Somalia region which includes Somalia and the self independence states of Somaliland and Puntland were divided into various tribal or clan monarchies before colonization. They are largely all Somali people who are descendants of SAMAALI, son of Hill. The Geneology used by most scholars is
(Source : Wikipedia)
However they still exist today mainly as traditional leaders of their various clans and tribes. This post focuses on currently reigning traditional monarchs in Somalia, Somaliland and Puntland. Most are known as Sultan or Suldaan in local somali, Ugaas – authentic name for Sultan, Boqor – King, Garaad, Imaam among others
PROMINENT HISTORICAL SULTANS
Sultan Olol Dinle of Ajuran clan, was also known as Sultan of Kelafo, a Somali town in modern Ethiopia where he lived. Ajuran clan are sub clan of Hawaaye clan of larger Samaale descendant clan (Somali). They are famous for being the rulers of the Ajuran sultanate that existed from 13th to 17th century. He was known by the Italians as Sultan of Sciavelli (Shabelle) AND Hawaaye in the early 1930s . He died in 1960s or 70s
Sultan Olol Dinle, circa 1938 in Mogadishu, Somalia, Photo Wikipedia commons
Sultan Abdillahi Deria, 5th Grand Sultan of Isaaq sultanate/Isaaq clan from the royal house of Guled. He was a prominent anticolonialist as a member of Somali National League. He reigned 1939 to 1967. His descendants still rule today
Sultan in London 1955. Photo; Bulletin of the European Communities, Volume 8, Issues 7-12, Commission of the European Communities
Sultan Abdulrahman Garad Deria of Habr Awal of Subeer Awal subclan of Isaaq clan. He was also a prominent anticolonialist. He reigned 1940s to 1970s. Likewise his descendants still rule today
Sultan in London 1955. Photo; Bulletin of the European Communities, Volume 8, Issues 7-12, Commission of the European Communities
Sultan Mohamoud Ali shire of Warsangeli Sultanate/Clan. He was featured in the history magazine 1960 issue. He reigned from 1897 to 1960when he died. He had been sent to exile in seychelles by the british when his men attacked their ship which had stopped at his coastline. His grandson rules today
Sultan Ali Yusuf Kenadid of the Sultanate of Hobyo. He reigned from 1900s – 1925 dying in 1927
Sultan in 1935. Photo : Orizzonti D’Impero. Cinque Anni di Somalia
Boqor Osman Mahamuud of Majeerteen Sultanate / Majeerteen Darod clan. He reigned 1866 to 1927. His descendants still rule today
19th Garaad Ali Garaad Jama of the Dhulbahante or reer darawiish tribe from 1966 until his death in 1985.  He signed the papers where north Somalia declared independence from England. He was the only Somali clan leader with college education. He was known for his improvements to the Somali alphabet
Sultan Robow Haji Hassan Gababa of Gharri people. He was killed by Emperor Haile Sellasie mercenaries in 1964. He fought for the rights of Gharre people in Ethiopia. His brother rules currently
Sultan Osman Ahmed of Geledi reigned from 1878 to 1911
Sultan Mohamed Sultan Farah of Arap (Arab) clan. He is famously known for supporting Somaliland National movement and facilitating disarmament of militia after liberation of Somaliland.
Garad Abdiqani Garad Jama, 20th Garad of Dhulbahante clan from 1985 to 2006. Tenth minister of foreign affairs of Somalia. In May 1991, the Garad led the Dhulbahante delegation at the Grand Conference in Burao and was first to table the case for Somaliland’s secession. He was also one of several signatories of the Somaliland Declaration of Independence on behalf of the Dhulbahante.
SULTAN OF MAHAMED CASE CLAN
Sultan Samatar Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Jama of Mahamed Case clan in Somaliland particularly the Awdal Region. He was crowned in 2022 and is supreme sultan of all mahamed case tribes which have other sultans for the five clans
SULTAN OF DIRE CLAN
Dir (Dire) clan is a sub clan of Samaale (oldest somali clan) but is now considered a major clan. It is one of the largest somali clans in the Horn of Africa. The Dire clan led the historical Ifat and Adal sultanates
Sultan Dhawal was appointed head of Dir clan in the horn of Africa.
