Askiya Dynasty
Encyclopedia
The Askiya Dynasty, also known as the Askia Dynasty, ruled the Songhai Empire
at the height of that state's power. It was founded in 1493 by Askia Mohammad I
, a general of the Songhai Empire who usurped the Sonni Dynasty
. The Askiya ruled from Gao
over the vast Songhai Empire until its defeat by a Moroccan invasion force in 1591. After the defeat, the dynasty moved south back to its homeland in the Dendi region of modern Niger
. There they established the Dendi Kingdom
and ruled until the beginning of the 20th century.
's death in 1492, one of his sons, Sonni Baru, became ruler of the Songhay Empire. He was immediately challenged for the leadership by Muhammad (son of Abi Bakr) who had been one of Sonni Ali's military commanders. In 1493 Muhammad defeated Sonni Baru in battle and in so doing brought an end to the Sonni Dynasty
. Muhammad adopted the title of 'Askiya'. The origin of the word is not known. The Tarikh al-Sudan gives a 'folk etymology' and explains that the word derives from a Songhay expression meaning "He shall not be it" used by the sisters of Sunni Ali. The Tarikh al-fattash
, in contrast, mentions that the title had been used previously. The early use of the title is supported by the discovery of tombstones (stellae) with the Askiya title dating from the 13th century in a cemetery in Gao
.
A patrilineal system of succession was used in which power passed to brothers before passing to the next generation. Some of the Askiya rulers had a large number of children creating great competition and sometimes fratricide
. Margin notes in one manuscript of the Tarikh al-Sudan indicates that Askiya al-hajj Muhammad had 471 children while Askiya Dawud had 333. The Tarikh al-fattash states that Askiya Dawud had 'at least 61 children', of whom more than 30 died as infants.
At the time of the Moroccan invasion in 1591, the empire was ruled by Askia Ishaq II
. After his defeat, Askiya Ishaq II was deposed by his brother, Askiya Muhammad Gao. The Moroccan military leader, Pasha Mahmud, set a trap for Askiya Muhammad Gao and gave orders for him to be killed. Sulayman, another brother of Askia Ishaq II, then agreed to cooperate with the Moroccan army and was appointed as a puppet Askiya in Timbuktu
. Yet another brother, Nuh, became Askiya in Dendi, a region south of the modern town of Say
in Niger. From Dendi Askiya Nuh organised a campaign of resistance against the Moroccan forces.
's partial translation of the Tarikh al-Sudan ends in 1613. Hunwick includes a genealogy of the Askiya dynasty up to this date. The later sections of the Tarikh al-Sudan are available in a translation into French made by Octave Houdas which was published in 1898-1900. Information on the dynasty after 1656 is provided by the Tadhkirat al-Nisyan. This is an anonymous biographical dictionary of the Moroccan rulers of Timbuktu written in around 1750. For the earlier entries the text is copied directly from the Tarikh al-Sudan. The Tadhkirat al-Nisyan also provides some information on the collaborating Askiya rulers based in Timbuktu. Elias Saad has published a genealogy of the Askiya dynasty.
After the conquest of areas of West Africa at the end of the 19th century, the French government commissioned Jean Tilho to undertake a survey of the people in the occupied territories. In the Denki region the rulers of the small towns of Karimama, Madékali and Gaya
claimed descent from the Askiya dynasty of Gao. These town are near the modern border between Niger
and Benin
. The published report provides a genealogy but does not indicated how the information was obtained nor whether it is likely to be reliable. At the time of Askiya Fodi Maÿroumfa (ruled 1798-1805) the Dendi kingdom split into three separate kingdoms with capitals in the above three towns.
.
Moroccan Conquest: 1591
The report of the Tilho commission includes a list of rulers of Gao and then of Gaya in the region of Dendi. The early names do not match those in the lists above. The spelling below is as used in the report.
French conquest: 1901
Songhai Empire
The Songhai Empire, also known as the Songhay Empire, was a state located in western Africa. From the early 15th to the late 16th century, Songhai was one of the largest Islamic empires in history. This empire bore the same name as its leading ethnic group, the Songhai. Its capital was the city...
at the height of that state's power. It was founded in 1493 by Askia Mohammad I
Askia Mohammad I
Askia the Great was a Soninke emperor of the Songhai Empire in the late 15th century, the successor of Sunni Ali Ber. Askia Muhammad strengthened his country and made it the largest country in West Africa's history...
, a general of the Songhai Empire who usurped the Sonni Dynasty
Sonni Dynasty
The Sonni Dynasty or Sunni Dynasty was a dynasty of rulers of the Songhai Empire of medieval West Africa. The first ruler of the dynasty, Sunni Ali Kulun probably reigned at the end of the fourteenth century...
