Kingdom of Zazzau Sarautar Zazzau (Hausa)
Status	State from 1010-1902 Currently anon-sovereign monarchy inNigeria
Capital	Turunku (1010 – 15th century) Zazzau (15th century – 1902)
Common languages	Hausa Fulfulde Arabic
Religion	Hausa animism, later replaced byIslam
Demonym	Zazzagawa
Government	Sarauta
Sarki
• ?	Gunguma(first)
• 1576-1610	Amina(disputed)
• 1802-1804	Makkam
• 1897-1902	Muhammad Kwassau(last sovereign)
• 2020-present	Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli
Succeeded by Abuja Emirate

TheKingdom of Zazzau was aHausa kingdom centred on the city of Zazzau (nowZaria) in modern-day northern Nigeria established sometime in the early second millennium, and endured until its conquest during thejihad of Usman dan Fodio in 1804. Following this, its dynasty was replaced by a Fulani (one subordinate to theSokoto Caliphate), and the polity continues to exist today as theZaria Emirate, anon-sovereign monarchy in Nigeria. The current emir of Zaria isAhmed Nuhu Bamalli, who succeeded the former emir in 2020, the lateShehu Idris.^[1]

The early history of Zazzau is unclear.^[2]: 274 The most important source for the origins of Zazzau is theChronicle of Zaria, composed in the early 20th century and based onoral tradition.^[3]: 29 According to tradition, the kingdom was founded byGunguma, a descendant of the legendaryBayajidda.^[4]: 486 Zazzau'sregnal list dates this to 1010 CE.^[5]: 298

Scholars have had differing views on the early history of Zazzau.Abdullahi Smith considered the Hausa to have inhabited the area for over a millennium before a state emerged. There were variouscity-state-type polities, with the most powerful beingTurunku andKufena, who had authority over the others. In the late 15th century, Turunku rulerBakwa took power in Kufena, and built a capital just east of Kufena, which was named "Zaria" after her/his^[a] daughter.^{[2]: 274–275}

Murray Last theorised the area to have been inhabited by aKamuku federation named Kangoma from 1200 CE, who were the descendants of theNok culture. Accordingly, the Kangoma kingdom, renamedZegzeg, emerged at Turunku after the federation's collapse, with the Hausa assuming control as late as 1641, however this is not supported by linguistic evidence.^[2]: 274

Bakwa was succeeded by her son, Ibrahim (r. 1539-1566) and her younger brother Karama (r.1566-1576). Karama pursued aggressive and expansionist campaigns, with one of Bakwa's daughters,Amina, rising to be the state's most prolific general and warrior. Some traditions have Amina succeeding Karama in 1576, although whether she was queen (sauraniya) is disputed. While she doesn't appear on anyregnal lists, local traditions say she ruled the lands she conquered.^[6] Amina waged a 34-year campaign against her neighbors, to expand Zazzau territory.^[7][8][9] According to tradition, she rejected many suitors when younger, and in each town she conquered would behead a man after spending the night with them. Expansion north was blocked byKano andKatsina, and east by theJos Plateau; therefore Amina campaigned to the southeast and southwest.^[6] She conquered large tracts of land as far asKwararafa andNupe,^[9] includingBauchi andYauri.Sokoto caliphMuhammad Bello claimed she reached what presumably was the confluence of theNiger andBenue rivers, and extracted tribute from Katsina and Kano, however contemporary historians dispute the latter claim. TheChronicle ofAbuja says Amina received 40eunuchs and 10,000kola nuts from Nupe's ruler, introducing these to Hausaland.^[6] She is also said to have built earthen walls around many camps and towns, now known asGanuwar Amina ("Amina's walls"). According to tradition Amina dominated Hausaland for 34 years (until 1610) and died at Attaagar (likelyIdah) in battle, with her body not being recovered.^[6]

Zazzau was a collection point for slaves to be delivered to the northern markets of Kano and Katsina, where they were exchanged for salt with traders who carried them north of theSahara.^[10]According to the history in the chronicle, Islam was introduced to the kingdom around 1456, but appears to have spread slowly, and pagan rituals continued until theFulani conquest of 1808.At several times in its history, Zazzau was subject to neighboring states such asSonghai,Bornu and Kwararafa.^[11]

In December 1808 the kingdom was captured in theFulani jihad.^[12]The Hausa (Habe) ruler had escaped toAbuja, where he established a state now known as theSuleja Emirate, retaining his independence and the title of "Sarkin Zazzau".The ruler of the modern Zazzau Emirate also uses the title "Sarkin Zazzau" or "Sarkin Zaria".After thejihad, the culturally similar but pastoral or nomadicFulani intermarried with the more settled Habe farmers, and the people of the Emirate today are generally known asHausa–Fulani.The government of the Zaria Emirate differed from other emirates created at this time in that offices were rarely hereditary, but were appointed based on merit or obligation.^[11]

Names and Dates taken from John Stewart'sAfrican States and Rulers (1989).^[5][13]

Capitals (c. 1010 – c. 1578): Turunku, Wuciciri, Rikoci, Kawar^[14]

The kingdom's name changed to Zaria at the end of the 16th century.^[14]

Capital (c. 1578 – 1835): Zaria (originally founded in 1536 and named after Chief Bakwa's daughter Zaria)^[15]

The kingdom was taken over by theFulani Empire in 1804 and became an emirate in 1835.^[15] The Hausa rulers went into exile and foundedAbuja.^[15] The emirate was taken by the British in 1902.^[15]

Rulers of the independent Fulani emirate:^[12]

Rulers of the independent Fulani emirate:^[12]

1. Mallawa.
2. Barebari.
3. Katsinawa
4. Sullubawa

1. Sabon Gari
2. Giwa
3. Soba
4. Igabi
5. Ikara
6. Makarfi
7. Kubau
8. Kaduna North
9. Kaduna South
10. Kauru
11. Kudan
12. Zaria

• Dan Isaacs (September 28, 2010)."Nigeria's emirs: Power behind the throne". BBC News. Retrieved2010-09-29.

• Nigerian traditional states
• Emirates of the Sokoto Caliphate
• Hausa kingdoms

• CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list
• CS1 maint: others
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles containing Hausa-language text