Kingdom of Gera

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Kingdom of Gera
1835–1887
The five Oromo kingdoms of the Gibe region
The five Oromo kingdoms of the Gibe region
CapitalChala (Chira)
Religion
Sunni Islam
Demonym(s)Oromo
GovernmentMonarchy
Donacho 
History 
• Established
1835
• Annexed by Ethiopian Empire
1887
 Succeeded by
Ethiopian Empire

The Kingdom of Gera was a kingdom in the

woreda of Gera
.

Overview

The Kingdom of Gera was located in a basin surrounded with gently undulating hills, although extensive swampland existed in the northern hills. The population of this kingdom was estimated in 1880 to have been between 15,000 and 16,000.[1] The planting and harvesting of corn followed a different calendar in Gera from the other Gibe kingdoms; where the others planted in February and harvested in July, in Gera it was planted in April and harvested in August. Mohammed Hassen adds that Gera "was, and still is, the rich land of honey" and notes that Gera honey had a reputation as the finest honey in Ethiopia. Hassen lists eight kinds of honey cultivated in Gera, the best being the Ebichaa ("dark") honey, from which was made a mead known as dadhi, the drink of royalty and dignitaries in the Gibe region. "It is not surprising, therefore," Hassen concludes, "that the flavorsome and prestigious Ebichaa was a royal monopoly."[2]

Gera is also the location of

Last Judgement.[3]

Rulers of the kingdom held the royal

title of Donacho.[4]

History

According to Beckingham and Huntingford, there is evidence that the monarchy of Gera existed before the

Great Oromo migration in the 16th century.[5] However, according to Mohammed Hassen, Gera was the last of the Gibe kingdoms to come into existence, and was founded by Gunji, "a successful war leader who made himself king" around 1835, but died shortly afterwards.[6] This dynasty came to an end with the murder of Tulu Ganje by king Oncho of Gumma. A new one was founded by Abba Baso, who proved to be an unpopular ruler. He was later overthrown by his brother Abba Rago and exiled to Jimma.[7]

According to Trimingham, the kingdom enjoyed its greatest prosperity under king

Dejazmach Besha Abua in 1887.[9]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ C.F. Beckingham and G.W.B. Huntingford, Some Records of Ethiopia, 1593-1646 (London: Hakluyt Society, 1954), p. lxxix
  2. ^ Mohammed Hassen, The Oromo of Ethiopia: A History 1570-1860 (Trenton: Red Sea Press, 1994), p. 117
  3. ^ G.W.B. Huntingford, The Galla of Ethiopia; the Kingdoms of Kafa and Janjero (London: International African Institute, 1955), p. 82
  4. ^ Trimingham, p.203.
  5. ^ Beckingham and Huntingford, Some Records, p. lxxxv.
  6. ^ Hassen, The Oromo, p. 112
  7. ^ Hassen, The Oromo, p. 113
  8. ^ Hassen, The Oromo, pp. 160f
  9. ^ Trimingham, p. 202.

References

  • John Spencer, Trimingham (1952). Islam in Ethiopia. Oxford University Press.

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