British Somaliland

The Somaliland Protectorate, more informally and better known as British Somaliland, was created in 1884 and ruled by Great Britain until independence was won in 1960, when the Somali Republic was formed. Strategically important at the mouth of the Red Sea, Britain wanted to control this coastline of the Horn of Africa to maintain vital links between Europe and British India via the Suez Canal. The Somaliland Protectorate was the scene of a long and infamous rebellion to colonial rule led by the inspirational Muslim leader Sayyid Muḥammad 'Abdallāh Hassan, whom the British called the 'Mad Mullah.'