. The Askiya ruled from Gao
Gao
Gao is a town in eastern Mali on the River Niger lying ESE of Timbuktu. Situated on the left bank of the river at the junction with the Tilemsi valley, it is the capital of the Gao Region and had a population of 86,663 in 2009....
over the vast Songhai Empire until its defeat by a Moroccan invasion force in 1591. After the defeat, the dynasty moved south back to its homeland in the Dendi region of modern Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
. There they established the Dendi Kingdom
Dendi Kingdom
The Dendi Kingdom was a pre-colonial West African state in modern-day Niger founded by the Songhai people after the collapse of their empire Songhai.-The Rise & Fall of Gao:...
and ruled until the beginning of the 20th century.
Historical background
After Sonni AliSonni Ali
Sonni Ali, also known as Sunni Ali Ber or "Sunni Ali", was born Ali Kolon. He reigned from about 1464 to 1492. Sunni Ali was the first king of the Songhai Empire, located in west Africa and the 15th ruler of the Sonni dynasty...
's death in 1492, one of his sons, Sonni Baru, became ruler of the Songhay Empire. He was immediately challenged for the leadership by Muhammad (son of Abi Bakr) who had been one of Sonni Ali's military commanders. In 1493 Muhammad defeated Sonni Baru in battle and in so doing brought an end to the Sonni Dynasty
Sonni Dynasty
The Sonni Dynasty or Sunni Dynasty was a dynasty of rulers of the Songhai Empire of medieval West Africa. The first ruler of the dynasty, Sunni Ali Kulun probably reigned at the end of the fourteenth century...
. Muhammad adopted the title of 'Askiya'. The origin of the word is not known. The Tarikh al-Sudan gives a 'folk etymology' and explains that the word derives from a Songhay expression meaning "He shall not be it" used by the sisters of Sunni Ali. The Tarikh al-fattash
Tarikh al-fattash
The Tarikh al-fattash is a chronicle written in Arabic in the second half of the 17th century. It provides an account of the Songhay Empire from the reign of Sonni Ali up to 1599 with a few references to events in the following century. The chronicle also mentions the earlier Mali Empire. Octave...
, in contrast, mentions that the title had been used previously. The early use of the title is supported by the discovery of tombstones (stellae) with the Askiya title dating from the 13th century in a cemetery in Gao
Gao
Gao is a town in eastern Mali on the River Niger lying ESE of Timbuktu. Situated on the left bank of the river at the junction with the Tilemsi valley, it is the capital of the Gao Region and had a population of 86,663 in 2009....
.
A patrilineal system of succession was used in which power passed to brothers before passing to the next generation. Some of the Askiya rulers had a large number of children creating great competition and sometimes fratricide
Fratricide
Fratricide is the act of a person killing his or her brother....
. Margin notes in one manuscript of the Tarikh al-Sudan indicates that Askiya al-hajj Muhammad had 471 children while Askiya Dawud had 333. The Tarikh al-fattash states that Askiya Dawud had 'at least 61 children', of whom more than 30 died as infants.
At the time of the Moroccan invasion in 1591, the empire was ruled by Askia Ishaq II
Askia Ishaq II
Askia Ishaq II was ruler of the Songhai Empire from 1588 to 1591.Ishaq came to power in a long dynastic struggle following the death of the long-ruling Askia Daoud. Sensing the Empire's weakness, Moroccan Sultan Ahmad I al-Mansur Saadi dispatched a 4,000-man force under the Islamicized Spaniard...
. After his defeat, Askiya Ishaq II was deposed by his brother, Askiya Muhammad Gao. The Moroccan military leader, Pasha Mahmud, set a trap for Askiya Muhammad Gao and gave orders for him to be killed. Sulayman, another brother of Askia Ishaq II, then agreed to cooperate with the Moroccan army and was appointed as a puppet Askiya in Timbuktu
Timbuktu
Timbuktu , formerly also spelled Timbuctoo, is a town in the West African nation of Mali situated north of the River Niger on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. The town is the capital of the Timbuktu Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali...
. Yet another brother, Nuh, became Askiya in Dendi, a region south of the modern town of Say
Say, Niger
Say is a town in southwest Niger, situated on the Niger River. It is the capital of the Say Department in the Tillabéri Region. The municipality has 12,000 inhabitants, and its economy is dominated by agriculture, herding and small trade.-Overview:...
in Niger. From Dendi Askiya Nuh organised a campaign of resistance against the Moroccan forces.
Sources
The 17th century Timbuktu chronicles, the Tarikh al-Sudan and the Tarikh al-Fattash, provide dates for the reigns of the Askiyas from the time of Askiya Muhammad usurping the leadership until the Moroccan conquest in 1591. The Tarikh al-Fattash ends in 1599 while the Tarikh al-Sudan provides information on the Askiyas in Timbuktu up to 1656. John HunwickJohn Hunwick
John Owen Hunwick is a noted professor, author, Africanist. He has published several books, articles and journals in the African Studies field. He is currently Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University having retired in 2004 after 23 years of service.-Biography:Born 1936 in Chard, Somerset, in...
