Kingdom of Gera

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The Kingdom of Gera was one of several kingdoms that formed in the Gibe region of modern-day Ethiopia in the 19th century .

It was bordered by Gumma to the north and Gomma to the east. In the south, the Gojeb River formed a natural border with Kaffa . The capital was called Chala (also Cira). The area roughly corresponds to today's Woreda Gera .

This former kingdom was located in a basin and was surrounded by rolling hills. There were extensive swamps in the northern hills. In 1880 the population was about 15,000 to 16,000 people. The cultivation and harvest of corn took place in Gera at different times than in the other Gibe kingdoms. While those planted in February and harvested in July, in Gera this happened in April and August. Mohammed Hassen adds that Gera was and still is a land rich in honey and that it had a reputation for the finest honey in Ethiopia. Hassen counts eight different types of honey, the best of which was Ebichaa ("dark") honey, made from Tej ( dadhi ) produced for the nobility and dignitaries of the Gibe region . Hassen believes that this "tasty and respected Ebichaa represented a royal monopoly."

Mount Ijersa , a sacred mountain of the Oromo, is also located in Gera . In the Oromo faith, God will take his place there at the Last Judgment .

history

According to Beckingham and Huntingford, there is evidence that the monarchy in Gera existed before the Oromo immigrants . On the other hand, Mohammed Hassen states that Gera emerged after all other Gibe kingdoms and was founded by Gunji, a successful warlord. Gunji crowned himself king around 1835, but died shortly afterwards. However, this older dynasty ended with the assassination of Tulu Ganje in 1840 by the king of Guma Oncho . Abba Baso then founded a new dynasty. However, he was unpopular, was overthrown by his brother Abba Rago I and exiled to Jimma.

According to Trimingham, the kingdom flourished under King Abba Magal . He had been converted to Islam although some of his subjects still professed Christianity . It is not known which Gibe King was responsible for this: Trimingham believes that it is Abba Jubir from Gumma , while Mohammed Hassen credits Abba Bagibo from Limmu-Ennarea . That Abba Bagibo offered his support to Abba Magal in the struggle for the throne, in case he allowed Muslim missionaries into his kingdom. Abba Jubir only converted him later. After the death of King Abba Magal, his wife Genne Fa took over the official duties as regent on behalf of her two sons. When Gera was conquered by Dejazmach Besha Abua in 1887, the sons fell into the hands of the enemy and were arrested in Jimma .

See also

literature

  1. ^ Charles F. Beckingham, George WB Huntingford (Ed.): Some records of Ethiopia 1593-1646. Being extracts from The history of high Ethiopia or Arbassia by Manoel de Almeida. Together with Bahrey's History of the Galla (= Works issued by the Hakluyt Society. Ser. 2, Vol. 107, ISSN  0072-9396 ). Hakluyt Society, London 1954, p. Lxxix.
  2. ^ Mohammed Hassen: The Oromo of Ethiopia. A History, 1570-1860. 1st American edition. Red Sea Press, Trenton NJ 1994, ISBN 0-932415-94-6 , p. 117.
  3. ↑ George WB Huntingford: The Galla of Ethiopia. The Kingdoms of Kafa and Janjero (= Ethnographic survey of Africa. North Eastern Africa. Vol. 2, ZDB -ID 446768-1 ). International African Institute, London 1955, p. 82.
  4. ^ Charles F. Beckingham, George WB Huntingford (Ed.): Some records of Ethiopia 1593-1646. Being extracts from The history of high Ethiopia or Arbassia by Manoel de Almeida. Together with Bahrey's History of the Galla (= Works issued by the Hakluyt Society. Ser. 2, Vol. 107, ISSN  0072-9396 ). Hakluyt Society, London 1954, pp. Lxxxv.
  5. ^ Mohammed Hassen: The Oromo of Ethiopia. A History, 1570-1860. 1st American edition. Red Sea Press, Trenton NJ 1994, ISBN 0-932415-94-6 , p. 112.
  6. ^ Mohammed Hassen: The Oromo of Ethiopia. A History, 1570-1860. 1st American edition. Red Sea Press, Trenton NJ 1994, ISBN 0-932415-94-6 , p. 113.
  7. ^ Mohammed Hassen: The Oromo of Ethiopia. A History, 1570-1860. 1st American edition. Red Sea Press, Trenton NJ 1994, ISBN 0-932415-94-6 , pp. 160 f.
  8. ^ J. Spencer Trimingham : Islam in Ethiopia. Geoffrey Cumberlege for the Oxford University Press, London et al. 1952, p. 202.