somaliland inside the territory of modern-day Somalia.-History:In 1941, Italian Somaliland was occupied by British and South African...
, under Italian administration. On July 1, 1960, the Trust Territory of Somalia united as scheduled with the briefly extant State of Somaliland
State of Somaliland
The State of Somaliland was a short-lived independent state in the territory of modern-day Somalia.-History:In May 1960, the British Government stated that it would be prepared to grant independence to the then protectorate of British Somaliland, with the intention that the territory would unite...
(the former British Somaliland
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...
) to form the Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
Republic.
Somali-Italian treaties and creation of the protectorate
The late 19th century had a huge impact on developments occurring in the Horn of AfricaHorn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
. The European powers (Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) first gained a foothold in Somalia through the signing of various pacts and agreements with the Somali
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
Sultan
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...
s that then controlled the region, such as Yusuf Ali Kenadid, Boqor Osman Mahamuud and Mohamoud Ali Shire
Mohamoud Ali Shire
Mohamoud Ali Shire was a Somali ruler. He was the 20th Sultan of the Warsangali Sultanate from 1897 to 1960.-Titles:Also known as the Gerad, the Sultan was the sole regent and governor of the sultanate. He also enjoyed many other titles, including "Sovereign of the House of North East of...
.
In late 1888, Sultan Kenadid entered into a treaty with the Italians, making his Sultanate of Hobyo
Sultanate of Hobyo
The Sultanate of Hobyo was a 19th century Somali ruling house in present-day northern Somalia. It was carved out of the former Majeerteen Sultanate by Yusuf Ali Kenadid, cousin of the Majeerteen Sultanate's ruler, Boqor Osman Mahamuud....
an Italian protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
. His rival Boqor Osman was to sign a similar agreement vis-a-vis his own Majeerteen Sultanate the following year. Both rulers had signed the protectorate treaties to advance their own expansionist objectives, with Kenadid looking to use Italy's support in his dispute with the Sultan of Zanzibar over an area bordering Warsheekh, in addition to his ongoing power struggle over the Majeerteen Sultanate with Boqor Osman. Both Sultan Kenadid and his rival Boqor Osman also hoped to exploit the conflicting interests among the European imperial powers that were then looking to control the Somali peninsula, so as to avoid direct occupation of their territories by force.
The Italians, for their part, were interested in this largely arid country mainly because of its port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
s, the latter of which could grant them access to the strategically important Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The 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...
and the Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
. The last piece of land acquired by Italy in Somalia in order to form Italian Somaliland was the Kismayo region (Jubaland), which was earlier controlled by Britain before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
However, the relationship between Hobyo and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
soured when Sultan Kenadid refused the Italians' proposal to allow a British
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...
contingent of troops to disembark in his Sultanate so that they might then pursue their battle against the Somali religious and nationalist leader Muhammad Abdullah Hassan's Dervish
Dervish State
The Dervish state was an early 20th century Somali Sunni Muslim state that was established by Muhammad Abdullah Hassan, a religious leader who gathered Somali soldiers from across the Horn of Africa and united them into a loyal army known as the Dervishes...
forces. Viewed as too much of a threat, Sultan Kenadid was eventually exiled to Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
in Yemen and then to Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
, as was his son Ali Yusuf, the heir apparent to his throne.
At the end of the 19th century, a growing social-political movement developed within Italy to start expanding its influence, since many other European countries had already been doing so, which was effectively leaving Italy behind. There was also a huge shortage of capital and serious economic problems in Italy. It is also argued by some historians that Italy had a minor interest in the mutton and livestock that were then plentiful in Somalia, though whatever designs Italy may have had on the resource-challenged Somali landscape were undoubtedly subordinate to its interest in the region's ports and the waters and lands they gave access to.
Cesare Correnti organized an expedition under the "Società Geografica Italiana" in 1876. The next year "L’Esploratore" was established by Manfredo Camperio - a travel journal. In 1879 "Società di Esplorazioni Commerciali in Africa" was created, with the Italian Industrial Establishment involved as well. The "Club Africano", which three years later became the "Società Africana D’Italia", was established in Somalia in 1879.
However, in January 1887 Italian troops from Somalia fought a battle against Ras Alula Engida’s militia in Dogali, Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
, where they lost 500 troops. The Prime Minister, Agostino Depretis
Agostino Depretis
Agostino Depretis was an Italian statesman.-Biography:Depretis was born at Mezzana Corte, near Stradella, in the province of Pavia ....
