The Battle of Baçente was fought on February 2, 1542, when a Portuguese army under Cristóvão da Gama took a hillfort held by Adalite forces in northern Ethiopia. The Portuguese suffered minimal casualties, while the defenders were reportedly all killed.
Heavy casualties, "reportedly all killed" Nine horses and multiple mules
Queen Seble Wongel (likely justifiably) advised against this attack, arguing that Gama should wait until her son the EmperorGelawdewos could march north from Shewa and join the Portuguese due to Ahmed Gragn having known of them.[1] However, Gama was concerned that if he marched around this Muslim-held strongpoint, the local peasantry would be disappointed and stop providing supplies for his troops.[3]
After a probing attack to learn the defenders' defences, which Queen Sabla Wengel initially mistook for a defeat, Gama ordered an attack from three sides directions on the following day. The defenders were annihilated, with negligible losses to the Portuguese. Nine horses and a number of mules were captured, which afterwards proved useful. "As a feat of arms, this capture of notable."[1] A mosque, which had originally been a church before the hillfort was occupied by ImamAhmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi's men, was reconsecrated as a church, and dedicated to "Our Lady of Victory", and mass was celebrated there the next day. The expeditionary force spent the rest of February there, recovering from the battle.[4]
R.S. Whiteway identified the Portuguese "Baçente" as referring to Amba Senayt in Haramat.[2][verification needed]
Referencesedit
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Battle of Baçente
^ abcdefThe Portuguese Expedition to Abyssinia in 1541-1543, as Narrated by Castanhoso With Some Contemporary Letters, the Short Account of Bermudez, and Certain Extracts from Correa, p.54 (2017)
^ abR.S. Whiteway, editor and translator, The Portuguese Expedition to Abyssinia in 1541-1543, 1902. (Nendeln, Liechtenstein: Kraus Reprint, 1967), p.Lii f.
battle, baçente, fought, february, 1542, when, portuguese, army, under, cristóvão, gama, took, hillfort, held, adalite, forces, northern, ethiopia, portuguese, suffered, minimal, casualties, while, defenders, were, reportedly, killed, part, ethiopian, adal, so. The Battle of Bacente was fought on February 2 1542 when a Portuguese army under Cristovao da Gama took a hillfort held by Adalite forces in northern Ethiopia The Portuguese suffered minimal casualties while the defenders were reportedly all killed Battle of BacentePart of the Ethiopian Adal War and Somali Portuguese conflictsDateFebruary 2 1542 1 LocationAmba Senayt Tigray Province Ethiopia 2 1 ResultPortuguese victoryBelligerentsPortuguese EmpireAdal SultanateCommanders and leadersCristovao da GamaUnknownStrength1000 Portuguese musketeers 1 500 archers and buckler men Casualties and losses8 killed 1 several wounded 1 Heavy casualties reportedly all killed Nine horses and multiple mules Queen Seble Wongel likely justifiably advised against this attack arguing that Gama should wait until her son the Emperor Gelawdewos could march north from Shewa and join the Portuguese due to Ahmed Gragn having known of them 1 However Gama was concerned that if he marched around this Muslim held strongpoint the local peasantry would be disappointed and stop providing supplies for his troops 3 After a probing attack to learn the defenders defences which Queen Sabla Wengel initially mistook for a defeat Gama ordered an attack from three sides directions on the following day The defenders were annihilated with negligible losses to the Portuguese Nine horses and a number of mules were captured which afterwards proved useful As a feat of arms this capture of notable 1 A mosque which had originally been a church before the hillfort was occupied by Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al Ghazi s men was reconsecrated as a church and dedicated to Our Lady of Victory and mass was celebrated there the next day The expeditionary force spent the rest of February there recovering from the battle 4 R S Whiteway identified the Portuguese Bacente as referring to Amba Senayt in Haramat 2 verification needed References edit nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Battle of Bacente a b c d e f The Portuguese Expedition to Abyssinia in 1541 1543 as Narrated by Castanhoso With Some Contemporary Letters the Short Account of Bermudez and Certain Extracts from Correa p 54 2017 a b R S Whiteway editor and translator The Portuguese Expedition to Abyssinia in 1541 1543 1902 Nendeln Liechtenstein Kraus Reprint 1967 p Lii f Whiteway p 32 Whiteway pp 33 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battle of Bacente amp oldid 1220300275, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
