Isma'il of Sennar

Isma'il (1768 - 1776) was a ruler of the Kingdom of Sennar. He was the son of king Badi IV.

The Scottish traveller James Bruce was his guest for most of 1772, and acted as a physician to Isma'il's three wives. [James Bruce, "Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile", selected and edited with an introduction by C.F. Beckingham (Edinburgh: University Press, 1964), pp. 229-236.] Burce left this portrait of Isma'il:

: His head was uncovered; he wore his own short black hair, and was as white in colour as an Arab. He seemed to be a man about thirty-four, his feet were bare but covered by his shirt. He had a very plebeian countenance, on which was stamped no decided character; I should rather have guessed him to be a soft, timid, irresolute man. [Bruce, "Travels", p. 229]

Bruce attributes to the Royal Executioner, Ahmed Sid el-Koum, the following summary of Isma'il's political position at the time of the traveller's visit:

: Ismain, the present king, stood upon very precarious ground; that both brothers, Adelan and Abou Kalec, were at the head of armies in the field; that Kittou [brother of Adelan and Abou Kalec] had at his disposal all the forces that were in Sennar; and that the king was little esteemed, and had neither experience, courage, friends, money, nor troops. [Bruce, "Travels", p. 238]

Notes

Succession |office=King of Sennar
preceded=Nasir
succeeded=Adlan II