Atlas of Battles

battle, early modern

Battle of Amba Sel

Battle of Amba Sel was a battle fought in 1531 at Bale Province, in what is now Ethiopia. Its exact site is not recorded; the atlas places it at Bale Province. It was part of the Ethiopian–Adal War, which ran from 1529 to 1543. The recorded result: Adalite victory. Recorded strength: 40,000 against 35,000.

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Fought1531
WhereBale Province, Ethiopia6.000N, 42.000E, placed at the location, approximate
OutcomeAdalite victory
BelligerentsEthiopian EmpireagainstAdal Sultanate
Casualties and losses8,000and2,500
Part ofEthiopian–Adal War1529 to 1543

Where it sits in the Ethiopian–Adal War

Battle of Badeqe, 1528Battle of Shimbra Kure, 1529Battle of Antukyah, 1531Battle of Amba Sel, 1531Battle of Massawa, 1541Battle of Sahart, 1541Battle of Baçente, 1542Battle of Jarte, 1542Battle of the Hill of the Jews, 1542Battle of Wayna Daga, 154315281543Battle of Amba Sel, 1531
10 placed engagements of the Ethiopian–Adal War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date1531 (year precision)
PlaceBale Province, Ethiopia
6.000N, 42.000E
KindBattle, early modern
Strength40,00035,000
Casualties and losses8,0002,500
Commanders
  • Dawit II
  • Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi
  • Garad Matan
Battle of Amba SelBattle of Amba SelGode100 km6.000N, 42.000E
Placed at Bale Province; the exact site is not recorded. with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1531

Battle of Amba Sel is one of 1,470 engagements of the 16th century in the atlas and one of 62 in present-day Ethiopia.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2887837, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Amba Sel, revision 1377579727, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.