Aissa Koli orAisa Kili (Āʾisha Kili[1]), sometimes calledAisa Kili Ngirmaramma,[2][3][b] was a ruler of theKanem–Bornu Empire in the mid-to-late 16th century, ruling approximately 1563–1570.[a] Formally styled asmagira ("queen mother"), Aissa was one of few women to rule the empire and the only known woman to do so inher own right.[c] Aissa remains celebrated in localBornuan oral tradition but there is considerable disagreement in the sources on most of the details of her reign.
There are discrepancies in the sources on Aissa's familial relationships and the details on her reign. Aissa is celebrated in local oral tradition inBornu[7] but is often omitted in literary sources written by Arab historians.[2][7] This is generally attributed to an unwillingness on the part of these historians to acknowledge powerful female rulers.[2][7]
Aissa is said to have succeededmaiAbdullah IV Dunamami in the absence of obvious male heirs to the throne.[3] Her connection to the empire's rulingSayfawa dynasty differs depending on the source. Transcripts and translations of Bornuan documents and oral histories done in the 19th and 20th centuries designate her as a daughter of eithermaiMuhammad VI Aminami (Palmer, 1936) ormaiDunama VI Muhammad (Urvoy, 1941).[5] Another version designates her as a daughter ofmaiAli II Zainami[13] and an older sister or half-sister of her successor,maiIdris IV Alooma.[8][13] Aissa reportedly ruled until Idris was able to assume the throne and then abdicated,[7][8] having ensured dynastic continuity during a timespan when Idris was either a minor[8] or missing.[13] Aissa continued to serve as a close advisor to Idris after her own reign[8] and is sometimes credited with educating him in politics.[14]
In one version of the tale that presents Aissa as Ali II's daughter, Dunama VI (who succeeded Ali) had all the sons of Ali killed, except for Idris who was sent away to theBilala in secret by his mother, Amsa. When Abdullah IV (Dunama's heir) died, Aissa succeeded him as ruler as she was unaware that Idris was still alive.[3] Some versions designate Aissa as Idris's mother,[14] perhaps out of confusing resulting from the use of the titlemagira ("queen mother").[5] This is false since Idris's mother is known from various sources to have been named Amsa.[5] Ronald Cohen suggested in 1966 that the use ofmagira could imply that Aissa was a wife of Ali II, but not Idris's mother, and that she thus lacked formal blood ties to the other rulers.[5]
^abSpecific regnal years of rulers of the Kanem–Bornu Empire are calculated by backdating from known events using their regnal lengths and vary between sources.Palmer (1936) assigned Aissa eight regnal years and dated her reign to 1562/1563–1570.Urvoy (1941) assigned her seven regnal years and dated her reign to 1573–1580.[5] She is sometimes omitted entirely from lists[5] or designated as a co-ruler of Idris IV Alooma.[6] Later authors have generally followed Palmer's dates, placing her reign in c. 1563–1570,[3][7] but alternate dates also continue to be used, such as 1497–1504.[8] Some authors assign Aissa a longer reign, such as 1570–1580[9] or even 1560–1610,[10] on an unclear basis.
^Richmond Palmer translatedKili Ngirmaramma in 1912 as "lady of the great white horse".[4]
^The earlier 11th-century rulerHu has been suggested to have been a woman though this is unproven.[11] In the 12th century,Fasama also wielded considerable power asregent but she formally ruled on behalf of her young sonBiri I Uthman.[12]
