Garad Hirabu Goita Tedros

Grand General and Emir of the Somalis

Garad Hirabu Goita Tedros

جاراد هيرابو جويتا علي
Native name
Garaad Hirabu
Birth nameHirabu
Bornc. 1478
Harar
Buried
Unknown
AllegianceAdal Sultanate
Service / branchSomali forces
RankGrand General, Emir of the Somalis
Known forEthiopian-Adal war
Battles / warsBadeqe, Battle of Shimbra Kure, Battle of Amba Sel
RelationsAli Goita, Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, Nur ibn Mujahid

Garad Hirabu Goita Ali, widely known as Goita Tedros, was a Somali military commander and general that served the Adal Sultanate.[1] He held a distinguished position as one of the preeminent generals within the historical tapestry of the Adal Sultanate.[2] Renowned as the commanding figure of the Somali forces, he steered one of the three pivotal fronts during the ambitious campaign for the conquest of Abyssinia. Notably, he shared a familial bond as the cousin of Imam Ahmed, assuming the role of his trusted confidant.[3]

His significance in the conquest extended to securing a paramount role, and achieving triumph in the subjugation of the provinces of Wollo and Bale, a feat meticulously chronicled within the pages of the venerable tome by Shihab al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Qādir ibn Sālim ibn ʿUthmān. Hailing from the esteemed Marehan clan, Garad Hirabu Goita Ali played an important role in thwarting a coup orchestrated by the rival Sultan Abu Bakr. In a consequential turn of events, he not only successfully eliminated Abu Bakr but also avenged their close cousin Garad Abun Adashe, subsequently installing Abu Bakr's cousin Umar Din as a pliant figurehead. Furthermore, Garad Hirabu Goita Ali also demonstrated his strategic prowess by quashing potential insurrections from the Walashma dynasty and orchestrating the demise of another of their aspiring Sultans who attempted a coup against Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi.[4]

  1. ^ Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria. Historical Society of Nigeria. 1962. p. 576.
  2. ^ ʻArabfaqīh, Shihāb al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn ʻAbd al-Qādir; Pankhurst, Richard (2003). The Conquest of Abyssinia: 16th Century. Tsehai Publishers & Distributors. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-9723172-6-9.
  3. ^ ʻArabfaqīh, Shihāb al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn ʻAbd al-Qādir; Pankhurst, Richard (2003). The Conquest of Abyssinia: 16th Century. Tsehai Publishers & Distributors. p. 371. ISBN 978-0-9723172-6-9.
  4. ^ Richard, Pankhurst; ʻArabfaqīh, Shihāb (1974). The Conquest of Abyssinia: 16th Century. Lightning Source Incorporated. ISBN 9780972317252.