Sultanate of Agadez
The Sultanate of Agadez or Aïr[1] was a traditional polity of the Aïr region centered in the city of Agadez, at the southern edge of the Sahara Desert in north central Niger. It was founded in 1449 by the Tuareg, then conquered by the Songhai Empire in 1500. After the defeat of Songhai in 1591, the sultanate regained independence. It suffered a steep decline in population and economic activity during the 17th century. It was conquered by the French in 1900.
References
- Decalo, Samuel. Historical Dictionary of Niger, 3rd ed., pp. 24–27. Scarecrow Press (Boston), 1997. ISBN 0-8108-3136-8.
- Hudgens, Jim & al. Rough Guide to West Africa, 4th ed., p. 983. Rough Guide, 2003. ISBN 1-84353-118-6.