Battle of Gomit
The Battle of Gomit, also known as the Battle of Aifars or Ayfars, was fought on 25 December 1445 between the Ethiopian Empire and a powerful Muslim army under the Adal Sultanate. The Ethiopians were led by Emperor Zara Yaqob, while the forces of Adal were led by Sultan Badlay ibn Sa'ad ad-Din. The Ethiopian army was victorious, and Badlay was slain. After dismembering the Adal sultan's body and plundering his treasures, the Emperor of Ethiopia decided not to conquer the Adalites, believing they were outside of the Christian boundry and shouldn't be included in his kingdom. Background
Badlay first invaded the Ethiopian province of Dawaro in 1443, and again in 1445, but while in Dago, the Emperor Zara Yaqob received news that the Sultan Badlay ibn Sa'ad ad-Din had embarked on a war against him. He then marched south with the army of his vassal Hassab Bawassan. Garad Mohammed, the governor of Hadiya Province and the emperor's father in-law, offered his help to both the sultan and the emperor. The emperor, who suspected the Garad of dessertion due to his Muslim faith, ordered him to camp near Ayfars while the trusting sultan was deceived. Battle
After arriving near the camp of the sultan, the emperor was afraid seeing the size of the Adalite army which greatly outnumbered his. The emperor then prayed to God to help him and the small force he had with him win the day. Despite being advised against an assault, especially as "he had made no plan of battle, and had not even arrayed himself in his panoply of war," the king, putting his confidence in God, ordered the sounding of battle-drums and trumpets, and attacked the Adalites, quickly breaking through their lines. The sultan, who didn't expect Zara Yaqob to lead his army in person, was greatly disturbed as the emperor approached him. A soldier shot an arrow at Badlay, which he caught mid-air. He then leapt towards the emperor attempting to capture him, with Zara Yaqob driving a spear through his neck. At this sight, the Muslim army panicked and started to flee, after which the Christian warriors fell upon them, massacring many of them. The remaining Adalite forces retreated, led by the sultan's brother Kayr ad-Din. While attempting to cross the Awash River, they were ambushed and slaughtered by an Abyssinian nobleman named Djan Sagana, who sent Kayr ad-Din's severed head to the emperor. Zara Yaqob rejoiced at the miracle which he associated with Christ's birthday, "the 29th day of the month Tashāsh." Aftermath
The Royal Chronicle of Zara Yaqob reports that the emperor cut Badlay's body into pieces and sent the parts to different parts of his realm: his head to a place called "Amba", and other parts of his body to Axum, Manhadbe (possibly the Manadeley Francisco Álvares visited in the 1520s), Wasel (near modern Dessie), Jejeno (likely Mekane Selassie), Lawo (possibly Lawo Gabaya), and Wiz (location unknown). The king rewarded Mehmad, the Garad of Hadya, with robes of honour, and all the loot taken from Badlay's camp was divided among the churches of Dabra Metmak, Seyon and other sanctuaries. Then Zara Yaqob returned to his native village of Telk in the province of Fatigar, building a temple for Saint Michael, and in the place where his father lived, two other churches, Martula Mika'el and 'Asada Mika’el. Finally, in 'Enzarda he built a church called Dabra Sehin. The property of the initially successful Badlay and his wife, including his robes of all colours, were shared given to various monasteries after his defeat. Despite his brilliant victory, Zara Yaqob did not try to colonize Adal and include it within the Christian kingdom. He considered Adal "the land of the Muslims outside the Christian boundary." Following the battle, the chronicles record that Emperor Zara Yacoq started garrisoning the provinces with Chewa regiments. References

Battles involving Ethiopia
15th century in Ethiopia
Battles of the Middle Ages
Conflicts in 1445
Battles of the Abyssinian–Adal war