Battle of Shimbra Kure facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Shimbra Kure
Part of the Ethiopian–Adal War
Date 9 March 1529 (9 March 1529) Location Dawaro, Ethiopian Empire Result Adalite victory
Belligerents
Adal Sultanate	Ethiopian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim Matan ibn Uthman Abubaker Qecchin Ahmed Girri Garad Hirabu	Dawit II Za Wengēl  † Robēl   † Aqbā Mikā’īl  † Jūhar   † Mendel   † Jān Balaw Rās   † Zamanjān   † ‘Amdu   † Wajāmū   †
Strength
12,560 men (per Arab Faqīh)	216,000+men
Casualties and losses
5,000 men	30,000 archers, 600 Horses, 114 Patricians and an uncountable amount of infantry.

The Battle of Shimbra Kure was a major fight that happened on March 9, 1529. It was part of the Ethiopian–Adal War. The battle was fought between the Adal army, led by Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, and the Ethiopian army, led by Emperor Dawit II. The battle took place in a region called Dawaro in the Ethiopian Empire.

The Adal army won this important battle. It was the first big clash of the war. A historian named Arab Faqīh wrote about the battle. He said that some Somali soldiers on the left side of the Adal army ran away. The Ethiopians chased them and killed many. However, the Harla soldiers on the right side of the Adal army stayed strong. The Adal army's central cavalry, called the Malassay, helped turn the battle in their favor. Imam Ahmad's army won, and the Ethiopians suffered heavy losses.

What Was the Battle of Shimbra Kure?

The Battle of Shimbra Kure was a key moment in the long war between the Adal Sultanate and the Ethiopian Empire. This war lasted for many years. The Adal Sultanate was a Muslim state, and the Ethiopian Empire was a Christian kingdom. Both wanted control over the region.

Who Fought in the Battle?

The Adal army was led by Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi. He was also known as Gragn, which means "the Left-Handed." The Ethiopian army was led by Emperor Dawit II, also known as Lebna Dengel. Both leaders were very important figures in their time.

How Big Were the Armies?

According to Arab Faqīh, the Ethiopian army was much larger. It had about 16,000 cavalry (soldiers on horseback) and 200,000 foot soldiers. The Muslim Adal army was much smaller, with about 12,560 men. Arab Faqīh described the Ethiopian lines as "five times bigger" than the Muslim lines.

How the Battle Unfolded

Imam Ahmad carefully planned his army's formation. He divided his soldiers into three main groups. The Harla tribes held the right side of the army. The Somali Adalites, led by Matan ibn Uthman, were on the left side. Imam Ahmad himself led the elite Malasay troops in the middle.

Before the battle, a Qur'anic teacher named Abu Bakr gave a powerful speech. He encouraged the Adal soldiers to fight bravely. Imam Ahmad also told his soldiers to hold their ground and let the Ethiopians attack first. He reminded them to be strong and not to give up.

The Fierce Fighting

Emperor Dawit II's troops charged first. They attacked the right side of the Muslim army, but the Harla soldiers fought back strongly. On the left side, the Somali soldiers were greatly outnumbered. They fought hard, but many were killed or forced to retreat. About 3,000 Somali soldiers died. However, leaders like Garad Matan Bin Uthman and Ahmed Girri Bin Hussein held their positions.

The battle became very intense. So much dust rose that soldiers couldn't see clearly. Some Ethiopian soldiers even attacked each other by mistake. The fighting continued until the Adalites pushed the Ethiopians back.

Arab Faqīh wrote about the battle's intensity. He said that the fighting on the right side was like a "mill-stone," with many heads being cut off. He also mentioned that thousands of Ethiopians died, and the ground was covered with bodies. Both sides had many wounded soldiers, but the Ethiopians had more.

Who Won and What Happened Next?

The Adal Sultanate won the Battle of Shimbra Kure. This victory was a big success for Imam Ahmad.

Losses on Both Sides

The Ethiopian army suffered huge losses. Arab Faqīh said that countless Ethiopians died, including many important leaders. Among those killed were Za Wengal, the King of Medri Bahri, and many noblemen. About 10,000 noblemen and 114 high-ranking officials (patricians) were killed. Each patrician usually commanded hundreds of cavalrymen.

The Muslim army also had many casualties. Arab Faqīh reported that 5,000 Muslim soldiers died. This included important leaders like Hamza Al Jūfi, an Arab knight, and Jadid Kurju.

After the Battle

After their victory, the Muslims captured many weapons, horses, swords, and armor. They also captured Takla Madhen, who was Emperor Dawit II's brother-in-law. He was later freed after a ransom of 250 ounces of gold was paid.

Even though Imam Ahmad wanted to capture the Emperor's palace and take over Ethiopia, he decided to pull back. His soldiers were tired and wanted to return home. So, Imam Ahmad's army left the highlands and did not fight the main Ethiopian army again for two years.

Some historians believe that the Harari troops refused to continue fighting into Ethiopia. They felt it went against their traditions. The Harari leaders were also worried about moving their main base into Ethiopia.

Historians agree that the victory at Shimbra Kure was very important for Imam Ahmad. It helped him gain a lot of power in the East Africa region.

Did They Use Firearms?

Some experts, like Richard Pankhurst, believe that Imam Ahmad's success was partly due to his army having soldiers with matchlocks. Matchlocks were early types of firearms. If this is true, then the Battle of Shimbra Kure might have been the first time Ethiopian forces fought against an army using guns.

However, other historians, like Merid Wole Aregay, suggest that the Adal army did not get many firearms from Turkey or other countries before 1539. This means that firearms might not have played a big role in this particular battle.