Kingdom of Kano
Encyclopedia
The Kingdom of Kano was a Hausa
kingdom in the north of what is now Nigeria
that dates back before 1000 AD, and lasted until the Fulani jihad in 1805. The kingdom was then replaced by the Kano Emirate
, subject to the Sokoto Caliphate. The capital is now the modern city of Kano
in Kano State
.
, located in the Sudanian Savanna
region that stretches across the south of the Sahel
.
The city lies near where the Kano
and Challawa rivers flowing from the southwest converge to form the Hadejia River
, which eventually flows into Lake Chad
to the east.
The climate is hot all year round.
Rainfall is variable, ranging from 350mm to 1,300mm annually with the mean around 950mm, almost all falling during June–September period.
Traditionally agriculture was based on lifting water to irrigate small parcels of land along river channels in the dry season, known as the Shadouf system.
At the time when the kingdom was flourishing, tree cover would have been more extensive and the soil less degraded than it is today.
, a compilation of oral tradition and some older documents composed in the nineteenth century, as well as more recently conducted archaeology.
In the 7th century, Dala Hill, a hill in Kano, was the site of a community that engaged in iron-working. It is unknown whether these were Hausa people or speakers of Niger–Congo languages
.
Some sources say they were Hausa speaking hunter/gatherers known as Abagayawa who migrated from Gaya
.
The Arab geographer al-Yaqubi, writing in 872/873 CE (AH 259), describes a kingdom called "HBShH" with a city named "ThBYR" ruled by a king called "MRH" (none of these words are vocalized, so their actual pronunciation can vary), located between the Niger Bend and the Kingdom of Kanem. If the kingdom's name is vocalized as "Habasha" it would correspond with other Arabic language texts that also appear to refer to the Hausa, and would be the earliest reference to the Hausa region.
Kano was originally known as Dala, after the hill, and was referred to as such as late as the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th by Bornoan
sources.
The Kano Chronicle
identifies Barbushe, a priest of a Dalla Hill spirit, as the city's first settler. (Elizabeth Isichei notes that the description of Barbushe is similar to those of Sao people
.)
According to the Kano Chronicle, Bagauda, a grandson of the mythical hero Bayajidda
,became the first Hausa king of Kano in 999, reigning until 1063.
His grandson Gijimasu (1095–1134), the third king, began building city walls at the foot of Dalla Hill, and Gijimasu's son, Tsaraki (1136–1194), the fifth king, completed them during his reign.
The Bagauda family steadily extended the kingdom through conquest of nearby communities. They established numerous sub-rulers, with titles starting with "Dan", of which the most important was "Dan Iya".
Yaji (1349–85) conquered Rano, introduced Islam, bringing in holy men from Wangara, presumably Mali. He extended Kano's reach and launched an unsuccessful expedition into the Kwarafa
region. According to the Kano Chronicle, Queen Amina
of Zaria and Kano fought during the reign of Dauda (1421–38), though other sources put her reign in the sixteenth century. One of the features of his reign and particularly that of his successor Abdulahi Burja (1438–52) was nearly constant war to the south, in which thousands of people were enslaved and brought to Kano, greatly expanding its population.
ascended to the throne in 1463 and reigned until 1499.
Some historians consider that he was a member of the Bagauda family, while others consider he was an invader, since he was called Balaraban Sarki, the Arab King.
During his reign, he reformed the city, expanded the Sahelian Gidan Rumfa
(Emir's Palace), and played a role in the further Islamization of the city as he urged prominent residents to convert.
The Kano Chronicle attributes a total of twelve "innovations" to Rumfa.
The most notable was the council of state made up of nine titled officials.
Rumfa introduced ceremonies such as Hawan Sallah, a procession on the days of Muslim festivals, and regalia that are still part of the Kano heritage.
The noted Arabic scholar and jurist Shaykh al-Maghili of Rumfa's reign was perhaps the first of the Sharifai, scholars and descendants of the prophet who still hold positions of honor in modern-day Kano.
According to the Kano Chronicle, the thirty-seventh Sarkin Kano (King of Kano) was Mohammed Sharef (1703–1731). His successor, Kumbari dan Sharefa
(1731–1743), engaged in major battles with the Sokoto Caliphate.
Sokoto finally established control during the Fulani jihad, when followers of Shehu Usman dan Fodio
, a religious reformer, rose across what is now northern Nigeria.
Muhammad al-Walid, the last Sarki of the Kutumbi Dynasty, was deposed in 1805 and Kano became an emirate subject to Sokoto
.
