DEGELHAN

Degelhan, also known as Dagalhan or Dalehan, who flourished in the 16th century, was a leading azmach (military commander), during the reign of Emperor Lebna Dengel, who ruled from 1508-40. Degelhan was the brother-in-law of Lebna Dengel by his first marriage. He held the post of governor of the strategically important southeastern frontier province of Bale.

In 1527, on the orders of Lebna Dengel, he led a successful punitive expedition to the Muslim region of Adal, an emirate in the eastern lowlands, near the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, at the entrance to the Red Sea. This invasion of Adal was the beginning of the disastrous war between the forces of the Ethiopian Christian kingdom and the Muslims of Adal, led by Ahmad Ibn Ibrahim, also known as Gran – a war which lasted 15 years, and caused much devastation in Ethiopia.

Gran and his general, Abu-Bakr, whose mother was among the captives taken by the Ethiopians, pursued Degelhan’s army, retrieving both captives and booty, and crushing the Ethiopian forces.

Thereafter, Degelhan led the Christian forces against the Muslim invaders, although Gran’s chronicler, Arab-Faqih, accuses him of cowardice in 1531, alleging that he secretly begged his wife to use her influence with the emperor to have him recalled from the battle front. Degelhan, however, remained one of Lebna Dengel’s leading commanders in the ensuing conflicts, and loyally supported him in the endeavour to stem the Muslim advance northward into the Christian heartland.

He first withstood the Muslim attack at Beta Amara, in what is now Wallo, and later with a mixed force of troops from Gedem and Tegre, successfully drove back the invaders. Again, in 1532-33, when he was given the task of securing the Mahqouah pass into Tegre, he repulsed the invaders.

BELAYNESH MICHAEL