Kingdom of Kano Masarautar Kano (Hausa) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 999–1805 | |||||||
| Capital | Sheme (999 – 1095/1134) Kano (1095/1134 – 1805) | ||||||
| Common languages | Hausa Arabic | ||||||
| Religion | Hausa animism, later replaced byIslam | ||||||
| Demonym | Kanawa | ||||||
| Government | Sarauta | ||||||
| Sarki | |||||||
• c. 999 | Bagauda(first) | ||||||
• 1463-1499 | Muhammad Rumfa | ||||||
• 1781–1807 | Muhammad Alwali II(last) | ||||||
| Legislature | Taran Kano | ||||||
| History | |||||||
• Established | 999 | ||||||
| 1805 | |||||||
| Currency | Cowries,gold | ||||||
| |||||||
| Today part of | Nigeria Niger | ||||||
TheKingdom of Kano was aHausa kingdom centred on thecity of Kano in modern-day northern Nigeria that was established around 1000 CE, and endured until its conquest during thejihad of Usman dan Fodio in 1805. Following this, its dynasty was replaced with a Fulani one subordinate to theSokoto Caliphate, and the polity continues to exist today as theKano Emirate Council, anon-sovereign monarchy in Nigeria.
Kano lies to the north of theJos Plateau, located in theSudanian Savanna region that stretches across the south of theSahel. The city lies near where theKano andChallawa rivers flowing from the southwest converge to form theHadejia River, which eventually flows intoLake Chad to the east. Traditionally, agriculture was based on lifting water to irrigate small parcels of land along river channels in the dry season, known as theShadouf 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.[1]
Our knowledge of the early history of Kano comes largely from theKano Chronicle, a compilation oforal tradition and some older documents composed in the late 19th century, as well as more recently conducted archaeology. The territory was inhabited by various chiefdoms, namelySheme,Dala, andSantolo. Dala was said to have had six generations of rulers before the arrival ofBagauda.[2]: 271
In the 7th century,Dala Hill was the site of a community that engaged in iron-working. It is unknown whether these were Hausa people or speakers ofNiger–Congo languages.[3] Some sources say they wereHausa-speaking hunter-gatherers known asAbagayawa who migrated fromGaya.[4] There are still blacksmiths in Kano today who call themselves Abagayawa and claim descent from the early inhabitants of Kano.[5]: 184 The Abagayawa also practiced the arts of medicine, beer-brewing, archery, drumming, minstresly and dancing.[6]: 96
The Arab geographeral-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 theKingdom of Kanem.[7] 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 asDala, after the hill, and was referred to as such as late as the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th byBornoan sources.[8] The hill was named after a man who built a house on it. He lived there with his wives and children. His oldest son, Garageje, was the great-grandfather ofBarbushe, the most well-known pagan high priest of Dala. Barbushe was a great hunter who 'slew elephants with his stick and carried them on his head about nine miles.' He was the chief priest of Tsumburbura, the deity of Kano.[9]: 108 Elizabeth Isichei notes that the description of Barbushe is similar to those ofSao people.[10]
At about the 10th-century, several immigrant groups arrived in Kano, one of them led by a man namedBagauda.[11][12][13][14] He was said to be a descendant of the legendaryBayajidda ofDaura. At first he settled in Garazawa, a district between Jakara andDamagaram. He then took control of Sheme (about 64 km north-northwest ofKunchi) after defeating the rulers in 999 CE[a] and reigned as the firstSarkin Kano ("King of Kano") until 1063 CE. He was given the nickname ofYakano, from which the name of the kingdom is said to derive.[5]: 185 [15]: 22 [16] According to theKano Chronicle, Bagauda arrived with Buram, Isa, Baba, Kududdufi, Akasa, "and others of the Kano chiefs" all of whom were "men of princely clan" from Daura. The names are preserved as titles of princes to this day. Some of these titles are:Dan Buram,Dan Isa,Dan Baba,Dan Akasan,Dan Kududdufi,Dan Darman, andDan Goriba.[17]: 111