, resigned because of this defeat in July 1887. Prime Minister Francesco Crispi
Francesco Crispi
Francesco Crispi was a 19th-century Italian politician of Arbëreshë ancestry. He was instrumental in the unification of Italy and was its 17th and 20th Prime Minister from 1887 until 1891 and again from 1893 until 1896.-Sicily:Crispi’s paternal family came originally from the small agricultural...
replaced him, and had new plans to create new areas for immigration for Italians. On May 2, 1889 Menelik II, the Emperor of Ethiopia
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...
, and Italy signed a peace treaty.
Around 1895, Italy launched the First Italo-Abyssinian War
First Italo-Abyssinian War
The First Italo-Ethiopian War was fought between Italy and Ethiopia from 1895 to 1896. Ethiopia's military victory over Italy secured it the distinction of being the only African nation to successfully resist European colonialism with a decisive show of force.-Background:On March 25, 1889, the...
against Ethiopia from its territories in Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
and Somalia.
Control of the coast
Benadir
Benadir is a coastal region of Somalia. It covers most of the Indian Ocean coast of the country, from the Gulf of Aden to the Juba River, containing the capital of Mogadishu. The name comes from Persian bandar, which means port , a fact that reflects the region's importance to Persian and Arab...
coastal area with the concession of a small strip of land on the coast from the Sultan of Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
, and over the following decades, Italian settlement was encouraged. In 1905, Italy assumed the responsibility of creating a colony in southern Somalia, after several failed attempts, following revelations that the Benadir Company had tolerated or collaborated in the perpetuation of the slave trade. The administrative regulator was Governor Mercantelli, with the six subdivisions of Brava
Brava
Brava may refer to:*Brava, Cape Verde, a volcanic island*Brava, Costa Rica, an island of Costa Rica *Vauxhall Brava, a pickup truck*Fiat Brava, a car*Barawa, a town in Somalia commonly known as Brava...
, Merca
Merca
Merca is a port city on the coast of southern Somalia, facing the Indian Ocean. It is the main town in the Shabeellaha Hoose region, and is located approximately southwest of the nation's capital, Mogadishu.-History:...
, Lugh, Itala, Bardera
Bardera
Bardera City is an important agricultural city in the Gedo region of Somalia. It is the second most populous town in the Juba Valley, with Kismayo being the largest and most densely populated city in the region, and Garbahaarreey serving as Gedo's capital...
, and Jumbo.
On April 5, 1908 the Italian Parliament enacted a basic law to unite all of the parts of southern Somalia into an area called "Somalia Italiana". The colonial power was then divided between the Parliament, the metropolitan government, and the colonial government. The power of the colonial government was the only power that was changed. The civil governor controlled export rights, regulated the rate of exchange, raised or lowered native taxes, and administered all civil services and matters relating to hunting, fishing, and conservation. The governor was in control of the police force, while nominating local residents and military arrangements. Effective Italian control remained largely limited to the coastal areas until the early 1920s. After the collapse of Muhammad Abdullah Hassan’s resistance movement, rebellion and revolt occurred with disputes between different clans in Northern Somalia. The government of the time again worked together with the old clansmen in order to try and keep peace between the several clans, while maintaining close control over the military.
Colonial development and the early fascist era: 1920 - 1935
In 1920, the Società Agricola Italo-Somala (SAIS) was founded by Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the AbruzziLuigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi
Prince Luigi Amedeo Giuseppe Maria Ferdinando Francesco di Savoia-Aosta , Duke of the Abruzzi , was an Italian nobleman, mountaineer and explorer of the royal House of Savoy...
, in order to explore the agricultural potential of Africa. On December 5, 1923 Fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
came to Somalia with Governor Cesare Maria De Vecchi di Val Cismon. He brought with him forceful ways of colonial rule and ideas.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Jubaland
Jubaland
Jubaland , also known as Azania or the Juba Valley and formerly as Trans-Juba , is an autonomous region in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies 40–60 km east of the Jubba River, stretching from Gedo to the Indian Ocean, while its western side flanks the North Eastern Province in...
, which was then a part of British East Africa, was ceded to Italy. This concession was purportedly a reward for the Italians having joined the Allies in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In 1926, after a some resistance, southern Somalia was fully pacified. The Somali colonial troops called Dubats
Dubats
Dubats was the designation given to armed irregular bands employed by the Italian Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali in Italian Somaliland from 1924 to 1941...
