Sayfawa dynasty

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The Sayfawa dynasty is the name of the kings (or mai, as they called themselves) of the Kanem-Bornu Empire, centered first in Kanem in western Chad, and then, after 1396, in Borno (today north-eastern Nigeria).

Theories on the origins of this dynasty vary. Many scholars assert that it may have been rooted in a Tubu expansion or comprised an indigenous dynasty. Other theories have also been made. The German historian Dierk Lange has argued that the advent of the Sayfawa dynasty came in the 11th century, when Hummay introduced Islam in Kanem. Lange adds that Hummay's advent represented the ascent of a Berber dynasty and ruling class over a previous Zaghawa one. The Sayfawa themselves claimed as their eponymous ancestor a late pre-islamic Yemenite king Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan. This tradition was first mentioned by the Andalusian scholar Ibn Said in the 13th century, and Lange believes it to be mainly the fruit of Muslim scholars who arrived to Kanem from regions where Himyarite traditions were strong.[1][2] Most historians agree however, that the leaders of this new dynasty were in fact ancestors of the Kanembu people[1].

The dynasty, one of Africa's longest living, lost the throne in 1846.

Kanem Period[1]
Hummay 1075–1086
Dunama I 1086–1140
Bir I 1140–1166
Abdullah I 1166–1182
Salmama I 1182–1210
Dunama II Dabbalemi 1210–1248
Kaday I 1248–1277
Bir II 1277–1296
Ibrahim I 1296–1315
Abdullah II 1315–1335
Salmama II 1335–1339
Kuri I 1339–1340
Kuri II 1340–1341
Mohammed I 1341–1342
Idris I 1342–1366
Dawud 1366–1376
Othman I 1376–1379
Othman II 1379–1381
Abu Bakr 1381–1382
Omar I 1382–1387
Bornu Period
Said 1387–1388[1]
Kaday II 1388–1389[1]
Bir III 1389-1421[1]
Othman III 1421-1422[1]
Dunama III 1422-1424[1]
Abdullah III 1424-1431[1]
Ibrahim II 1431-1439[1]
Kaday III 1439-1440[1]
Dunama V 1440-1444[1]
Mohammed II 1444[1]
Amr 1444-1445[1]
Mohammed III 1445-1449[1]
Ghazi 1449-1454[1]
Othman IV 1454-1459[1]
Omar II 1459-1460[1]
Mohammed IV 1460-1465[1]
Ali Gazi 1465-1497[1]
Idris II 1497-1515[1]
Mohammed V 1515-1538[1]
Ali I of Bornu 1538-1539[3]
Dunama VI 1539-1557[4]
Abdullah III of Bornu 1557-1564[4]
Idris III Alooma 1564-1596[3]
Mohammed VI Bukalmarami 1603-1618[5]
Ibrahim III of Bornu 1618-1625[5]
Hadj Omar 1619-1639[3]
Ali II 1639-1677[3]
Idris IV of Bornu 1677-1697[6]
Dunama VII 1699-1726[5]
Hadj Hamdan 1726-1731[5]
Mohammed VII of Bornu 1731-1747[5]
Dunama VIII Gana 1747-1750[5]
Ali III 1750-1791[5]
Ahmad 1791-1808[6]
Dunama IX Lefiami 1808-1811[5]
Mohammed VIII of Bornu 1811-1814[5]
Dunama IX Lefiami (restored) 1814-1817[5]
Ibrahim IV of Bornu 1817-1846[3]
Ali IV Dalatumi 1846[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Lange, Dierk, "The kingdoms and peoples of Chad", in: D. T. Niane (ed.), General History of Africa, vol. IV, UNESCO, London 1984, p. 238-265.
  2. ^ The Cambridge History of Africa, vol. II, Cambridge 1978, pp. 682-683
  3. ^ a b c d e John E. Lavers, "Adventures in the chronology of the states of the Chad Basin", (1992)
  4. ^ a b Dierk Lange, Le dīwān des sultans du (Kānem-)Bornū, Wiesbaden 1977, p. 80
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Clifford Edmund Bosworth, The New Islamic Dynasties: A Chronological and Genealogical Manual, p. 127
  6. ^ a b http://dierklange.com/pdf/reviews/chronologie/review_Chronologie_histoire.pdf
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