Fedis (historical region)
Fedis was a historical region mentioned as far back as the fourteenth century.[1]
History
[edit]Historically part of the Adal region, Fedis was first mentioned in the fourteenth century chronicles of Amda Seyon during his invasion of Ifat Sultanate.[2][3][4]
In the later half of the seventeenth century it was the domain of the Emirate of Harar. In the early 1800s emir ʽAbd ar-Rahman ibn Muhammad was taken to Fedis as prisoner by the Oromo following his unsuccessful attempt to extract tax from them, this led to his brother emir ʽAbd al-Karim ibn Muhammad seizing the throne in 1825.[5] In 1827 Fedis became a battleground between Oromo factions who supported the aforementioned princes of Harar which devastated three settlements in the region.[6] By the late 1800s, Fedis Oromo state Islam had been firmly established among them following emir Abd ash-Shakur dispatching a Harari Muslim scholar to teach religion and construct a mosque.[7]
Following the severe drought of 1974, the Ethiopian government constructed dams in the area.[8] During the Ogaden War in the 70s, Fedis was a battleground between Ethiopian and Somali forces.[9] It was briefly occupied by the rebel group WSLF with support from Oromo locals.[10]
Fedis is the site of one of the largest market places in the region where goods are sold, the others being Harar and Babile.[11] The narcotic Khat leaf grown in Fedis is most sought after by the elites in the Horn of Africa.[12] A shrine dedicated to saint Aw Barkhadle is also located near this town.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Lindahl, Bernhard. Local history of Ethiopia (PDF). Nordic Africa Institute. p. 8.
- ^ Gidaya. Encyclopedia Aethiopica.
- ^ Pankhurst, Richard (1997). Ethiopian Borderlands. Red Sea Press. p. 41. ISBN 9780932415196.
- ^ Lindahl, Bernhard. Local history of Ethiopia (PDF). Nordic Africa Institute. p. 8.
- ^ Abdalkarim b. Muhammad. Encyclopedia Aethiopica.
- ^ Wagner, Ewald (1974). "Three Arabic Documents on the History of Harar". Journal of Ethiopian Studies. 12 (1). Institute of Ethiopian Studies: 221. JSTOR 44324707.
- ^ Caulk, R.A. HARAR TOWN AND ITS NEIGHBOURS IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (PDF). Journal of African History. p. 380.
- ^ Gomez, Josep (28 December 2017). Rainwater-Smart Agriculture in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas. Springer. p. 283. ISBN 9783319662398.
- ^ Tareke, Gebru (23 June 2009). The Ethiopian Revolution War in the Horn of Africa. Yale University Press. p. 205. ISBN 978-0300156157.
- ^ Geshekter, Charles (1992). The Proceedings of the First International Congress of Somali Studies. Scholars press. p. 594. ISBN 9780891306580.
- ^ Bausi, Alessandro (2017). Ethiopia History, Culture and Challenges. Michigan State University Press. p. 146. ISBN 9783643908926.
- ^ Anderson, David (31 May 2020). The Khat Controversy: Stimulating the Debate on Drugs. Routledge. ISBN 9781000190007.
- ^ Yusuf al-Akwan. Encyclopedia Aethiopica.