Garad Hirabu Goita Tedros Ali Al-Somali, widely known as Garaad Hirabu, was a Somali military commander and general that served the Adal Sultanate.[1] He held a distinguished position as one of the preeminent generals within the historical tapestry of the Adal Sultanate.[2] Renowned as the commanding figure of the Somali forces. He steered one of the three pivotal fronts during the ambitious campaign for the conquest of Abyssinia. Notably he shared a familial bond as the cousin of Imam Ahmed, assuming the role of his trusted confidant.[3]
His significance in the conquest extended to securing a paramount, role and achieving triumph in the subjugation of the provinces of Wollo and Bale. A feat meticulously chronicled within the pages of the venerable tome by Shihab al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Qādir ibn Sālim ibn ʿUthmān. Hailing from the esteemed Marehan clan, Garad Hirabu Goita Ali played an important role in thwarting a coup orchestrated by the rival SultanAbu Bakr. In a consequential turn of events, he not only successfully eliminated Abu Bakr but also avenged their close cousin Garad Abun Adashe, subsequently installing Abu Bakr's cousin Umar Din as a pliant figurehead, Furthermore Garad Hirabu Goita Ali also demonstrated his strategic prowess by quashing potential insurrections from the Walashma dynasty and orchestrating the demise of another of their aspiring Sultans who attempted a coup against Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi.[4]
Conquests And Background
Born into the preeminent Marehan clan, specifically the Reer Garaad sub-clan of the Rida-Amir, Garad Hirabu Goita Tedros emerged as a pivotal figure in the Abyssinian conquest. Holding the esteemed position of Garad within the Imam's clan, he concurrently assumed the significant mantle of Emir over the entirety of the Somali forces. His lineage, as the son of a Goita—a title ranking only below that of Emir and Sultan and entailing custodianship of the keys to the gates of Harar during nocturnal hours—endowed him with formidable authority.[5] As the traditional leader of the Marehan, Garad Hirabu Goita Ali wielded considerable influence as a mighty commander and a staunch ally to his cousin Abun Adashe. Notably, he later orchestrated a retribution campaign alongside the Imam to avenge the grievances suffered by Abun Adashe. His upbringing in the apex of an elite military family and his association with the most influential clan fostered his evolution into one of the preeminent and commanding generals in the annals of Somali history. Having matured within the nexus of elite military traditions and boasting allegiance to the most potent clan, Garad Hirabu Goita ascended to the zenith of his prowess, eventually leading one of the triumvirate armies that embarked on the historic conquest of Abyssinia.
He would later be made the Prince of Dawaro towards the end of the conquest.[6]
Relation to Ahmad Ghazi
Identified by Cerulli in the magnificent Documenti Arabi Per La Storia Dell'Etiopia. Cerulli even links the name's precedent in Adali/Harari leadership using Goita Hirabe bin Tedros bin Adam.
Tedros does not signify anything more than a name like "Farmaajo," a Romance Italian name or Saadaq "John," an Anglo-Saxon name.
It was just a name from the Greek "Theodorus" meaning "God's Gift" borrowed into Ethio-Semitic as Tedrus which seeped into Adal through the official use of the Harari language, an Ethio-Semitic language heavily interacted with the Cushitic languages, particularly Somali.
Actual Emirs with the title of Imam who were descendents of Imam Ahmed's blood were uncontroversially named "Tedrus" without any issue to the effect.
Titles and Lineage
Garad Hirabu hailed from the Rida-Amir tribe of (Marehan) a sub family within “Reer Garad” , Goita was the highest title given by the Emir of Harar, and later by the Kingdom of Adal after they merged.
In fact, a Goita was second only to Emir and it was considerably higher than a Garad.
Also, a Goita was not a political position like a Wasiir (advisor to Emir), or an administrative position like Malaaq (head of a district) or Garad (head of a group of tribal villages), but a Goita was a combination of both of those things in a defensive/military capability. It was actually very similar to the European concept of Duke (which even today is only below the Royal family and superior to all other titles in Europe). Conversely, a Garad was essentially just a Baron and Malaaq a Viscount.
Duke originates from the title of Dux in the Roman Empire. Basically it was a trusted General who was sent to lead a province and take all the Roman legions there under his command. It wasn't a military rank, but above it in that he was both the political and military leader of the province and not just a military commander.
