House of Guled (Somali: Reer Guuleed, Wadaad's writing: ريرْ گُليدْArabic: الغوليديين, romanized: al-Ghulīdiyīn) was the ruling house of the Isaaq Sultanate from 1750 to 1884 and is also a subclan in its own right. The family are descendants of the Eidagale sub division of the wider Garhajis and in extension Isaaq clan-family. Although they no longer hold any authority, they are the royal house of Somaliland and are viewed as a favoured symbol in the country. In July 2021, Sultan Mahamed Abdiqadir had a state funeral with nationwide media coverage and was attended by high government officials, including the president of Somaliland; Muse Bihi Abdi[1] and foreign dignitaries.
The Guled dynasty was established in the middle of the 18th century by Sultan Guled of the Eidagale line of the Garhajis clan. His coronation took place after the victorious battle of Lafaruug in which his father, a religious mullah Abdi Eisa successfully led the Isaaq in battle and defeated the Absame tribes near Berbera where a century earlier the Isaaq clan expanded into. After witnessing his leadership and courage, the Isaaq chiefs recognized his father Abdi who refused the position instead relegating the title to his underage son Guled while the father acted as the regent till the son come of age. Guled was crowned as the first Sultan of the Isaaq clan in July 1750.[2] Sultan Guled thus ruled the Isaaq up until his death in 1808,[2] where he was succeeded by his eldest son Farah full brother of Yuusuf and Du'ale, all from Guled's fourth wife Ambaro Me'ad Gadid.[3]
