Kingdom of Kuku

Sultanate of Kuku
Tagelda n Kuku
Kingdom
1515–c.1638[1]
Capital		Kuku
Languages		Berber
Religion		Islam
Political structure		Kingdom
Sultan
•	1510–1527	Sidi Ahmed ou el Kadhi
History
•	Established	1515
•	Disestablished	c.1638[1]
Today part of		Algeria

The Kingdom of Kuku (Kingdom of Koukou) was a medieval Berber kingdom that ruled over much of greater Kabylia. It was established around 1515.^[1] The polity's realm stretched from the Atlas Mountains to the southern plains of Algiers. Its capital was located at Kuku, which sat on a promontory with around 15,000 inhabitants. The kingdom had forces consisting of 5,000 musqueteers and 1,500 cavalrymen.

Kuku was one of two major Kabyle kingdoms, the other being the Kingdom of Ait Abbas.

History

Establishment

During the Ottoman period, the two parts of Kabylia were independent and retained the use of their language and customs under the Kingdom of Kuku and of the Ait Abbas. The conflict was not only between the Spanish empire and the Ottoman, but also involved local kingdoms such as the so-called "kings of Kouko" in Kabylia.^[2]

Alliance and wars (Ottoman, Beni Abbès, France..)

Ali Bitchin who wanted to control Regency of Algiers made an alliance with Koukou, and had bodyguard, cavalry from there. The sultan of Koukou became his father in law.

In popular culture

A poem from the Australian Kenneth Slessor is about the King of Kuku.^[3]

References

1. 1 2 3 Hugh Roberts, Berber Government: The Kabyle Polity in Pre-colonial Algeria, (I.B. Tauris, 2014), 165.
2. ↑ Choueiri, Youssef M. (2008-04-15). A Companion to the History of the Middle East. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781405152044. 
3. ↑ Stewart, Douglas (1964-01-01). Modern Australian Verse. University of California Press.