Majeerteen
Encyclopedia
The Majeerteen is a Somali clan
. Its members form a part of the Harti confederation of Darod
sub-clans, and primarily inhabit the Puntland
region in northeastern Somalia
.
The Majeerteen Sultanates played an important role in the pre-independence era. The clan has produced two presidents and three prime ministers since 1960, as well as a Sultan
and a King
(Boqor). Majeerteens also held many other important government posts in the 1960s and early 1970s, and continue to play a key role in Puntland.
and Mudug
regions in Puntland. Others can also be found in the Kismayo and Wardheer regions of Somalia and Ethiopia, respectively.
was founded in the mid-18th century. It rose to prominence the following century, under the reign of the resourceful Boqor (King) Osman Mahamuud
. It controlled much of northern and central Somalia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The polity maintained a robust trading network, entered into treaties with foreign powers, and exerted strong centralized authority on the domestic front.
Osman Mahamuud's Sultanate was nearly destroyed in the mid-1800s by a power struggle between himself and his ambitious cousin, Yusuf Ali Kenadid. After almost five years of battle, the young upstart was finally forced into exile in Yemen
. A decade later, in the 1870s, Kenadid returned from the Arabian Peninsula
with a band of Hadhrami
musketeer
s and a group of devoted lieutenants. With their assistance, he managed to overpower the local Hawiye
clans and establish the Sultanate of Hobyo
in 1878.
In late 1889, Boqor Osman entered into a treaty with the Italians
, making his realm an Italian protectorate
. His rival Sultan Kenadid had signed a similar agreement vis-a-vis his own Sultanate the year before. Both rulers had signed the protectorate treaties to advance their own expansionist objectives, with Boqor Osman looking to use Italy's support in his ongoing power struggle with Kenadid over the Majeerteen Sultanate. Boqor Osman and Sultan Kenadid also hoped to exploit the conflicting interests among the European imperial powers that were then looking to control the Somali peninsula, so as to avoid direct occupation of their territories by force.
With the gradual extension into northern Somalia of Italian colonial rule, both Kingdoms were eventually annexed to Italian Somaliland
in the early 20th century. Much of the two Majeerteen Sultanates' former domain is today coextensive with the autonomous Puntland
region in northeastern Somalia.
's Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics from 2005 and the United Kingdom
's Home Office
publication, Somalia Assessment 2001.
Somali clan
The demographics of Somalia describes the condition and overview of Somalia's inhabitants. Demographic topics include basic education, health and population statistics, as well as identified racial and religious affiliations.-Somalis:...
. Its members form a part of the Harti confederation of Darod
Darod
The Darod is a Somali clan. The father of this clan is named Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, but is more commonly known as Darod. In the Somali language, the word Daarood means "an enclosed compound," a conflation of the two words daar and ood .The Darod population in Somalia lives principally...
sub-clans, and primarily inhabit the Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
region in northeastern Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
.
The Majeerteen Sultanates played an important role in the pre-independence era. The clan has produced two presidents and three prime ministers since 1960, as well as a Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
and a King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
(Boqor). Majeerteens also held many other important government posts in the 1960s and early 1970s, and continue to play a key role in Puntland.
Territory
Majeerteen members primarily inhabit the northern Bari, NugaalNugaal
Nugal is an administrative region in northeastern Somalia.-Overview:It is bordered by Ethiopia and the Somalian regions of Sool to the west, Bari to the north, and Mudug to the south, with the Indian Ocean to the east....
and Mudug
Mudug
Mudug is an administrative region in north-central Somalia. Bordered by the Ogaden, the Somalian regions of Nugaal and Galguduud, and the Indian Ocean, its capital is the city of Galkacyo.-Districts:...
regions in Puntland. Others can also be found in the Kismayo and Wardheer regions of Somalia and Ethiopia, respectively.
