The emergence of Muslim Sultanates in Ethiopia was driven by the expansion of trade and the spread of Islam, primarily through the Red Sea coast and the port of Zeyla on the Gulf of Aden. Islam initially spread to the Dahlak Islands and the Red Sea coast but faced challenges penetrating the Ethiopian highlands. The port of Zeyla played a crucial role in extending Islam into Ethiopia’s interior through trade routes. Muslim merchants established market centers, interacting with and converting local communities peacefully, leading to the formation of several Sultanates along these trade routes, including Shewa, Ifat, Fatagar, Dawaro, Darha, Bali, Hadya, Arababni, Sharkha, and Adal.

Zeyla was a key trade hub for both Christian and Muslim states, alongside other ports like Mogadishu, Brava, Merca, and Massawa. The Zeyla trade routes facilitated socio-economic and cultural interactions, contributing to the rise and consolidation of Sultanates and fostering significant rivalries between the Sultanates and the Christian highland kingdom.

Sultanate Overviews:

– Ifat: Emerged in the mid-13th century under Umar Walasma, dominating trade routes and expanding its influence. It became a tributary to the Christian kingdom after defeat in 1332.

– Hadya: Located in the southwestern region, known for its natural resources and mixed farming economy. It became a tributary in the 1330s and continued to resist Christian control until the late 16th century.

– Bali: The southernmost Sultanate, bordered by various other Sultanates. It was mentioned in Christian chronicles and remained a tributary state until the 16th century.

– Sharkha: A small Sultanate north of Bali and west of Dawaro, aligned with Arsi. It was a tributary state from the reign of Amde Tsiyon and later came under Imam Ahmad’s control.

– Dawaro: Located south of Fatagar, extending to the Wabi Shabale River, and inhabited by Oromo and Sidama. The Dawro people migrated to the Omo River region in the 16th century due to conflicts with Imam Ahmad.

– Darha: A small Sultanate between Dawaro and Bali, briefly under Bali’s control. It was used as a place of exile by the Christian highland kingdom.

– Fatagar: Emerged in the mid-13th century, along the Zeyla trade route. It became a tributary and later a province under direct Christian rule.

– Arababni: A small Sultanate south of the Awash River, known for its agricultural products according to al-Ummeri.

– Adal: Founded by the Walasma rulers of Ifat in the late 14th century. It became a dominant power under Sultan Ahmad Badlay in the 15th and 16th centuries, surpassing the Christian highland kingdom.