Later, the European monarchies conferred "Duke" on the most powerful and wealthiest landowners with the largest number of banners who were expected to be the greatest source of defense in case of invasion. In many cases, Dukes were descendents of previous Kings as sons who could not become King were given Dukedoms.
Similarly, a Goita was a supra political-military title conferred by the Emir for the greatest possible defender of the city of Harar and of the Kingdom of Adal. In many cases, a Goita in the city of Harar was the son of the Emir and a number of Emirs were Goita before becoming Emir.
Outside of the city of Harar, the Kingdom of Adal only conferred Goita on someone who could protect the caravan/trade routes. To accomplish this, you must have the strongest tribe, the most powerful militia, and the greatest numbers of banners.[7]
The Assassination of Umar Din's son
During the later early years of the conquest puppet SultanUmar Din had hatched a plan together with top generals from the army of the Adal Sultanate to recapture the kingdom in order to reinstall Walashma power. For years prior there was consistent conflict between the Emirs and the Sultans battling over control of the kingdom, the Emirs hailing from the Abadir sub clan of the Marehan and the Sultans hailing from the Walashma. The animosity between the two dynasties was heightened when Abun Adashe was killed by SultanAbu Bakr and he, the father brother of Umar Din was killed in revenge. This in turn lead to a coup attempt by the dynasty and their sympathizers.
Prior to the conquest, it was also Hirabu who successfully defeated SultanAbu Bakr, permitting the Imam to initiate the conquest.
Umar Din along with Wazir Nur and Garad Akmoscia had initiated a plan with the aim of killing the Imam and making Umar Din ruler. Qadi Abu Bakr hearing this, travelled to Zerba where the Imam stayed and told him everything, the Imam responded, he was ready to cede the country to them, however Emir Hussein Al Gaturi and numerous others were strongly opposed to this, and told him to higher a huge army composed of the Somalis to end their plans. In the meantime, the cousin of the Imam, Hirabu had already killed the son of Umar Din who had joined his father in the plot attempts and he sent a letter to the Imam asking for help, begging and exclaiming how Hirabu would kill him as well if he was not stopped. The Imam wanting to maintain law and order within the kingdom accepted his repeated apologies, and let his cousin go to the capital of the Marehan country in Kidad, pretending to hide to ensure there was lawfullness and order in the country, he later fled to hide in Hawiye country.
Translation of the passage:
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"In the land of saad-Eddin, who would take the tribute and distribute it to the poor; at the same time to inform him of the victories won, of the great booty made, and of the many riches he had at his disposal to purchase weapons. All the leaders obeyed the Iman without exception, who sent his troops to their homes to rest and prepare for new wars. The Iman went to the town of Zerba to settle some issues that had arisen between the leaders. But in the meantime a certain Omardin, Vizir Nur and Gherad Akmoscia together with other leaders had hatched a conspiracy with the aim of taking possession of the Iman, which at that moment was left with very few soldiers. And they had already managed to take the Iman's horses, which he had left in the custody of his servants, and also his weapons. Kadi Abubeker protested this infamous act, but was unable to overcome the resistance of those leaders to carry out their intentions against the Iman. Then Kadi Abubeker immediately went to Zerba to tell everything to the Iman. To which I announced the Iman told him to go back that if those leaders persisted in the idea of war against him and in their hostile intentions against him, he was ready to cede the country to them. But Emir Ussein el Gaturi, hearing this speech, broke down and said to the Iman: «How do you want to give up your country to them? instead we will try to gather as many Somali soldiers as possible and we will wage war." All the other leaders stood up and supported what Emir Ussein el Gaturi had proposed. The Iman left Zerba and walked for 4 days to reach the town called Ianaser, which was close to the sultan's residence: he left from that place and reached the town of Ualakam, where he found a very large quantity of Ciat. When the Sultan learned that I'Iman was approaching with a good number of soldiers, he then repeatedly sent for his In the meantime Erabo, leader of the Somali Merrean tribe he had killed the son of Sultan Omardin, who had joined the conspiracy. And Sultan Omardin complained to the Iman and said: "Erabo has killed my son and perhaps he still thinks of doing me more harm. The Iman then together with Sultan Omardin pushed into Somali territory as far as Godat: Erabo fled and the Iman with Omardin."
