He was best known for having fought against Meneliks invasions during the early 1900's and having led the last major revolt against Italian colonial forces in the Banaadir region during the 1920's.
[1] Barsame was born 1853 in Ubaadi, a village 68 km west of Jowhar in the Middle Shebelle region of southern Somalia.
Barsane stayed there for three years, meeting along the way Sheikh Mohammed Salih, the leader of the Salihiyah.
During Meneliks invasions Barsane fought and defeated several thousand Abyssinian forces at Balad and Daafeet (Wanlaweyn district) in the early 1900's.
[4] The Governor of Italian Somaliland, Cesare Maria De Vecchi ordered Somalis to surrender their weapons during the 1920s.