Mahfuz

Names
	Mohammed

Mahfuz
Mahfuz
Imam of Zeila, Garad and Emir
Reign	16th century
Died	July 1517
Issue	Bati del Wambara
Names
Names
	Mohammed
Religion	Islam

Mahfuz (or Mohammed) (Harari: መሕፉዝ, Arabic: محفوظ, Portuguese: Mafudy or Mafudi ; died July 1517) was a Harari Garad, Emir of Harar and Governor of Zeila in the Adal Sultanate.^[2]^[3] Although he was originally only emir of a small region he would rise to become leader of Adal due to his popularity, wielding more power than the sultan of Adal.^[4]He is often known as the "Captain of Zeila" in medieval texts.^[5]

Life and reign

Mahfuz led raids into the provinces of Abyssinia for a number of years. He selected the season of Lent for his attacks, when the defenders were weakened by their fasts. He invaded the Amhara, Shewa, and Fatagar provinces south of the Awash River. According to Portuguese explorer Francisco Álvares, Mahfuz exclusively targeted Abyssinian soldiers capturing them however left civilians unharmed.^[6]

Sources differ over the number of years Mahfuz raided Abyssinia. Francisco Álvares states that his raids began during the reign of Eskender, and lasted 25 years.^[7] However, Beckingham and Huntingford note that the Ethiopian Paris Chronicle, which draws on contemporary Ethiopian records, dates the beginning of these raids to the ascension of Dawit II (Lebna Dengel) in 1508.^[8] Mahfuz is reported to have caused the deaths of Ethiopian Emperors Na'od and Eskender.^[9]^[10] According to the emperor Sarsa Dengel chronicles, Mahfuz was linked to the Malassay army unit.^[11]

Upon reaching the age of majority, Emperor Lebna Dengel decided to forgo his observance of Lent and oppose the Imam in battle, despite the advice and wishes of his councilors and people. He sent spies out to determine Imam Mahfuz's plans for that year, and learning the Imam was in Fatagar led his army there. He found Imam Mahfuz with the sultan of Adal encamped on a plain that was surrounded by mountains. After first sending soldiers out to secure the passes, the Abyssinian Emperor closed upon Imam Mahfuz.

Although Imam Mahfuz managed to enable Sultan Muhammed to escape with but four horsemen, according to Alvarez, Imam Mafhuz knew he was trapped and sought to die with honor. He called to the Abyssinians a challenge to fight in single combat, and Gabra Endreyas, who had been a follower of Emperor Lebna Dengel's father, accepted and killed the Imam. Mahfuz's head was cut from his body and displayed publicly in the Emperor's court.^[12] After defeating Mahfuz, Dawit II used appellation Wanag Segad, which is a combination of Ge'ez and Harari terms.^[13] Ahmed ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi later in his invasion of Abyssinia would kill an old Gabra as revenge for his victory against Mahfuz.^[14]

Legacy

Mahfuz' daughter, Bati del Wambara, married Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi of the Adal Sultanate. Ten years after Mahfuz's death, Al-Ghazi embarked on a Conquest of Abyssinia (Futuh al-Habash).^[15]

Notes and references

^ J. D., Fage (1975). The Cambridge History of Africa, Volume 3. Cambridge University Press. p. 166. ISBN 9780521209816.
^ Bruce, James, Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile (1805 edition), vol. 3, p. 143
^ Hassen, Mohammed. "Review work Futuh al habasa". International Journal of Ethiopian Studies: 184. JSTOR 27828848.
^ Braukamper, ul (2002). Islamic History and Culture in Southern Ethiopia. LitVerlag. p. 30. ISBN 9783825856717.
^ Alvares, Francisco (1961). The Prester John of the Indies: A True Relation of the Lands of the Prester John, Being the Narrative of the Portuguese Embassy to Ethiopia in 1520. Published for the Hakluyt Society at the University Press. p. 441.
^ Aregay, Merid. Southern Ethiopia and the Christian kingdom 1508 - 1708, with special reference to the Galla migrations and their consequences. University of London. p. 199.
^ Alvarez, Francisco (1961) The Prester John of the Indies, translated by C.F. Beckingham and G.W.B. Huntingford. Cambridge: Hakluyt Society, p. 412.
^ Their discussion of Mahfuz is taken from their Introduction to Alvarez, Prester John, pp. 16f.
^ Burton, Richard. First Footsteps in East Africa. p. 179.
^ Huntingford, G.W.B. The historical geography of Ethiopia from the first century AD to 1704. Oxford University Press. p. 105.
^ Kropp, Manfred (1990). "MÄLÄSAY: SELBSTBEZEICHNUNG EINES HARARINER OFFIZIERSKORPS UND IHR GEBRAUCH IN ÄTHIOPISCHEN UND ARABISCHEN CHRONIKEN". Paideuma. 36. Paideuma: Mitteilungen zur Kulturkunde: 108. JSTOR 40732663.
^ Alvarez, p. 413.
^ Gate, Henry (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. p. 482. ISBN 978-0195382075.
^ Burton, Richard (6 November 2016). Delphi Collected Works of Sir Richard Francis Burton (Illustrated). Delphi Classics. ISBN 9781786560551.
^ Sihab ad-Din Ahmad, in his Futuh al-Habasa (translated by Paul Lester Stenhouse with annotations by Richard Pankhurst [Hollywood: Tsehai, 2003]) consistently uses the word "Jihad" to refer to Ahmad Gragn's conquest of Ethiopia.