The Majeerteen Sultanates
The Majeerteen SultanateMajeerteen Sultanate
The Majeerteen Sultanate , also known as Migiurtinia, was a Somali ruling house in present-day northern Somalia. Ruled by King Osman Mahamuud during its Golden Age, it controlled much of northern and central Somalia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The polity had all of the organs of an...
was founded in the mid-18th century. It rose to prominence the following century, under the reign of the resourceful Boqor (King) Osman Mahamuud
Osman Mahamuud
Osman Mahamuud was a Somali ruler. He was the most prominent King of the Majeerteen Sultanate, leading the polity during its Golden Age in the mid-19th to early 20th centuries.-Majeerteen Sultanate:...
. It controlled much of northern and central Somalia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The polity maintained a robust trading network, entered into treaties with foreign powers, and exerted strong centralized authority on the domestic front.
Osman Mahamuud's Sultanate was nearly destroyed in the mid-1800s by a power struggle between himself and his ambitious cousin, Yusuf Ali Kenadid. After almost five years of battle, the young upstart was finally forced into exile in Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. A decade later, in the 1870s, Kenadid returned from the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
with a band of Hadhrami
Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut, Hadhramout, Hadramawt or Ḥaḍramūt is the formerly independent Qu'aiti state and sultanate encompassing a historical region of the south Arabian Peninsula along the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea, extending eastwards from Yemen to the borders of the Dhofar region of Oman...
musketeer
Musketeer
A musketeer was an early modern type of infantry soldier equipped with a musket. Musketeers were an important part of early modern armies, particularly in Europe. They sometimes could fight on horseback, like a dragoon or a cavalryman...
s and a group of devoted lieutenants. With their assistance, he managed to overpower the local Hawiye
Hawiye
The Hawiye is a Somali clan. Members of the clan primarily live in central and southern Somalia, in the Ogaden and the North Eastern Province , and in smaller numbers in other countries. Like many Somalis, Hawiye members trace their ancestry to Irir Samaale...
clans and establish the Sultanate of Hobyo
Sultanate of Hobyo
The Sultanate of Hobyo was a 19th century Somali ruling house in present-day northern Somalia. It was carved out of the former Majeerteen Sultanate by Yusuf Ali Kenadid, cousin of the Majeerteen Sultanate's ruler, Boqor Osman Mahamuud....
in 1878.
In late 1889, Boqor Osman entered into a treaty with the Italians
Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland , also known as Italian Somalia, was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy through various...
, making his realm an Italian protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
. His rival Sultan Kenadid had signed a similar agreement vis-a-vis his own Sultanate the year before. Both rulers had signed the protectorate treaties to advance their own expansionist objectives, with Boqor Osman looking to use Italy's support in his ongoing power struggle with Kenadid over the Majeerteen Sultanate. Boqor Osman and Sultan Kenadid also hoped to exploit the conflicting interests among the European imperial powers that were then looking to control the Somali peninsula, so as to avoid direct occupation of their territories by force.
With the gradual extension into northern Somalia of Italian colonial rule, both Kingdoms were eventually annexed to Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland , also known as Italian Somalia, was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy through various...
in the early 20th century. Much of the two Majeerteen Sultanates' former domain is today coextensive with the autonomous Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
region in northeastern Somalia.
Clan tree
There is no clear agreement on the clan and sub-clan structures and many lineages are omitted. The following listing is taken from the World BankWorld Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
's Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics from 2005 and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
publication, Somalia Assessment 2001.
- Darod (Daarood)
- MarehanMarehanThe Marehan are a Somali clan. They are one of the major Darod sub-clans, forming a part of the Sade confederation of clans. The majority of the Marehan live in the Jubbada Hoose, Gedo and Jubbada Dhexe regions in southwestern Somalia, as well as the Galguduud and Mudug regions in central...
- Red Dini
- Rer Hassan
- Eli Dheere
- Kabalah
- Absame
- OgadenOgaden (clan)The Ogaden is a Somali clan, and one of the largest Darod subclans.-Overview:Members of the Ogaden clan primarily live in the central Ogaden plateau of Ethiopia , the North Eastern Province of Kenya, and the Jubaland region of Southern Somalia...
