Sultanate of Kano

Sultanate of Kano
Massarautar Kano
Al Sultan Al Kano
Sultanate of Kano Massarautar Kano ; Al Sultan Al Kano
1350–1805
	Anthem: Busar Bagauda ; Drum of Bagauda[ Muhammadu Alwali Ibn Yaji (last)
Grand Vizier
• ???–????	Zaiti (first)[citation needed]
• 1782-1807	Muhammadu Bakatsine (last)
Legislature	Fulani Jihad
Currency	cowries, gold
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Kingdom of Kano
Kano Emirate
Today part of	Niger Republic

The Sultanate of Kano was a

Fulani Jihad in 1805 and the assassination of the last sultan of Kano in 1807. The sultanate was then replaced by the Kano Emirate, subject to the Sokoto Caliphate. The capital is now the modern city of Kano in Kano State.^[1]

History

Rise of the Sultanate

Ali Yaji (1349–85) accepted Islam from the Wangarawa people, a Soninke sub-tribe from Mali. He then relinquished the Cult of Tsumbubura, the principal cult of the patron goddess of Kano. According to the Kano Chronicle, in around 1350, the Cult of Tsumbubura, which was based in Santolo Hill, rebelled against Yaji. A civil war ensued, culminating in the Battle of Santolo. After his victory, Ali Yaji set out on a wave of conquests. He conquered Rano, extending Kano's reach, and launched a successful^{[contradictory]} expedition into the Kwararafa region.^[2]

During the reign of

Hausa Animism

. He introduced the armored cavalry Lifidi, which he used to subdue the Zukzuk occupying the city of Turunku.

During the Reign of

Sufi Islam

made its first inroads to Kano. The Kano Chronicle recalls Umaru's reign as that of peace and prosperity. He restored the Sultanate and strengthened religious institutions with Sufism.

Kanoan Empire

In the reign of

Askia the Great, Auwa, as his wife. Later on, the rebellion of Kanta of Kebbi against the Songhai allowed the sultanate to attempt expansion into former Songhai tributary states. Auwa later on became the first female Madaki of Kano and guided her grandson, Muhammadu Kisoki, to assert the First Kanoan Empire. In his reign, the Sultan of Kano was said to have ruled the whole of the Hausa land.^[3] Both Abubakr Kado (1565–73) and Muhammadu Shashere

(1573–82) attempted to subdue Borno but failed; however, they maintained Kano's hold on the rest of Hausa land and Kwararrafa. The Empire lasted until the reign of Muhammadu Nazaki (1618–23). A decline in trade throughout the Sudanic area, possibly caused by environmental degradation, has been cited as probable cause. Ancient cities like Wadan and other Songhai strongholds experienced similar misfortunes.

House of Kutumbi

Muhammadu Kutumbi was the last Kanoan Sultan to preside over the empire. During his reign, multiple rebellions slowly degraded the empire; he died in attempt to subdue one at Katsina in 1648. By the time of Muhammadu Shekarau (1649–51), Kano had signed peace treaties with most of its former tributaries. The relative peace, however, exposed the House of Kutumbi to internal trifles. In 1652, Muhammadu Kukuna was overthrown. This led to the Second Kanoan Civil War. By the time he was restored, the economy of the sultanate had been greatly devastated.^{[citation needed]}

Decline and Fall

By the 1700s,

Tuareg 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, although Katsina had overtaken it in preeminence among the Hausa states. Muskets and gunpowder were manufactured locally, and the city of Timbuktu depended on the Sultanate for protection. Babban Zaki (1747-1771) grew the sultanate's cavalry force and his personal bodyguard. ^[4]^{: 381, 446–7}

The Fulani under the

Muhammadu Alwali Ibn Yaji, the last sultan of Kano. He was deposed in 1805 and killed in 1807.^{[citation needed]} Kano then became an emirate subject to Sokoto.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Ibrahim Ado-Kurawa. "Brief History of Kano 999 to 2003". Kano State Government. Archived from the original on 10 December 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
^ "Kano Chronicle," ed. Palmer, pp. 70-72.
^ Bello, Muhammadu (1810). Infaq al Maisur.
^ Green, Toby (2020). A Fistful of Shells. UK: Penguin Books.

[kstate-1] Ibrahim Ado-Kurawa. "Brief History of Kano 999 to 2003". Kano State Government. Archived from the original on 10 December 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2010.

[2] "Kano Chronicle," ed. Palmer, pp. 70-72.

[3] Bello, Muhammadu (1810). Infaq al Maisur.

[Green-4] Green, Toby (2020). A Fistful of Shells. UK: Penguin Books.

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