chiefdom · Egypt, North Africa and Sudan
Abdallab Sheikhdom
Origins
The Abdallab descended from Abdallah Jamma, leader of the Qawasma Arabs, who allied with the Funj leader Amara Dunqas to destroy Alodia around 1504. Abdallah established his seat at Qerri, north of the confluence of the Blue and White Niles, controlling the routes north toward Egypt.
Rule and society
The Abdallab chiefs, titled manjil, ruled the Arab tribes and the northern provinces as viceroys of the Funj Sultanate, collecting tribute and controlling trade with Egypt. Ajib al-Kafuta, the most famous chief, sought greater independence and was killed by the Funj around 1611; afterwards the sheikhs remained subordinate but influential.
Decline and legacy
The Abdallab lost much of their power in the 18th century as the Hamaj regents dominated Sennar. In 1821 they submitted to the invading army of Egypt under Muhammad Ali, and the Turco-Egyptian Sudan absorbed their lands.
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- Abdallab Sheikhdom was a vassal of Funj Sultanate1504 CE – 1821 CE
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Abdallab Sheikhdom. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/abdallab-sheikhdom
- MLA
- “Abdallab Sheikhdom.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/abdallab-sheikhdom. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Abdallab Sheikhdom.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/abdallab-sheikhdom.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Abdallab Sheikhdom’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/abdallab-sheikhdom (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