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Group: Hadiya Sultanate
People: Singeom
Topic: Forbes Expedition
Location: Epidaurus Greece

Hadiya Sultanate

Years: 1200 - 1500

The Hadiya Sultanate (r. 13th century-15th century) is an ancient kingdom located in southwestern Ethiopia, south of the Abbay River and west of Shewa.

It is ruled by the Hadiya people, who speak the Cushitic Hadiyya language.

The historical Hadiya area is situated between Kambaat, Gamo and Waj, southwest of Shewa.

By 1850, Hadiya is placed north-west of lakes Zway and Langano but still between these areas.

The Hadiya Kingdom is described in the mid-fourteenth century by the Arab historian Chihab Al-Umari as measuring eight days' journey by nine, which Richard Pankhurst estimates to be one hundred and sixty by one hundred and eighty kilometers.

Although small, Hadiya is fertile with fruit and cereals, rich with horses, and its inhabitants use pieces of iron as currency.

It can raise an army of forty thousand cavalry and at least twice as many foot soldiers.

The current Hadiya Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region is located in approximately the same area as this former kingdom.