's partial translation of the Tarikh al-Sudan ends in 1613. Hunwick includes a genealogy of the Askiya dynasty up to this date. The later sections of the Tarikh al-Sudan are available in a translation into French made by Octave Houdas which was published in 1898-1900. Information on the dynasty after 1656 is provided by the Tadhkirat al-Nisyan. This is an anonymous biographical dictionary of the Moroccan rulers of Timbuktu written in around 1750. For the earlier entries the text is copied directly from the Tarikh al-Sudan. The Tadhkirat al-Nisyan also provides some information on the collaborating Askiya rulers based in Timbuktu. Elias Saad has published a genealogy of the Askiya dynasty.
After the conquest of areas of West Africa at the end of the 19th century, the French government commissioned Jean Tilho to undertake a survey of the people in the occupied territories. In the Denki region the rulers of the small towns of Karimama, Madékali and Gaya
Gaya, Niger
Gaya is a city in the Dosso Region of Niger. The city is situated 254 km southeast of the capital, Niamey, is located on the banks of the Niger River, and is near the borders with Benin and Nigeria. Gaya has a population of 28,385 . The wettest area in Niger, Gaya averages 800 mm in...
claimed descent from the Askiya dynasty of Gao. These town are near the modern border between Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
and Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
. The published report provides a genealogy but does not indicated how the information was obtained nor whether it is likely to be reliable. At the time of Askiya Fodi Maÿroumfa (ruled 1798-1805) the Dendi kingdom split into three separate kingdoms with capitals in the above three towns.
Askiya Dynasty of the Songhai Empire
The names and dates of reigns listed below are those given in the translation of the Tarikh al-Sudan from Arabic into English by John HunwickJohn Hunwick
John Owen Hunwick is a noted professor, author, Africanist. He has published several books, articles and journals in the African Studies field. He is currently Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University having retired in 2004 after 23 years of service.-Biography:Born 1936 in Chard, Somerset, in...
.
- Askiya al-hajj Muhammad, son of Abi BakrAskia Mohammad IAskia the Great was a Soninke emperor of the Songhai Empire in the late 15th century, the successor of Sunni Ali Ber. Askia Muhammad strengthened his country and made it the largest country in West Africa's history...
: 1493-1529 - Askiya Musa, son of Askiya al-hajj MuhammadAskia MusaAskia Musa or Askiya Musa was a Soninke ruler of the Songhai Empire in the 16th century. He deposed his aging father Askia Mohammad I in 1529 in a bloodless coup. He then battled to retain his position, killing a number of his brothers and between 25 and 35 of his cousins. In 1531 a group of his...
: 1529-1531 - Askiya Muhammad Bonkana, son of Umar KomadiakhaAskia Mohammad BenkanAskia Mohammad Benkan, also Askiya Muhammad Bonkana, ruled the Songhai Empire from 1531 to April 1537. After Mohammad Benkan's uncle, the founder of the dynasty, Askia Mohammad, had grown old, his son Askia Musa deposed him in a bloodless coup, assuming the throne himself.Shocked by Musa's ruthless...
: 1531-1537 - Askiya Isma'il, son of Askiya al-hajj Muhammad: 1537-1539
- Askiya Ishaq I, son of Askiya al-hajj MuhammadAskia Ishaq IAskia Ishaq I was ruler of the Songhai Empire from 1539 to 1549, elected Askia following the death of Askiya Ismail. He was the fifth ruler of the Askiya Dynasty which had the town of Gao as its capital....
: 1539-1549 - Askiya Dawud, son of Askiya al-hajj MuhammadAskia DaoudAskia Daoud was ruler of the Songhai Empire from 1549 to 1582. Daoud came to power unopposed following the death of his brother Askia Ishaq I in 1549. The Empire continued to expand under Daoud's rule, and saw little internal strife.He organised a series of military campaigns against tributary...
: 1549-1582 or -1583 - Askiya [Muhammad] Al-Hajj, son of Askiya Dawud: 1582-1586
- Askiya Muhammed Bani, son of Askiya Dawud: 1586-1588
- Askiya Ishaq II, son of Askiya DawudAskia Ishaq IIAskia Ishaq II was ruler of the Songhai Empire from 1588 to 1591.Ishaq came to power in a long dynastic struggle following the death of the long-ruling Askia Daoud. Sensing the Empire's weakness, Moroccan Sultan Ahmad I al-Mansur Saadi dispatched a 4,000-man force under the Islamicized Spaniard...
