The Battle of Wofla was fought on August 28, 1542 near Lake Ashenge in Wofla (Ofla) between the Portuguese under Cristóvão da Gama and the forces of Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi. Reinforced with a superiority not only in numbers but in firearms, Imam Ahmad was victorious and forced the Portuguese, along with Queen Seble Wongel and her retinue, to flee their fortified encampment and leave their weapons behind.
While fleeing the battlefield with 14 soldiers, Gama, with his arm broken from a bullet, was captured that night by followers of Imam Ahmad, who had been led into the brush they had taken refuge in by an old woman.[5] However other accounts state Gama had stayed behind to look for a woman he had captured at the Battle of the Hill of the Jews with whom he became infatuated.[6] Nonetheless, he was then brought into the presence of the Imam Ahmad, who tortured and executed his captured opponent.[7]
A disagreement occurred between Ahmed Gran and his Ottoman musketeers at this point of victory on handling the Portuguese taken in the battle. The Ottomans wanted to use these prisoners as a negotiating tool in their ongoing talks with Lisbon, therefore they made the following demands that they are delivered unharmed into the care of Yemeni provincial officials. However, Ahmed Gran turned down this please and killed him with his own hands just hours after capturing da Gama. Furious, the Ottoman commander deserted Ahmed and headed back to Yemen with the majority of his forces.[8]
the battle prevented the establishment of a permanent military presence by the Portuguese in Ethiopia. Following the death of Christovo da Gama and the majority of his soldiers being either captured or slain, the Portuguese were hesitant to make any investments in the area thus making the red sea an ottoman lake.[9]
References
^Dennis Showalter, Early Modern Wars 1500–1775 [1]
^Dennis Showalter, Early Modern Wars 1500–1775 [2]
^Giancarlo Casale, The Ottoman Age of Exploration, p. 73
^ J. Bermudez, The Portuguese expedition to Abyssinia in 1541-1543 as narrated by Castanhoso.[3]
^R.S. Whiteway, editor and translator, The Portuguese Expedition to Abyssinia in 1441–1543, 1902. (Nendeln, Liechtenstein: Kraus Reprint, 1967), pp. 66f
^Makkham, C. E. (1867). The Portuguese Expeditions to Abyssinia in the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Centuries. Royal Geographical Society. p. 6.
battle, wofla, fought, august, 1542, near, lake, ashenge, wofla, ofla, between, portuguese, under, cristóvão, gama, forces, imam, ahmad, ibrahim, ghazi, reinforced, with, superiority, only, numbers, firearms, imam, ahmad, victorious, forced, portuguese, along,. The Battle of Wofla was fought on August 28 1542 near Lake Ashenge in Wofla Ofla between the Portuguese under Cristovao da Gama and the forces of Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al Ghazi Reinforced with a superiority not only in numbers but in firearms Imam Ahmad was victorious and forced the Portuguese along with Queen Seble Wongel and her retinue to flee their fortified encampment and leave their weapons behind Battle of WoflaPart of the Ethiopian Adal warDateAugust 28 1542LocationModern day Ofla EthiopiaResultAdal Ottoman victoryBelligerentsAdal Sultanate Ottoman EmpirePortuguese EmpireCommanders and leadersAhmad ibn Ibrihim al GhaziCristovao da Gama Strength2900 arquebusiers 2000 from Arabia and 900 Turks 1 300 Portuguese arquebusiers 2 Casualties and lossesUnknown200 killed 3 50 missing 4 While fleeing the battlefield with 14 soldiers Gama with his arm broken from a bullet was captured that night by followers of Imam Ahmad who had been led into the brush they had taken refuge in by an old woman 5 However other accounts state Gama had stayed behind to look for a woman he had captured at the Battle of the Hill of the Jews with whom he became infatuated 6 Nonetheless he was then brought into the presence of the Imam Ahmad who tortured and executed his captured opponent 7 A disagreement occurred between Ahmed Gran and his Ottoman musketeers at this point of victory on handling the Portuguese taken in the battle The Ottomans wanted to use these prisoners as a negotiating tool in their ongoing talks with Lisbon therefore they made the following demands that they are delivered unharmed into the care of Yemeni provincial officials However Ahmed Gran turned down this please and killed him with his own hands just hours after capturing da Gama Furious the Ottoman commander deserted Ahmed and headed back to Yemen with the majority of his forces 8 the battle prevented the establishment of a permanent military presence by the Portuguese in Ethiopia Following the death of Christovo da Gama and the majority of his soldiers being either captured or slain the Portuguese were hesitant to make any investments in the area thus making the red sea an ottoman lake 9 References Edit Dennis Showalter Early Modern Wars 1500 1775 1 Dennis Showalter Early Modern Wars 1500 1775 2 Giancarlo Casale The Ottoman Age of Exploration p 73 J Bermudez The Portuguese expedition to Abyssinia in 1541 1543 as narrated by Castanhoso 3 R S Whiteway editor and translator The Portuguese Expedition to Abyssinia in 1441 1543 1902 Nendeln Liechtenstein Kraus Reprint 1967 pp 66f Makkham C E 1867 The Portuguese Expeditions to Abyssinia in the Fifteenth Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries Royal Geographical Society p 6 Whiteway The Portuguese Expedition p 68 Giancarlo Casale The Ottoman Age of Exploration p 73 Giancarlo Casale p 74 This article about a battle in Ottoman history is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battle of Wofla amp oldid 1151373378, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