(and the gendarmerie Zaptié
Zaptié
Zaptié was the designation given to locally raised gendarmerie units in the Italian colonies of Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Eritrea and Italian Somaliland between 1889 and 1942....
) were extensively used by De Vecchi in this military campaign.
In the early 1930s, the new Italian governors, Guido Corni and Maurizio Rava, started a policy of assimilation of the Somalis and their clans. Many Somalis were enrolled in the Italian colonial troops. Some thousands of Italian colonists moved to live in Mogadishu, which became a commercial centre with some small manufacturing companies, and in some agricultural areas around the capital such as the "Villaggio duca degli Abruzzi" (or "Villabruzzi", today Jowhar) and "Genale").
In 1920, the Italian explorer and nobleman Luigi Amedeo Savoia-Aosta founded the Villaggio Duca degli Abruzzi
Jowhar
Jowhar is the capital town of the Shabeellaha Dhexe region of Somalia . Along with Baidoa, it used to form the joint administrative capital of the Transitional Federal Government, which captured it from the Islamic Courts Union....
as an agricultural settlement in Italian Somaliland, growing bananas, cotton and sugar.
In 1926, the colony comprised 16 villages, with some 3,000 Somali and 200 Italian inhabitants, and was connected by a 114 km new railway
Railway Mogadiscio-Villabruzzi
The Mogadiscio-Villabruzzi Railway was the railway of Italian Somaliland, and connected the capital of Somalia with the Shebelle river agricultural areas from 1914 to 1941.-History:...
to Mogadishu. Italian colonial policy followed two principles in Somalia: preservation of the dominant clan and ethnic configurations and respect for Islam as the colony's religion.
Italian East Africa
In October 1935, the southern front of the Second Italo-Abyssinian WarSecond Italo-Abyssinian War
The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
was launched into Ethiopia from Italian Somaliland. Italian General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Rodolfo Graziani
Rodolfo Graziani
Rodolfo Graziani, 1st Marquis of Neghelli , was an officer in the Italian Regio Esercito who led military expeditions in Africa before and during World War II.-Rise to prominence:...
commanded the invasion forces in the south.
In June 1936, after the war ended, Italian Somaliland became part of Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
. The new colony of the Italian Empire
Italian Empire
The Italian Empire was created after the Kingdom of Italy joined other European powers in establishing colonies overseas during the "scramble for Africa". Modern Italy as a unified state only existed from 1861. By this time France, Spain, Portugal, Britain, and the Netherlands, had already carved...
also included 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...
and Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
and was called Africa Orientale Italiana.
From 1936 to 1940, new roads (like the one called "Imperial Road", from Mogadishu to Addis Abeba) were constructed in the region, as well as new railways (114 km from Mogadishu to Jowhar
Jowhar
Jowhar is the capital town of the Shabeellaha Dhexe region of Somalia . Along with Baidoa, it used to form the joint administrative capital of the Transitional Federal Government, which captured it from the Islamic Courts Union....
) and many schools, hospitals, ports, bridges, etc.
Dubats
Dubats was the designation given to armed irregular bands employed by the Italian Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali in Italian Somaliland from 1924 to 1941...
, Zaptié
Zaptié
Zaptié was the designation given to locally raised gendarmerie units in the Italian colonies of Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Eritrea and Italian Somaliland between 1889 and 1942....
and Bande irregolari
Bands (Italian Army irregulars)
Bande was in Italian military terminology the name used to designate irregular forces, composed normally of foreigners or colonial natives, with some Italian officers and NCOs in command. These units were employed by the Italian Army as auxiliaries to the regular national and colonial military...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, these troops were regarded as a wing of the Italian Army's Infantry Division, as was the case in Libya
Italian Libyan Colonial Division
The Libyan Division was a formation of colonial troops raised by the Italians in their colony in Libya. It participated in the invasion of Ethiopia in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. The formation was reorganized into the 1 Libyan Infantry Division Sibelle by the beginning of Italy's entry into...
and Eritrea
Italian 1st Eritrean Division
The First Eritrean Division or I Division Indigeni was organized for service in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War in 1935. It was formed from the Eritrean ascari of the Battalion indigeni who provided the regular colonial forces of Italian Eritrea.- Order of battle :1st Native Division - Gen....
