Battle of Wofla

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Battle of Wofla
Part of Ethiopian–Adal War Turkish-Portuguese War (1538-1557)
Date August 28, 1542 Location modern Wofla, Ethiopia Result Adal victory
Belligerents
Adal Sultanate Ottoman Empire	Kingdom of Portugal Ethiopian Empire
Commanders
Imam Ahmad Gragn	Cristovão da Gama
Strength
between 600-900 Ottoman musketeers, 20 Ottoman horsemen, several thousand foot	about 290 Portuguese musketeers, unknown number of Ethiopian infantry
Casualties and losses
unknown	160 Portuguese killed, unknown number of Ethiopians; many wounded

v • d • e Ethiopian-Adal War Shimbra Kure – Antukyah – Amba Sel – Sahart – Jarte – Wofla – Wayna Daga

The Battle of Wofla was fought on August 28, 1542 near Lake Ashenge in Wofla (or Ofla) in the modern Ethiopian Region of Tigray (previously part of Wollo; its incorporation into Tigray instead of Amhara is therefore disputed), between the Portuguese under Cristovão da Gama and the forces of Imam Ahmad Gragn. Reinforced with a superiority not only in numbers but in firearms, Ahmad Gragn was victorious and forced the Portuguese, along with Queen Sabla Wengel and her retinue, to flee their fortified encampment and leave their weapons behind.

While fleeing the battlefield with 14 soldiers, da Gama was captured by followers of Ahmad Gragn, who had been led into the brush they had taken refuge in by an old woman.^[1] He was then brought into the presence of the Imam Ahmad Gragn, who tortured his captured opponent, then in the end the Imam drew his sword and cut off da Gama's head with his own hand.^[2]

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