Hausa people
The Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. They are a Sahelian people chiefly located in northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, but having significant numbers living in regions of Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Sudan...
kingdom in the north of what is now Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
that dates back before 1000 AD, and lasted until the Fulani jihad in 1805. The kingdom was then replaced by the Kano Emirate
Kano Emirate
The Kano Emirate is a traditional state in Northern Nigeria with headquarters in the city of Kano, capital of the modern Kano State.The Emirate was formed in 1805 during the Fulani jihad, when the old Hausa Kingdom of Kano became subject to the Sokoto Caliphate.During and after the colonial period...
, subject to the Sokoto Caliphate. The capital is now the modern city of Kano
Kano
Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
in Kano State
Kano State
Kano State is a state located in North-Western Nigeria. Created on May 27, 1967 from part of the Northern Region, Kano state borders Katsina State to the north-west, Jigawa State to the north-east, Bauchi State to the south-east and Kaduna State to the south-west...
.
Location
Kano lies to the north of the Jos PlateauJos Plateau
The Jos Plateau is a plateau located near the center of Nigeria. It covers 8600 km² and is bounded by 300-600 meter escarpments around much of its circumference. With an average altitude of 1280 metres and its highest point is Shere Hills 1829 meters...
, located in the Sudanian Savanna
Sudanian Savanna
The Sudanian Savanna is a broad belt of tropical savanna that runs east and west across the African continent, from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Ethiopian Highlands in the east. The Sahel, a belt of drier grasslands and acacia savannas, lies to the north, between the Sudanian Savanna and...
region that stretches across the south of the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
.
The city lies near where the Kano
Kano River
The is a 1st class river in Shizuoka Prefecture of cenral Japan. It is 46 km long and has a watershed of 853 km².The Kano River rises from Mount Amagi in central Izu Peninsula and follows a generally northern path into Suruga Bay at Numazu. The Izu Peninsula is characterized by heavy...
and Challawa rivers flowing from the southwest converge to form the Hadejia River
Hadejia River
The Hadejia River is a river in northern Nigeria and is a tributary of the Yobe River .Among the cities and towns that lie on or near its banks are Hadejia and Nguru....
, which eventually flows into Lake Chad
Lake Chad
Lake Chad is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Africa, whose size has varied over the centuries. According to the Global Resource Information Database of the United Nations Environment Programme, it shrank as much as 95% from about 1963 to 1998; yet it also states that "the 2007 ...
to the east.
The climate is hot all year round.
Rainfall is variable, ranging from 350mm to 1,300mm annually with the mean around 950mm, almost all falling during June–September period.
Traditionally agriculture was based on lifting water to irrigate small parcels of land along river channels in the dry season, known as the Shadouf system.
At the time when the kingdom was flourishing, tree cover would have been more extensive and the soil less degraded than it is today.
Early history
Our knowledge of the early history of Kano comes largely from the Kano ChronicleKano Chronicle
The Kano Chronicle is a written account of the history of the Hausa people who inhabit northern Nigeria. Although it relates only to Kano, it is typically drawn upon to explain the early history of the Hausa as a whole...
, a compilation of oral tradition and some older documents composed in the nineteenth century, as well as more recently conducted archaeology.
In the 7th century, Dala Hill, a hill in Kano, was the site of a community that engaged in iron-working. It is unknown whether these were Hausa people or speakers of Niger–Congo languages
Niger–Congo languages
The Niger–Congo languages constitute one of the world's major language families, and Africa's largest in terms of geographical area, number of speakers, and number of distinct languages. They may constitute the world's largest language family in terms of distinct languages, although this question...
.
Some sources say they were Hausa speaking hunter/gatherers known as Abagayawa who migrated from Gaya
Gaya, Nigeria
Gaya is a Local Government Area in Kano State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Gaya in the north of the area.It has an area of 613 km² and a population of 201,016 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 713.-History:...
.
The Arab geographer al-Yaqubi, writing in 872/873 CE (AH 259), describes a kingdom called "HBShH" with a city named "ThBYR" ruled by a king called "MRH" (none of these words are vocalized, so their actual pronunciation can vary), located between the Niger Bend and the Kingdom of Kanem. If the kingdom's name is vocalized as "Habasha" it would correspond with other Arabic language texts that also appear to refer to the Hausa, and would be the earliest reference to the Hausa region.
Kano was originally known as Dala, after the hill, and was referred to as such as late as the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th by Bornoan
Bornu Empire
The Bornu Empire was an African state of Nigeria from 1396 to 1893. It was a continuation of the great Kanem Empire founded centuries earlier by the Sayfawa Dynasty...
sources.
The Kano Chronicle
Kano Chronicle
The Kano Chronicle is a written account of the history of the Hausa people who inhabit northern Nigeria. Although it relates only to Kano, it is typically drawn upon to explain the early history of the Hausa as a whole...
identifies Barbushe, a priest of a Dalla Hill spirit, as the city's first settler. (Elizabeth Isichei notes that the description of Barbushe is similar to those of Sao people
Sao civilisation
The Sao were an African civilisation that flourished from ca. the 6th century to as late as the 15th century. The Sao lived by the Chari River south of Lake Chad in territory that would later be part of Cameroon and Chad. They are the earliest people to have left clear traces of their presence in...
