Sultanate of Showa

The Sultanate of Showa (Sultanate of Shewa) was a Muslim kingdom of uncertain historical origins situated in the territory of present-day Ethiopia. It was situated between the Ethiopian Highlands and the Awash River valley, approximately 70 km northeast of Addis Ababa in the vicinity of the town of Walale. This area roughly corresponds with the present-day North Shewa Zone.

There were nine recorded Sulṭāns of Showa (Shewa), who asserted descent from Wudd ibn Hisham al-Makhzumi. The Showa chronicle records two other names before Sulṭān Malasmaʿī (r. 1180–1183). However, it is not clear what is their relationship with the Makhzumi dynasty.

	Ruler Name	Reign	Note
1	Sulṭān Malasmaʿī	1180 - 1183
2	Sulṭān Ḥusein	1183 - 1193
3	Sulṭān ʿAbdallah	1193 - 1235
4	Sulṭān Maḥamed	1235 - 1239	Son of Sulṭān Ḥusein.
5	Sulṭān Ganah	1252 - 1262
5	Sulṭān Mālzarrah	1239 - 1252	Son of Sulṭān Maḥamed. Married Fatimah Aydargun, daughter of Sulṭān ʿAli "Baziwi" ʿUmar of the Sultanate of Ifat in 1245, and mother of Sultan Dilmārrah.
6	Sulṭān Girām-Gaz'i	1262 - 1263	Son of Sulṭān Ganah. Abdicated in favor of his elder brother.
7	Sulṭān Dil-Gāmis	1263 - 1278	Son of Sulṭān Ganah. He was deposed by Dilmārrah in 1269. He sought assistance from Yekuno Amlak in restoring his rule, and was briefly restored to the throne in July 1278, but was deposed again by August.
8	Sulṭān Dilmārrah	1269 - 1283	Son of Sulṭān Mālzarrah. He was half-Walashma on his mother's side, and also married a Walashma princess. When Yekuno Amlak overthrew him to re-install Dil-Gāmis in July 1278, the Sultanate of Ifat invaded and restored his rule. In 1280, Showa was incorporated into Ifat, and he was murdered in 1283, bringing a definitive end to the Sultanate of Showa.
9	Sulṭān ʿAbdallah	1279 - 1279	Son of Sulṭān Ganah. Briefly deposed Sulṭān Mālzarrah to restore the rule of the sons of Ganah. However, this rebellion was short lived, and Showa would be annexed into Ifat the following year.

See also

• Sultanate of Harar