- Makabul
- Mohamed Zubeir
- AulihanAulihanThe Aulihan are a Somali clan, a division of the larger Ogaden clan, living on both sides of the Kenya - Somalia border.The Aulihan migrated from the Ogaden region of Western Ethiopia in response to pressure from the expanding Ethiopian empire and had taken control of the hinterland of the lower...
- Jidwaq
- Ogaden
- Harti
- DhulbahanteDhulbahanteThe Dhulbahante is a Somali clan, and a part of the larger Harti Darod clan. Members of the clan primarily inhabit the Sool, Nugaal, Sanaag and Ayn regions, the Haud, the port city of Kismayo, as well as other areas in the Jubbada Hoose region of southern Somalia.-Tradition:Currently, there are...
(Dolbahante) - WarsangaliWarsangaliThe Warsangeli , is a Somali clan, part of the Harti confederation of Darod sub-clans...
(Warsengeli) - Majeerteen (Mijerteen)
- Omar Mahmud
- Issa Mahmud
- Osman Mahmoud
- Dhulbahante
- Absame
- Marehan
Prominent figures
- Omar A. AliOmar A. AliOmar Abdi Ali is a Somali entrepreneur, accountant, financial consultant, philanthropist, and a leading specialist on Islamic finance. From 1986 to 1999, Omar was CEO of Dar al-Maal al-Islami Trust , a Middle Eastern financial and banking group, which under his management increased it assets from...
, entrepreneur, accountant, financial consultant, philanthropist, and leading specialist on Islamic finance. - Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, first Prime Minister of Somalia, second President of Somalia (10 June 1967 until 16 October 1969)
- Abdirizak Haji HusseinAbdirizak Haji HusseinAbdirizak Haji Hussein was Prime Minister of Somalia from 14 June 1964 to 15 July 1967.-Biography:Hussein was born in 1924 to a Majerteen Darod family in Galkacyo, the capital of the north-central Mudug region of Somalia...
, former Prime Minister of Somalia, 1964–1967 - Haji Bashir Ismail YusufHaji Bashir Ismail YusufHaji Bashir Ismail Yusuf , also spelled Hagi Bashir Ismail Yousuf, was a Somali politician.-History:Yusuf was born in 1912 in the town of Hobyo, situated in the north-central Mudug region of Somalia....
, first President of Somali National Assembly, Minister of Health and labor 1966-67 - Abdullahi Yusuf AhmedAbdullahi Yusuf AhmedAbdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is a veteran Somali politician. He is one of the founders of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, as well as the Puntland State of Somalia, where he served as the autonomous region's first President...
, former President of Somalia, President of PuntlandPuntlandPuntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
and leader/co-founder of the Somali Salvation Democratic FrontSomali Salvation Democratic FrontSomali Salvation Democratic Front , initially known as the Democratic Front for Salvation of Somalia was a political and paramilitary umbrella organization in Somalia. Founded in 1978 by several army officers, it was the first of several opposition groups dedicated to ousting the authoritarian...
. - Aden MohammedAden MohammedAden Mohammed is a prominent Somali banker and entrepreneur. He is the Managing Director of Barclays Bank in East and West Africa.-Biography:...
, banker and entrepreneur. - Ayan Hirsi Ali, the first Somali-born member of parliament of a European country, author and political activist
- Hassan Abshir Farah, former MogadishuMogadishuMogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
mayor, Somali ambassador to Japan and later to Germany, interior minister of Puntland, prime minister of Transitional Federal GovernmentTransitional Federal GovernmentThe Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
from Arta, and current TFG minister of fishing and marine resources. - Abdirahman Mohamud FaroleAbdirahman Mohamud FaroleAbdirahman Mohamud Farole is a Somali politician. He is the fourth and current President of Puntland.-Biography:Farole was born in the qandala region of Somalia in 1945. He first pursued his post-secondary education locally, earning a Diploma of Public Health in 1964 from the Scuola Professionale...
