Warsangali Sultanate

Warsangali Sultanate
Saldanadda Warsangeli (Somali)
سلطنة الورسنجلي (Arabic)
Possibly late 13th century–1887
Map of the historic Warsangali Sultanate
Map of the historic Warsangali Sultanate
CapitalLas Khorey
Common languagesSomali
Religion
Islam
GovernmentMonarchy
Sultan 
History 
• Established
Possibly late 13th century
• Disestablished
1887
Area
• Total
54,231 km2 (20,939 sq mi)
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Adal Sultanate
British Somaliland
Today part ofSomalia

The Warsangali Sultanate (Somali: Saldanadda Warsangeli, lit.'Boqortooyada Warsangali', Arabic: سلطنة الورسنجلي‎‎), was a Somali imperial ruling house centered in northeastern and in some parts of southeastern Somalia. It governed an area historically known as Maakhir. [1][2] The sultanate was ruled in the 19th century by the influential Sultan Mohamoud Ali Shire who assumed control during its most turbulent years. In 1884, the United Kingdom established the protectorate of British Somaliland through various treaties with the northern Somali sultanates (Dir, Isaaq and Harti including the Warsangali). The Warsangali clan constituted 120,000 of British Somaliland's total population at the time, of 640,000 (18.75%).[3]

Ruins of northern Somali cities
Ruins in the coastal town of Las Khorey.
Ruins in the coastal town of Las Khorey.
Historic structures in El Ayo.
Historic structures in El Ayo.
Ruins of Qa’ableh
Ruins of Qa’ableh.
  1. ^ Abdullahi, Abdurahman (2017). Making Sense of Somali History: Volume 1. London, United Kingdom: Adonis & Abbey publishers ltd. p. 63. ISBN 978-1909112797.
  2. ^ Marchal, Roland (2010). The Puntland State of Somalia. A Tentative Social Analysis (Report).
  3. ^ Lewis, I. M. (1999). A Pastoral Democracy: A Study of Pastoralism and Politics Among the Northern Somali of the Horn of Africa. James Currey Publishers. ISBN 9780852552803.