Photos ; Hirran online, Facebook
SULTAN OF ISAAQ SULTANATE
Isaaq Sultanate is a traditional monarchy that existed in the 18th and 19th century among the Isaaq clan. Isaaq clan is one of the three major clans of the Samaale clan which is considered as the oldest forefather clan. It was ruled by the Guleed dynasty that were from the Eidagale sub clan of Isaaq. Their Sultans wee largely involved in the indepencnence movement of Somaliland. They hold the titles Grand Sultan of Isaaq and Grand Sultan of Somaliland.
Sultan Daud Sultan Mohammed is the current 9th sultan, he was installed on 13th February 2021 after the death of his late father Sultan Mahamed Abdiqadir (1975-2021).
Current sultan and late sultan – Photos : Wikipedia commons
BOQOR OF DAROOD CLAN/ MAJEERTEEN SULTANATE
Darod or Darood clan which is famous for Majeerteen sultanate is among the largest clan in the Somalia region. Darood clan is on of the three major clans of Samaale clan which is considered as the oldest forefather clan. They inhabits parts of Mainland Somalia, Puntland and some populaion in Ethiopia and Kenya. Their monarch or king is locally called Boqor
King Boqor Burhan Boqor Muse was crowned the 34th King in 2014 at an event that attracted many dignitaries from horn of Africa.
Photos ; Twitter
SULTAN OF SUBEER AWAL/HABR AWAL CLAN
Subeer Awal or Habr Awal is a sub clan of Isaaq clan largerly found in Somaliland. Formerly their monarchs were called Garaad but now called Sultan.
Sultan Abdirizak Sultan Abdillahi Sultan Abdirahaman has largerly spent his life in the middle east but his younger brother currently acts as Sultan Hassan sultan Abdillahi sultan Abdirahman.
older brother and younger brother
SULTAN OF WARSANGALI SULTANATE
Warsangali or Warsangeli Sultanate or kingdom was a monarchical government that was created by the Warsangeli clan in the 13th century. It is one of the few Sultanates that survived until the colonial period. It majorly covered Somaliland and Puntland Regions.
Sultan Siccid sultan Abdisalaan sultan Mohamoud Ali shire is the current sultan of Warsangeli clan or sultanate of Somalia. He has been monarch since 1997 and is the grandson of late Sultan Mohamoud Ali shire who died in 1960.
Photos; Mahmoud
For more information visit https://www.warsangeli.org/
SULTAN OF ARAP CLAN
Arap (Arab) clan is a clan under the larger Isaaq clan. They are found in Somaliland and close by parts of Ethiopia. It is said that the Arap revolted against the Isaaq rule and have since had their own sultan.
late Sultan Omar Sultan Mohamed Sultan Farah is the recent monarch of the Arap clan, he died on 14th Septmeber 2021. He succeeded his late father Sultan Mohammed Sultan Farah in 2003. Sultan Mohamed Sultan Farah is famously known for supporting Somaliland National movement and facilitating disarmament of militia after liberation of Somaliland.
Late sultan and his late father – Photos ; Twitter, Somalilandpost
SULTAN OF OMAR MOHAMOUD CLAN
Omar mohamoud clan is a sub clan of the larger Majeerteen ethnic group. Today the sultan is based in Puntland.
Sultan Mohamed Sultan Hurre was crowned at the age of 15 in 2015 becoming Somalias youngest Sultan
Photos ; Sultan Mohamed Hurre
SULTAN OF GADABUURSI CLAN
Gadabuursi also known as Samaroon is a sub clan of Dir clan of over 3 million people found in Ethiopia, Somaliland and Djibouti. They traditionally have had a sultan or king called Ughaz or Ugaas.
Sultan (Ughaz) Abdirashid Ughaz Roble III Ughaz Dodi is the 19th monarch of Gadabuursi.
Photos ; Courtsey
SULTAN OF HABAR YAANI CLAN
Habar Yaani is a clan of the wider Isaaq clan.
