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The Abridged History of Al-Habashah: From Axum to Abyssinia
By Taym Ansary

Stretching Outward

The 15th Century onward was a time frame when distances were traveled and new horizons were plunged into with wild abandon by many different peoples. As it was a time of transition from the Medieval world to the Modern world for many nations.

The first of which being the Ming Dynasty. Fresh from their victorious campaigns to free themselves from the rule of the Mongols the new Chinese dynasty that inherited the Middle Kingdom wished for its strength and power to be known throughout the world, to do this it sought out to bring forth an expansive hegemonic system where nations to the north, south, east, and west would kowtow and recognize their ancient, but newly inspired greatness. One of the forms this would take would be the famous Treasure Fleet expeditions across the western Pacific and Indian Oceans. Hundreds of ships filled with diplomats, soldiers, artisans, merchants, goods, and weapons became part of these Treasure Fleets, none more magnificent than the treasure ships themselves which dwarfed any other ocean going ship in the world.

The Seven Voyages of the Ming Treasure Fleet from 1405 to 1433 did not travel any new routes, unlike the European explorers who would be filling the seas in a few decades, they sailed on pre-existing trade routes that had been known for thousands of years. In fact, in a few places the Ming found communities of overseas Chinese who had long since immigrated and grown up. Admiral Zheng He, a Hui Muslim, was the leader of most of the voyages and sailing from China across the Indian Ocean he was a force to be reckoned with. As his voyages exchanged pleasantries they also exchanged swords and gunfire, more than once helping to topple a less-than-cooperative regime or putting pirates to flight.

It would be the Fifth Voyage that would reach the coasts of Al-Habashah in 1417. By this point in time Habashah had slowly proceeded to grow out of its shell, pushing their boundaries across the Arabian Sea they had brought into line the last of the Somali city-states along the Somalian coastline, even installing a friendly regime in Mogadishu on the southern shore by forcing the Ajuuran Emirate into a protectorate state. Still, the Al-Habashah state was young and while bold in their land campaigns were rather timid when it came to affairs across the seas. Perhaps colored by their highland roost in Gondar or wary of the Mamluks who lurked on the upper reaches of the Red Sea who had begun to steadily probe (aka raid) Habashab shipping at the time. Habashah was not the first state to be awed by power from across the sea and nor would it be the last.

There is indication that by the time Zheng He set out on the Fifth Expedition that he was aware of Habashah and its position across the Arabian Sea. So far their expeditions had gone no further than the southern tip of India, but it is unlikely that he would not have heard from merchant-princes and Kings of state about Habashah on the coast of a distant land which controlled most of the trading cities around the Horn of Africa. Perhaps the Yongle Emperor himself had ordered Zheng He to visit the Sultanate itself, a grand land power as Habashah was reputed. Whatever the foreknowledge, Zheng He arrived in Aden and from there his fleet traveled to Zelia. Perhaps it was fate that Negus Zara Youssha was away from Gondar at the time and was able to greet Zheng He, but to say the least Zara Youssha was impressed.

From the porcelain to the silks Zara Youssha was well received by Zheng He, and likewise the Chinese admiral seemed to also take a liking to Zara Youssha himself. The two men are said to have been almost inseparable throughout their time together, be it seeing the fleet or overland to Gondar. With no small amount of envy though Zara Youssha was impressed with the fleet and weaponry wielded by the Chinese. Gunpowder weapons were known of and a few examples had made their way to Habashah but never in such fine condition or power displayed by the Ming. It was said Zara Youssha promised Zheng He anything in the world for the weapons but Zheng He refused. Instead he followed Zara Youssha on a trip to Mecca, in the Chinese ships and was able to provide aid against several pirates who terrorized the region. For Zara Youssha this was a coup as he had been allowed to fly his own standard on Zheng He’s ships and so word would spread of Habashah’s involvement with the massive ships and powerful weapons.

Zheng He departed on good terms, receiving many gifts from Habashah as well as ambassadors. The Chinese community in Zelia takes 1417 and the Fifth Voyage as the founding of their community in Habashah but it would not really be so until Zheng He’s Sixth Voyage in 1421.

On Zheng He’s return Zara Youssha would once more petition Zheng He for weapons and the secrets of them but officially it is said Zheng He refused him. However, it is after this point that the gunpowder industry in Habashah would take off. Many different versions of how Zara Youssha obtained the gunpowder and knowledge exist. One where Zheng He did secretly give it to Zara Youssha in a secret message, another Habashab sailors recovered it from a Ming ship that had sunk. Another is the tale of a Chinese alchemist who fell in love with a local woman and gave up the secrets. Regardless, their use would soon help change the face of warfare and the social structures within Habashah as the warlord and feudal derived armies that had supported the Habashah Sultanate gave way to a more egalitarian form of army organization.

In this way Al-Habashah would become the second “Gunpowder Empire” after the Ottomans who had already been making use of gunpowder weapons for a few decades, and before the Safavids and Mughals who would pick it up after the Battle of Chaldiran in 1514. For the Habashab army and military the changes were not immediate of course. It would also take time, until after 1514 for the Habashabs to develop the sort of “new model” army that revolutionized warfare on three continents. Following their acquisition of primitive muskets and large cannon the Habashabs expanded locally for the most part, incorporating several protectorates to the west among the Nilotic tribes. They would sweep south of the Great Rift Valley and blunt the raids by the Oromo people of the south. On the seas the Habashabs were beginning to get a taste for the waters as they fought the Mamluks in the Red Sea, many expected some sort of showdown between the Sultanates but that was interrupted by the arrival of two newcomers, the Ottomans and Portuguese.