Battle of Wayna Daga

Battle of Wayna Daga
Part of the Ethiopian–Adal War, Ottoman–Portuguese conflicts (1538–57) and Somali-Portuguese conflicts

Early 20th century folk drawing of Gragn's death; the Portuguese musketeers are anachronistically wearing pith helmets.
Date21 February 1543; 481 years ago (1543-02-21)
Location
near Lake Tana, Ethiopia
Result Ethiopian-Portuguese victory
Belligerents
Ethiopian Empire
Portuguese Empire		 Adal Sultanate
Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Gelawdewos Ahmad ibn Ibrahim †
Strength
8,000 infantry
500 cavalry
70 Portuguese arquebusiers
60 Portuguese cavalry		 14,000 infantry
1,200 cavalry
200 Ottoman arquebusiers
Casualties and losses
Unknown
4 Portuguese killed[1]		 Extensive; over half of the army killed or captured[2]
160 Ottomans killed

The Battle of Wayna Daga was a large-scale battle between the Ethiopian forces and the Portuguese Empire and the forces of the Adal Sultanate and the Ottoman Empire in the east of Lake Tana in Ethiopia on 21 February 1543. The available sources give different dates for the battle.[3] Led by the Emperor Galawdewos, the combined army of Ethiopian and Portuguese troops defeated the Adal-Ottoman army led by Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi. Imam Ahmad was killed in the battle and his followers were utterly routed.[4][5]

  1. ^ Whiteway, pp. 83
  2. ^ Pankhurst, Richard (1961). An introduction to the economic history of Ethiopia, from early times to 1800. Lalibela House. p. 78.
  3. ^ Charles Fraser Beckingham (1983). Between Islam and Christendom: travellers, facts, and legends in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Variorum Reprints. p. XV. ISBN 978-0-86078-123-3.
  4. ^ Fortunes of Africa: A 5,000 Year History of Wealth, Greed and Endeavour By Martin Meredith, In the Land of Prestor John, chapter 11
  5. ^ Richard Whiteway, The Portuguese expedition in Abyssnia, pp. 82