, President of Puntland - Abdisalam Issa-SalweAbdisalam Issa-SalweDr. Abdisalam Mohamed Issa-Salwe is a Somali writer and scholar.-Career:Issa-Salwe is currently Asst. Professor in Information Systems in the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering at Taibah University in Medina, Saudi Arabia...
, Ph.D., scholar, writer; associate professor at Taibah UniversityTaibah UniversityTaibah University is a university located in Medina, Saudi Arabia, established in 2003.-Schools:Taibah University includes 22 colleges. They include:*College of Medicine*College of Dentistry*College of Pharmacy*College of Applied Medical Sciences...
. - Abdulqawi YusufAbdulqawi YusufDr. Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf is a prominent Somali international lawyer and judge. As of February 6, 2009, he is a judge at the International Court of Justice.-Biography:...
, lawyer and judge at the International Court of Justice since February 6, 2009 - Mohammed Awale LibanMohammed Awale LibanMohammed Awale Liban was a Somali scholar. He is noted for having designed the flag of Somalia in 1954.-References:...
, designed the flag of SomaliaFlag of SomaliaThe flag of Somalia was adopted on October 12, 1954. It was designed by Mohammed Awale Liban. Upon reunification of Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland, the flag was used for the nascent Somali Republic.-History:... - Mohammed Said Hersi MorganMohammed Said Hersi MorganMohammed Said Hersi Morgan was the son-in-law of Siad Barre and minister of defense of Somalia. Said Hersi Morgan is thought to be responsible for many atrocities committed against the Somali population during the Barre government and during the civil war of the 1990s in the region of Kismayu...
, son-in-law of Siad BarreSiad BarreMohamed Siad Barre was the military dictator and President of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 1991. During his rule, he styled himself as Jaalle Siyaad ....
and minister of defense of Somalia - Mohamud Muse HersiMohamud Muse HersiMohamud "Adde" Muse Hersi is a Somali politician. He was the President of the Puntland region of Somalia from January 8, 2005 to January 8, 2009.-Biography:...
, third President of Puntland - Mohammed Jibril Muse, Majeerteen, former Chief of Somali Secret Service, General and later on Police chief of state of Puntland
- Abdilwali Hersi Abdille IndhaguranAbdilwali Hersi Abdille IndhaguranAbdilwali Hersi Abdille Indhaguran is a former minister of electricity and power generation of the Transitional National Government of Somalia, and minister of federal and Somali affairs for the Puntland region.From 1992-97 he was minister of labour and social affairs of Somali region state of...
, former Minister of Electricity and Power Generation of the Somali national government (TNG), and Minister of Federal and Somali Affairs of Puntland - Abdirashiid Irro, TFG Business Minister, former member of TFG parliament.
- Abdi KusowAbdi Kusow-Biography:Kusow studied at Michigan State University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in 1990. He later earned a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning in 1992. He also holds a Ph. D...
– Somali Associate Professor of Sociology at Iowa State in Ames, Iowa. Has written extensively on Somali sociology and anthropology. - Abdulqawi YusufAbdulqawi YusufDr. Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf is a prominent Somali international lawyer and judge. As of February 6, 2009, he is a judge at the International Court of Justice.-Biography:...
, international lawyer and judge with the International Court of Justice. - Ali A. AbdiAli A. AbdiAli A. Abdi is a Somali-Canadian sociologist and educationist. He is a professor of Education and International Development at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, where he serves as the Co-Director of the Centre for Global Citizenship Education and Research . He is also a past President...
, anthropologist, professor of education and international development at the University of AlbertaUniversity of AlbertaThe University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
. - Abdulkadir Isse Ahmed Salah, Sultan of the Ugaar Saleebaan of Majeerteen
- Abdullahi Ahmed Yusuf Irro, Somali general, commander at the Godey Front in 1977 Somali-Ethiopia War, and later a professor of strategic studies at the National Academy.
