Boqor ‘Isman resisted Italian annexation for nearly two years until 1927

Evidence

In the subjection of the northern protectorate, the Majerteyn sultanate proper, even with the large military resources at their disposal, the Italians encountered serious resistance. Boqor ‘Isman, though now an old man, was widely respected and his armed contingents had seen service during the Dervish period in which, like many of his countrymen, he had played a somewhat equivocal rôle. Faced with the demand to accept the new status assigned to himself and his people, he sought at first to temporize while mobilizing his followers. Hence, despite the overwhelming military superiority of his opponents, he was able to hold out against them for almost two years until the end of 1927, when all effective resistance was crushed and he gave himself up to receive the same treatment as that accorded to his kinsmen at Obbia. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 280

Categorization

  • XREF: Boqor ‘Isman’s equivocal Dervish-period role echoes the complicated clan alignments Lewis traces in earlier chapters. — connects to: Boqor ‘Isman held out two years against Italian military superiority; Italy subdued the Benadir by treaty, bribes, and moderate force by 1920 — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 258