. The Zaptié were considered the best: they provided a ceremonial escort for the Italian Viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
(Governor) as well as the territorial police. There were already more than one thousand such soldiers in 1922. In 1941, in Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia, 2,186 Zaptìé plus an additional 500 recruits under training officially constituted a part of the Carabinieri
Carabinieri
The Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
. They were organised into a battalion commanded by Major Alfredo Serranti that defended Culqualber (Ethiopia) for three months until this military unit was destroyed by the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
. After heavy fighting, all the Italian Carabinieri, including the Somali troops, received full military honors from the British.
In the first half of 1940, there were 22,000 Italians living in Somalia and the colony was one of the most developed in Africa in terms of the standard of living of the colonists and of the Somalis, mainly in the urban areas. More than 10,000 Italians were living in Mogadishu, an administrative capital of the Africa Orientale Italiana, and new buildings were erected in the Italian architectural tradition. By 1940, the Villaggio Duca degli Abruzzi (or "Villabruzzi") had a population of 12,000 people, of whom nearly 3,000 were Italian Somalians
Italian Somalians
Italian Somalis or Italo Somalis are Somali descendants from Italian colonists, as well as Italian long-term residents in Somalia.- History :...
, and enjoyed a notable level of development with a small manufacturing area with agricultural industries (sugar mills, etc.).
In the second half of 1940, Italian troops invaded British Somaliland
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...
and ejected the British. The Italians also occupied Kenyan areas bordering Jubaland
Jubaland
Jubaland , also known as Azania or the Juba Valley and formerly as Trans-Juba , is an autonomous region in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies 40–60 km east of the Jubba River, stretching from Gedo to the Indian Ocean, while its western side flanks the North Eastern Province in...
around the villages of Moyale
Moyale
Moyale is a market town on the border of Ethiopia and Kenya, which is split between the two countries: the larger portion is in Ethiopia , and the smaller is in Kenya . There are four disputed locations within the Moyale district between the Somali and Oromo regions...
and Buna
Buna
Buna may refer to the official Mbum language of Cameroon, as well as:People:*Buna Lawrie, an Australian Aboriginal musician.Places:*Buna village, a small Bosnia and Herzegovina village at the confluence of the Buna and Neretva rivers...
.
In August 1940 Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
boasted to a group of Somalis in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
that with the conquest of British Somalia (that he annexed to Italian Somalia) nearly all the Somali people were united, fulfilling their dream of a union of all Somalis (Greater Somalia
Greater Somalia
Greater Somalia refers to those regions in the Horn of Africa in which ethnic Somalis are and have historically represented the predominant population. Greater Somalia encompasses Somalia, Djibouti, the Ogaden of Ethiopia and the North Eastern Province of Kenya. Pan-Somalism refers to the vision...
).
In the spring of 1941 Britain regained control of British Somaliland
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...
and conquered Italian Somaliland with the Ogaden
Ogaden
Ogaden is the name of a territory comprising the southeastern portion of the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia. The inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Somali and Muslim. The title "Somali Galbeed", which means "Western Somalia," is often preferred by Somali irredentists.The region, which is...
, but until the summer of 1943 there was an Italian guerrilla war
Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia
The Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia was as an armed struggle fought from the summer of 1941 to the autumn of 1943 by remnants of Italian troops in Italian East Africa, following the Italian defeat during the East African Campaign of World War II.-History:...
in all the areas of the former Italian East Africa.
Trust Territory
Italian Somaliland then came under British administration until 1949, when it became a United Nations trusteeship, the Trust Territory of SomaliaTrust Territory of Somalia
The Trust Territory of Somalia was a United Nations Trust Territory that was administered by Italy from 1949 to 1960, following the dissolution of the former Italian Somaliland inside the territory of modern-day Somalia.-History:In 1941, Italian Somaliland was occupied by British and South African...
, under Italian administration. This administration lasted ten years, from 1950 to 1960, with legislative elections held in 1956
Italian Somaliland parliamentary election, 1956
Parliamentary elections were held in Italian Somaliland in 1956. The result was a victory for the Somali Youth League, which won 43 of the 60 seats in the Legislative Council. A further seats were reserved for Indians, Arabs, and other non-Somalis.-Results:...
and 1959
Italian Somaliland parliamentary election, 1956
Parliamentary elections were held in Italian Somaliland in 1956. The result was a victory for the Somali Youth League, which won 43 of the 60 seats in the Legislative Council. A further seats were reserved for Indians, Arabs, and other non-Somalis.-Results:...
.
In 1960, the Trust Territory of Somalia (the former Italian Somaliland) became independent, following in the footsteps of the briefly extant State of Somaliland
State of Somaliland
The State of Somaliland was a short-lived independent state in the territory of modern-day Somalia.-History:In May 1960, the British Government stated that it would be prepared to grant independence to the then protectorate of British Somaliland, with the intention that the territory would unite...
