1877-1880: Three Years of Sudanese Domination in the Somali Coast

1877-1880: Three Years ofSudanese Domination in the Somali Coast1 Alice Moore-Harell University of Haifa State papers concerning die Egyptian administration in die Sudan during die nineteentii century deposited in die Egyptian national archive Dar al-Wathaiq, British documents from the Public Record Office in London, and die unedited papers of the governor-general of die Sudan in 1877-1880, Charles Gordon, all contribute to reconstruct the history of an exceptional period during die Egyptian administration in the Horn of Africa, mainly die last tiiree years of die 1870s: die main port towns in die Somali coast, between Tadjoura and Berbera, including the town ofHarar, were detached from die Egyptianbureaucracy and subordinated to die Sudanese audiorities, who were at that time almost entirely autonomous from Cairo's control.2 Egypt acquired complete control along die western coast of die Red Sea in May 1865 when afirman from the Ottoman Empire granted die Khedive Ismail (1863-1879) the port towns of Suakin and Massawa. In 1866 anotiier firman was issued to die effect fliatbotii ports were given to him personally as gifts for the duration ofhis lifetime, to be ceded subsequendy not to die Khedive's familybut to die government ofEgypt.3 The Khedive later claimed tiiat his newjurisdiction included also the Somali coast on die Gulf of Aden. Eventually this demand was accepted by die Sublime porte, and dominion over this territory was granted to the Khedive by another firman issued in 1875.4®Northeast African Studies (ISSN 0740-9133) Vol. 4, No. 3 (New Series) 1997, pp. 29-49 29 30 Alice Moore-Hareïl There is no direct and conclusive evidence to indicate tiiat the Khedive acquired die firman of 1865 by distributing bribes and expensive gifts at die palace in Istanbul, but it is known that fliese means were used in connection witii die secondfirman of 1866.5 As for die Somali coast, evidence exists tiiat die Khedive Ismail paid die Sultan Abdulaziz (1861-1876) 15,000 Egyptian pounds6 for grant of control over Zeila.7 Between 1867 and 1875 the Egyptians established tiieir autiiority de facto from the Gulf of Tadjoura8 up to Ras Hafun in the Indian Ocean. They setded first in die coastal ports, and in 1875 annexed die Emirate of Harar in the inland. A major reason behind the Khedive's insistence on controlling this region was his ambition to build an African empire subject to Egypt, and die objective necessity to safeguard Egypt's soutiiern frontier. From his point of view, and as he analyzed future geopolitical trends tiiat might develop in the area, especially following the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, control over the Red Sea and die Somali coast was necessary to defend and protect the Sudan, which Egypt had conquered in 1820-1821 during Muhammad Ali's reign. The Egyptians had no difficulty in consolidating tiieir authority in the port towns, but this was not the case in the interior, as the various Somali tribes who inhabited die hinterland were hostile to them. To complicate matters furtiier, diese tribes were subdivided into different clans that were inimical to each other, each with its own territorial claims.9 Nevertheless, die Egyptians were able to establish tangible evidence of their presence in the lowlands of that area. Egyptian dominion continued till 1884, when Egypt withdrew owing to die Mahdi's revolt in the Sudan and die isolation of this region from Egypt. Subjection of the Somali Coast to Sudanese Administration On Charles Gordon's appointment as governor-general of the Sudan in February 1877, the Khedive Ismail decided to attach die districts of Tadjura, Berbera, Zeila, and Harar to direct Sudanese authority. As result, the Somali coast officially became part of the Sudanese Red Sea province, but its administration was subordinated direcdy to die governor -general in Khartoum, and not to the provincial governor. The 1877-1880: Sudanese Domination in the Somali Coast 31 Khedive held Gordon in high esteem and trusted his administrative abÜities .10 He concluded tiiat this new policy of administrative reshuffle would strengtiien Egyptian control over the Somali coast and guarantee adequate protection againstpossible Etiiiopian aggression in die Red Sea Province.11 A...