: 1588-1592
Moroccan Conquest: 1591
Askiya Dynasty in Timbuktu
These are the Askiya rulers appointed by the Moroccans. The dates are from the Tadhkirat al-Nisyan. The spelling generally follows that used by Elias Saad.- Askiya Sulayman, son of Dawud: 1592-1604
- Askiya Harun, son of Al-Hajj: 1604-1608
- Askiya Bakr Kanbu, son of Yaqub: 1608-1619
- Askiya Al-Hajj, son of Kisha: 1619-1621
- Askiya Muhammad Bankanu, son of Muhammad al-Sadiq: 1621-1735
- Askiya Ali Zalil, son of Kisha: 1635
- Askiya Muhammad Bankanu, son of Muhammad al-Sadiq: 1635-1642
- Askiya Al-Hajj, son of Muhammad Bankanu: 1642-1657
- Askiya Dawud, son of Harun: 1657-1668
- Askiya Muhammad al-Sadiq, son of Al-Hajj: 1668-1684
- Askiya Muhammad, son of Al-Hajj: 1684-1702
- Askiya Abd al-Rahman, son of Umar: 1705-1709
- Askiya Bakr, son of Muhammad al-Sadiq: 1709-1718
- Askiya Al-Mukhtar, son of Shams: 1718-1724
- Askiya Al-Hajj, son of Bakr: 1730-1748
- Askiya Mahmud, son of Ammar: 1748- ?
Askiya Dynasty of the Dendi Kingdom
The Tarikh al-Sudan includes a list of the Askiya rulers of Dendi. They were all descendants of Askiya Dawud who had ruled in Gao between 1549 and 1582. The list of Askiyas provides no dates but in a few cases the list specifies the length of their reigns. Most of the Askiyas based in Dendi are not mentioned elsewhere in the Tarikh al-Sudan, but for those that are, it is sometimes possible to date their reigns. There were usually succession struggles and some of the reigns were very short. In 1639 Pasha Mesaoud sacked the town of Lulami in Dendi where Askia Ismail was based. The location of Lulami is not known and the chronicle does not specify whether Lulami was a permanent capital. The Tadhkirat al-Nisyan makes no mention of Dendi or its rulers.- Askiya Muhammad Gao, son of Dawud: 1592
- Askiya Nuh I, son of Dawud: c. 1592-1599
- Askiya al-Mustafa, son of Dawud
- Askiya Muhammad Sorko-ije, son of Dawud
- Askiya Harun Dankataya, son of Dawud
- Askiya al-Amin, son of Dawud: 1611-1618
- Askiya Dawud II, son of Muhammad Bano: 1618-1639
- Askiya Ismail, son of Muhammad Bano: c. 1639
- Askiya Muhammad, son of Anasa: 1639
- Askiya Dawud III, son of Muhammad Sorko-ije: 1639-
- Askiya Muhammad Borgo, son of Harun Dankataya
- Askiya Mar-Chindin, son of Fari-Mondzo Hammad
- Askiya Nuh II, son of al-Mustafa
- Askiya Muhammad Al-Borko, son of Dawud II
- Askiya Al-Hajj, son of Dawud II
- Askiya Ismail, son of Muhammad Sorko-ije
- Askiya Dawud III, son of Muhammad Sorko-ije: in power in c. 1655 when the Tarikh al-Sudan was written
The report of the Tilho commission includes a list of rulers of Gao and then of Gaya in the region of Dendi. The early names do not match those in the lists above. The spelling below is as used in the report.
- Askiya Maammarou, son of Kasseï: legendary ruler of the dynasty (based in Gao)
- Askiya Daouda, son of Maammarou (based in Gao)
- Askiya Karbachi Binta, son of Daouda (based in Gao)
- Askiya Morobani, son of Daouda (based in Gao)
- Askiya El Hadjj Hanga, son of Ismaïla, son of Morobani: -1761 (came from Gao to Dendi)
- Askiya Samsou-Béri, son of El Hadjj Hanga: 1761-1779
- Askiya Hargani, son of El Hadjj Hanga: 1779-1793
- Askiya Samsou Keïna, son of Morobani: 1793-1798
- Askiya Fodi Maÿroumfa, son of Samsou-Béri: 1798-1805
- Askiya Tomo, son of Samsou-Béri: 1805-1823
- Askiya Bassarou Missi Izé, son of Samsou-Béri: 1823-1842
- Askiya Boumi a.k.a. Askia Kodama Komi, son of Samsou-Béri: 1842-1845
- Askiya Koïzé Babba, son of Tomo: 1845-1864
- Askiya Koïzé Babba Baki, son of Fodi Maÿroumfa: 1864-1865
- Askiya Ouankoÿ, son of Tomo: 1865-1868
- Askiya Biyo Birma, son of Tomo: 1868-1882
- Askiya Doauda, son of Bassarou: 1882-1887
- Askiya Malla, son of Tomo: 1887-1901
- Askiya Igoumou, son of Bassarou: 1901-1905
French conquest: 1901