- Ali Jimale Ahmed – Somali poet, essayist, scholar, and short story writer. Published on Somali history and linguistics.
- Hirsi Magan IsseHirsi Magan IsseHirsi Magan Isse was a scholar and one of the leading figures of the Somali revolution. A part of Somalia's political elite, he was a leader in the Somali Salvation Democratic Front , one of the earliest and most influential factions in the Somali Civil War that broke out in 1991...
, scholar and revolutionary leader with the Somali Salvation Democratic FrontSomali Salvation Democratic FrontSomali Salvation Democratic Front , initially known as the Democratic Front for Salvation of Somalia was a political and paramilitary umbrella organization in Somalia. Founded in 1978 by several army officers, it was the first of several opposition groups dedicated to ousting the authoritarian...
(SSDF). - Mohamed Abdi AwareMohamed Abdi AwareMohamed Abdi Aware was a high-profile Somali judge in the northern semi-autonomous Puntland region of Somalia and a member of its Supreme Judicial Council...
, Puntland judge and member of Supreme Judicial Council. - Jama Ali JamaJama Ali JamaJama Ali Jama is a Somali politician, and President of Puntland from November 14, 2001 to May 8, 2002.-Biography:Jama was a former colonel in the Somali military, and was imprisoned for 11 years during the reign of Mohamed Siad Barre after having been accused of trying to overthrow the latter.He...
, Colonel in the Somali military and former President of Puntland - Maxamed Daahir AfraxMaxamed Daahir AfraxMaxamed Daahir Afrax Ph. D. is a Somali novelist, playwright, journalist and scholar.-Biography:Afrax was born and raised in Somalia. He belongs to the Majerteen sub-clan of the Darod Somali clan.A polyglot, he writes in Somali, Arabic and English...
, novelist, playwright, journalist and scholar - Mire Hagi Farah MohamedMire Hagi Farah MohamedDr. Mire Hagi Farah Yusuf was a Somali politician. He was born in Qandala, and educated at Somali Polytechnical School, Mogadisho, and in the USA, where he studied economics and political science. He returned to Somalia to serve his country, and was nominated to be Mayor of Kismayo in early 1996,...
, Somali Finance Minister 2004–2006, and former mayor of Kismayo - Omar Abdirashid Ali SharmarkeOmar Abdirashid Ali SharmarkeOmar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke is a Somali diplomat and politician. He is the former Prime Minister of Somalia.-Biography:...
, former Prime Minister of Somalia, and son of Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke - Osman Yusuf KenadidOsman Yusuf Kenadid-Biography:In the early 1920s, in response to a national campaign to settle on a standard orthography for the Somali language , Kenadid, a leader in the Majeerteen Sultanate of Hobyo in Somalia and nephew of Sultan Yusuf Ali Kenadid, devised a phonetically sophisticated alphabet called Osmanya for...
, inventor of the Osmanya writing script - Sayidiin Xirsi Nuur, Prominent member of Somali Youth League.
- Yaasiin Cismaan KeenadiidYaasiin Cismaan KeenadiidYaasiin Cismaan Keenadiid is a Somali intellectual. He is one of the founders of the Somali Youth League and an influential literary scholar, having written a seminal dictionary of the Somali language.-Family and name:...
, traditional Somali linguist - Yasin Haji Osman SharmarkeYasin Haji Osman Sharmarke-History:Sharmarke was born to a Majerteen Darod family.He was the leader of the Somali Youth League , Somalia's first political party. Having also been instrumental in the organization's creation, Sharmarke and other early SYL nationalists were strongly influenced by the religious rebellion at the...
, leader and co-founder of the Somali Youth League; also the author of the first Somali Dictionary who added the word "Erey Koobe" which means dictionary in the Somali language.