Bagauda's grandsonGijimasu (1095–1134), the thirdsarki, founding a settlement at the foot of Dala Hill which would become Kano.[2]: 271 He began buildingcity walls around the settlement, and Gijimasu's son,Tsaraki (1136–1194), the fifth king, completed them during his reign.[13] TheBagauda dynasty 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.[4][18] By 1200, Kano had extended its rule over all of the chiefdoms in the area apart from Santolo.[2]: 271
The reign ofYaji I (1349-85) saw the introduction ofIslam to Kano byWangara. TheKano Chronicle says that Yaji accepted Islam and agreed to build amosque and appoint some Wangara to religious positions.[19]: 327 His reign saw the completion of Kano's subordination of the surrounding polities, including the conquest ofZamnagaba and the occupation ofRano for two years. With the help of the Wangara, Yajiconquered Santolo and destroyed the religious centre of the city, crucial totraditional religious practices. Yaji further campaigned southwards against theKwararafa, however inconclusively as they paid tribute in slaves but refused to pledge allegiance. TheKano Chronicle characterises these conflicts as between the Muslim ruling class and commoners following traditional religions (namely thecult ofTsumbubura),[20] however scholars consider this a later re-interpretation.[2]: 271–272
Kanajeji, son of Yaji, reigned from (1390-1410), and theKano Chronicle describes him as a "pagan".[19]: 328 He continued the policy of expansion, and subduedZazzau, killing its king in battle. During the reign ofDauda (1421-38) aBornu prince migrated to Kano accompanied by manymallam, likely bringing concepts of administration as the titlesgaladima,chiroma, andkaigama came into use.[2]: 272
The 15th century saw the expansion of trade in the region, as a road from Bornu toGonja in modern-day Ghana was constructed, and Kano exportedkola nuts andeunuchs while importing camels and salt. Fulani arrived bringing new scholarly works, and Kano's prosperity attracted many descendants ofMuhammad[dubious –discuss] and the influential Muslim clerical-Maghili as the ruling class Islamised. Despite this prosperity,Abdullahi Burja's reign (1438-52) saw Kano begin paying tribute to Bornu.[21][2]: 272
The reign ofMuhammad Rumfa (1463-99) oversaw various innovations, including further construction on the city walls, the appointment of eunuchs to state offices, the establishment of theKurmi market in Kano, and that of a council of nine senior office-holders ("the Nine of Kano"). He also constructed a new palace (Gidan Rumfa), established aharem of 1000 wives, and began the official celebration ofEid al-Fitr (the end ofRamadan). Rumfa also oversaw Kano'sfirst war withKatsina which lasted 11 years and ended inconclusively. His successorsAbdullahi (1499-1509) andMuhammad Kisoki (1509-65) waged asecond war against Katsina, however despite the conquest of Zazzau it too ended inconclusively.[2]: 273
By the 1700s,Fula clans, invigorated by their success inTakrur and theFuta area, were beginning to assert control over much of Sudanic West Africa. In Kano, the most powerful clan, theJobawa, were relatively pacified by a seat in the council of state, theTaran Kano. Other clans were competing with the sultanate for control. Economic decline had forced the successive sultans to raise taxes to the point thatTuareg clans were abandoning Kano.[citation needed]
Muhammad Sharefa (1703–1731) and his successor,Kumbari dan Sharefa (1731–1743), both engaged the Fula in major battles.[citation needed] During this period Kano was a thriving city with advanced medical knowledge and a diverse economy, althoughKatsina had overtaken it in preeminence among the Hausa states.Muskets andgunpowder were manufactured locally, and the city ofTimbuktu depended on the Sultanate for protection.Babban Zaki (1747–1771) grew the sultanate's cavalry force and his personal bodyguard.[22]: 381, 446–7
The Fulani under theSokoto Caliphate finally established control whenMuhammadu Bakatsine, leader of theJobawa Fulani, rebelled againstMuhammadu Alwali Ibn Yaji, the last sultan of Kano. He was deposed in 1805 and killed in 1807.[citation needed] Kano then became anemirate subject to Sokoto.[23]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)