(the former British Somaliland
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...
) which had gained independence five days earlier on June 26, 1960. On July 1, 1960, the two territories united as planned to form the Somali Republic
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. A government was formed by Abdullahi Issa
Abdullahi Issa
Abdullahi Issa Mohamud was the first Prime Minister of Somalia from February 29, 1956 to July 1, 1960.-Biography:Issa was born in Somalia in 1922 to a Habar Gidir Hawiye family. When the Second World War broke out, he was still a student...
, with Aden Abdullah Osman Daar
Aden Abdullah Osman Daar
Aden Abdulle Osman Daar , popularly known as Aadan Cadde, was a Somali politician and the country's first President from July 1, 1960 to June 10, 1967.-Biography:...
as President and Abdirashid Ali Shermarke
Abdirashid Ali Shermarke
Abdirashid Ali Shermarke was Prime Minister of Somalia from July 12, 1960 to June 14, 1964, and President of Somalia from June 10, 1967 until his assassination on October 15, 1969...
as Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Somalia
This page contains a list of the Prime Ministers of Somalia.-Prime Ministers of Somalia :-Affiliations:*SYL - Somali Youth League*SNL - Somali National League...
, later to become President (from 1967–1969). On July 20, 1961 and through a popular referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
, the Somali people ratified a new constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
, which was first drafted in 1960.
Italian governors
- 1908-1910 Tommaso Carletti
- 1910-1916 Giacomo De Martino
- 1916-1919 Giovanni Cherina Ferroni
- 1920-1923 Carlo Ricci
- 1923-1928 Cesare Maria De Vecchi
- 1928-1931 Guido Corni
- 1931-1935 Maurizio Rava
- 1935-1936 Rodolfo Graziani
- 1936-1937 Angelo De Ruben - Ruggiero Santini
- 1937-1939 Francesco Saveno
- 1939-1940 Gustavo Pesenti
- 1940-1941 Carlo De Simone
See also
- Italian EmpireItalian EmpireThe Italian Empire was created after the Kingdom of Italy joined other European powers in establishing colonies overseas during the "scramble for Africa". Modern Italy as a unified state only existed from 1861. By this time France, Spain, Portugal, Britain, and the Netherlands, had already carved...
- Italian SomaliansItalian SomaliansItalian Somalis or Italo Somalis are Somali descendants from Italian colonists, as well as Italian long-term residents in Somalia.- History :...
- Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the AbruzziLuigi Amedeo, Duke of the AbruzziPrince Luigi Amedeo Giuseppe Maria Ferdinando Francesco di Savoia-Aosta , Duke of the Abruzzi , was an Italian nobleman, mountaineer and explorer of the royal House of Savoy...
- Italian Somaliland liraItalian Somaliland liraThe lira was the currency of Italian Somaliland between 1925 and ca. 1938. It replaced the Italian Somaliland rupia at a rate of 8 lire = 1 rupia. Only coins were issued which circulated alongside Italian coins and banknotes. From 1938, banknotes of the Italian East African lira also...
- Railway Mogadiscio-VillabruzziRailway Mogadiscio-VillabruzziThe Mogadiscio-Villabruzzi Railway was the railway of Italian Somaliland, and connected the capital of Somalia with the Shebelle river agricultural areas from 1914 to 1941.-History:...
- Trust Territory of SomaliaTrust Territory of SomaliaThe Trust Territory of Somalia was a United Nations Trust Territory that was administered by Italy from 1949 to 1960, following the dissolution of the former Italian Somaliland inside the territory of modern-day Somalia.-History:In 1941, Italian Somaliland was occupied by British and South African...
- DubatsDubatsDubats was the designation given to armed irregular bands employed by the Italian Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali in Italian Somaliland from 1924 to 1941...
- ZaptiéZaptiéZaptié was the designation given to locally raised gendarmerie units in the Italian colonies of Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Eritrea and Italian Somaliland between 1889 and 1942....
External Links
- http://amshistorica.cib.unibo.it/diglib.php?inv=167 "La Somalia Italiana", written in 1925 by Romolo Onor (in Italian).
- http://amshistorica.cib.unibo.it/diglib.php?inv=166 "Atlante delle colonie italiane". Detailed Atlas of Italian colonies, written by Baratta Mario and Visintin Luigi in 1928 (in Italian).