.)
According to the Kano Chronicle, Bagauda, a grandson of the mythical hero Bayajidda
Bayajidda
Bayajidda is a character from the tradional history of the Hausa people of Nigeria and the central figure of the Bayajidda Legend. The various versions of the legend differ on major points, but generally agree that early immigrants came to the western region of Lake Chad from the Near East.Most...
,became the first Hausa king of Kano in 999, reigning until 1063.
His grandson Gijimasu (1095–1134), the third king, began building city walls at the foot of Dalla Hill, and Gijimasu's son, Tsaraki (1136–1194), the fifth king, completed them during his reign.
The Bagauda family steadily extended the kingdom through conquest of nearby communities. They established numerous sub-rulers, with titles starting with "Dan", of which the most important was "Dan Iya".
Yaji (1349–85) conquered Rano, introduced Islam, bringing in holy men from Wangara, presumably Mali. He extended Kano's reach and launched an unsuccessful expedition into the Kwarafa
Jukun people (West Africa)
Jukun are an ethno-linguistic group or ethnic nation in West Africa. The Jukun are traditionally located in Taraba State, Nigeria and parts of northwestern Cameroon. They are descendants of the people of the Kwararafa kingdom. most of the tribes in the north central of Nigeria trace their origin to...
region. According to the Kano Chronicle, Queen Amina
Amina
Amina Sukhera was a Hausa Muslim Warrior Queen of Zazzau , in what is now north central Nigeria. She is the subject of many legends, but is widely believed by historians to have been a real ruler, though contemporary evidence about her is limited...
of Zaria and Kano fought during the reign of Dauda (1421–38), though other sources put her reign in the sixteenth century. One of the features of his reign and particularly that of his successor Abdulahi Burja (1438–52) was nearly constant war to the south, in which thousands of people were enslaved and brought to Kano, greatly expanding its population.
Rumfa dynasty
Muhammad RumfaMuhammad Rumfa
Muhammad Rumfa was Emir of the Hausa city-state Kano, located in modern-day Kano State, northern Nigeria. He reigned from 1463 until 1499. Among Rumfa's accomplishments were extending the city walls, building a large palace, the Gidan Rumfa, promoting slaves to governmental positions and...
ascended to the throne in 1463 and reigned until 1499.
Some historians consider that he was a member of the Bagauda family, while others consider he was an invader, since he was called Balaraban Sarki, the Arab King.
During his reign, he reformed the city, expanded the Sahelian Gidan Rumfa
Gidan Rumfa
The Gidan Rumfa is the palace of the Emir of Kano. Located in Kano, Kano State, Nigeria, the complex underwent a major expansion by Muhammad Rumfa in the late fifteenth century. It currently has an area of ....
(Emir's Palace), and played a role in the further Islamization of the city as he urged prominent residents to convert.
The Kano Chronicle attributes a total of twelve "innovations" to Rumfa.
The most notable was the council of state made up of nine titled officials.
Rumfa introduced ceremonies such as Hawan Sallah, a procession on the days of Muslim festivals, and regalia that are still part of the Kano heritage.
The noted Arabic scholar and jurist Shaykh al-Maghili of Rumfa's reign was perhaps the first of the Sharifai, scholars and descendants of the prophet who still hold positions of honor in modern-day Kano.
According to the Kano Chronicle, the thirty-seventh Sarkin Kano (King of Kano) was Mohammed Sharef (1703–1731). His successor, Kumbari dan Sharefa
Kumbari dan Sharefa
Kumbari dan Sharefa was a Hausa King of Kano. He succeeded Mohammed Sharef and is remembered for his high taxation on the Kurmi Market....
(1731–1743), engaged in major battles with the Sokoto Caliphate.
Sokoto finally established control during the Fulani jihad, when followers of Shehu Usman dan Fodio
Usman dan Fodio
Shaihu Usman dan Fodio , born Usuman ɓii Foduye, was the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1809, a religious teacher, writer and Islamic promoter. Dan Fodio was one of a class of urbanized ethnic Fulani living in the Hausa States in what is today northern Nigeria...
, a religious reformer, rose across what is now northern Nigeria.
Muhammad al-Walid, the last Sarki of the Kutumbi Dynasty, was deposed in 1805 and Kano became an emirate subject to Sokoto
Kano Emirate
The Kano Emirate is a traditional state in Northern Nigeria with headquarters in the city of Kano, capital of the modern Kano State.The Emirate was formed in 1805 during the Fulani jihad, when the old Hausa Kingdom of Kano became subject to the Sokoto Caliphate.During and after the colonial period...
.