Sultan Mohamed Sultan Hersi Sultan Qani is the 12th current sultan since 1997.
Photos: Courtesy
SULTAN OF HABAR JECLO CLAN
Habar Jeclo or Habar Je’lo is a sub clan of the larger Isaaq clan found in Somaliland and some populations in Ethiopia and Kenya. It broke away and formed their own sultanate.
Its current Sultan is Sultan Abdillahi Sultan Ali
Photos ; Somalilandmirror, Somalilandpost
SULTAN OF HABR YUNIS SULTANATE
Habr Yunis sultanate is a precolonial sultnate in Somaliland by the Habr Yunis clan of the larger Isaaq clan.
Sultan Osman Sultan Ali is the 9th and current sultan since 1979.
Photo ; Ifatmedia
BEELDAAJE OF ALI SALEEBAAN SULTANATE
Beeldaaje Mohamed Beeldaaje Ismael is the 14th Beeldaaje (monarch) of the Ali Saleebaan sultanate located in Carmo town, Puntland. He was crowned in 2018.
Photos ; Halgan, Facebook
WABAR OF DEGODIA CLAN
Degodia clan is a sub clan of the larger Saransoor clan of Somali people. They are found in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.
Degodia are ruled by a monarch called Wabar who is more of a religious king than political. He is usually apolitical and in public, his spokesman does the talking while he only rises to pray for the community. It has had 12 Wabars and the current 12th Wabar(King) is Abdille Abdi
Photos: Courtesy
GARAAD OF DHULBAHANTE CLAN
Dhulbahante is a sub clan Harti clan which is a subclan of the Darod clan of Somali. Historically it was ruled by two sultans or Garads, one for the north and one for the south. They are also known as Beesha Darawiish or Si’iid Harti, also called Reer Darawiish
Garad Jama Garad Ali is the current 21st Supreme Garaad of Dhulbahante clan centred around Las Anod Town , Somalia. He was crowned in 2006 to succeed his late uncle Garad Abdiqani in a coronation attended by various Somali government offcials and clan leaders.
Photos: Courtesy
GARAD OF JAMA SIAD CLAN
Jama Si’ad clan is a sub clan of Dhulbahante clan. Its current Garaad is Garaad Jama Garaad Ismail of Jama Si’ad
Photos: Courtesy
Garaad of the Jidwaaq /Absame
Jidwaaq ia a sub clan of Absame, they live in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya
Garaad Kulmiye Garaad Mohamed is the 26th Garaad of the Jidwaaq /Absame. He is Leader of the Somali Region Council of Elders
Photos: Courtesy
SULTAN OF FAQASHINI HAWIYE
Sultan Mustafa Maxamuud Awseed is the current Sultan of Faqashini community. Faqashini are part of the Hawiye clan of Somali
Photos: Courtesy
SULTAN OF GARRE/GHARRI
Garre is a somali clan who cuurently inhabit north eastern Kenya, Somalia and South east Ethiopia. Their current Sultan is Sultan Mohamed Haji Hassan Gababa. He succeded his brother, Sultan Robow Sultan Haji Hassan Gababa in 1964
Photos: Gharri history
SULTAN OF BIMAL
Sultan Musa Sultan Abukar of Biimaal sultanate
UGAAS OF DISHIISHE (BOSASO)
Ugaas Hasan Ugaas Yasiin Ugaas Abdirahmaan is the current ruler (Ugaas) of Dishiishe clan centred around Bosaso town. The former Ugaas Yassin Ugas Abdirahmanwas also called Ruler of Bosaso ruled for 59 years dying in 2000.
BOQOR OF GABOOYE CLANS
King Ahmed Iman Warsame is the monarch/Boqor of the Gabooye clans
Photo by Mustafa Saeed
BOQOR BUURMADOW
Boqor Buurmadow Osman Aw Mohamud of Garadag community/East Burco community. He is famously known for his outspokenness and was arrested, jailed and pardoned
SULTAN
Sultan Abdullahi Sultan Ali Sonkor
List incomplete
for sultans on the Kenyan Side see – Traditional Kings in Kenya
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