Passion or Profession: Nationalist, Poet

Period: 1864–1920

In the early 1900s, Hasan sought to rid Somalila of outside influences by leading a rebellion against the colonial powers there: Italy, Britain, and Ethiopia. He attracted devoted supporters through his skill as an orator and poet. His successes on the battlefield also gained him recognition. The colonial powers were forced to retreat to the south until Hassan’s death in 1920.