Sonni dynasty

Last updated

The Sonni dynasty, Sunni dynasty or Si dynasty was a dynasty of rulers of the Songhai Empire of medieval West Africa. The origins of the dynasty are shrouded in legend and debated by historians. The last ruler, Sonni Baru, ruled until 1493 when the throne was usurped by the Askiya Muhammad I, the founder of the Askiya dynasty.

Contents

Sources

The seventeenth century chronicles, the Tarikh al-Sudan and the Tarikh al-fattash describe the history of the Songhay people and provide lists of their rulers. The Tarikh al-Sudan gives a list of the earlier rulers of the Za dynasty, whose mythical founder Za Alayaman lived before the 10th century and the arrival of Islam. The two chronicles agree on the first and last rulers of the dynasty but differ on the number and order of the intervening rulers.

Debate Over Origins

The chronicles describe how Ali Kulun (or Ali Golom), the founder of the Sunni dynasty, revolted against the hegemony of the Mali Empire. Both associate him with the Mali court. [1] The Tarikh al-Sudan relates that his father was Za Yasoboy, and as a son of a subordinate ruler of the Mali Empire he had to serve the Mansa . [2] Assuming that Ali Kulun really existed, Hunwick estimated his revolt to have occurred in the early 14th century. [3] Others have disputed this, however. Paolo de Moraes-Farias, citing contemporary epigraphic evidence and the existence of a giant of the same name in Tuareg mythology, argues that this founder, and likely his successor as well, were invented by the chroniclers. [4]

Al-Sadi, the author of the Tarikh al-Sudan uses the word Sunni or Sonni for the name of the dynasty while the Tarikh al-fattash uses the forms chi and si'i. [5] The word may have a Malinke origin meaning "a subordinate or confidant of the ruler", referring to their status as vassals of the Mali Empire. [6]

Dierk Lange disputes both the idea that the Sonni descended from the Za and that they were vassals of Mali, rather linking them with the Zaghe kings commemorated in the funeral stelae found at Gao-Saney. He theorizes that the Zaghe, followers of Sunni Islam, became known as such, and were the Za's rivals for the throne of Gao until finally defeating them in the early 15th century. [7] In a similar vein, Leo Africanus wrote that the Songhay ruler 'Soni Heli' was of 'Libyan lineage', but that his black captain 'Abubacr Izchia' rebelled against Ali's sons and put them to death, and rulership thereby 'returned to the blacks.' [8]

Rise and Fall

The chronicles do not specify where the early rulers lived. As there is evidence that Gao remained under Mali control until the early fifteenth century, it is probable that the early Sunni rulers controlled a region to the south, with the town of Kukiya [9] possibly serving as their capital. [3] Early 15th century inscriptions from Kukiya indicate that the Sonni ruled over a thoroughly Islamic society at that time. [10]

Under the rule of Sunni Sulayman, the Songhai captured the Mema region to the west of Lake Débo. [11] His successor, Sunni Ali, greatly expanded the territory under Sunni control. The dynasty ended in April 1493 when Sunni Bakr Dao was defeated in battle against Askiya Muhammad I. [12]

Rulers according to the Tarikh al-Sudan

The names with their diacritics listed below are those given in the translation of the Tarikh al-Sudan from Arabic into English by John Hunwick. [13] The surviving Arabic manuscripts differ both in the spelling and the vocalization of the names. This may be partly due to the difficulty of representing Songhay (or proto-Songhay) sounds in Arabic and perhaps also due to different Songhay dialects. Not all the names are listed in all the surviving manuscripts.

  1. Sunni ʿAlī Kulun (early in the 14th century [3] or fictional [4] )
  2. Sunni Silman Nāri (brother of ʿAlī Kulun, possibly fictional [4] )
  3. Sunni Ibrāhīm Kabay
  4. Sunni ʿUthmān Kanafa
  5. Sunni Bār Kayna Ankabī
  6. Sunni Mūsā
  7. Sunni Bukar Zunku
  8. Sunni Bukar Dala Buyunbu
  9. Sunni Mār Kiray
  10. Sunni Muḥammad Dao
  11. Sunni Muḥammad Kūkiyā
  12. Sunni Muḥammad Fār
  13. Sunni K.r.bīf
  14. Sunni Mār Fī Kuli Jim
  15. Sunni Mār Ar Kayna
  16. Sunni Mār Aranda
  17. Sunni Sulaymān
  18. Sunni ʿAlī (ruled 1464-1492)
  19. Sunni Bāru or Bukar Dāo (ruled 1492-1493)

Rulers according to the Tarikh al-fattash

The names with their diacritics listed below are those given in the translation of Tarikh al-fattash from the Arabic into French by Octave Houdas. [14]

  1. Sunni Ali-Golom
  2. Sunni Silman-Nâri
  3. Sunni Ibrâhîm-Kabayao
  4. Sunni Ousmân-Guifo
  5. Sunni Mâkara-Komsoû (on throne in 1321-1322) [15] [16]
  6. Sunni Boubakar-Katiya
  7. Sunni Ankada Doukourou
  8. Sunni Kimi-Yankoï-Moûssa
  9. Sunni Bâro-Dal-Yomho
  10. Sunni Mâdao
  11. Sunni Mohammed Koûkiya
  12. Sunni Mohammed-Fâri
  13. Sunni Balam
  14. Sunni Souleïmân-Dâma
  15. Sunni Ali (ruled 1464-1492)
  16. Sunni Bâro (ruled 1492-1493)

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Kâti 1913 , p.  334; Hunwick 2003 , pp. xxxvi–xxxvii, 7
  2. ↑ Hunwick 2003, p. 7.
  3. 1 2 3 Hunwick 2003, p. xxxvii.
  4. 1 2 3 Conrad, David (2005). "Review of Arabic Medieval Inscriptions from the Republic of Mali: Epigraphy, Chronicles, and Songhay-Tuareg History, by P. F. de Moraes Farias". The International Journal of African Historical Studies. 38 (1): 108-9. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  5. ↑ Kâti 1913 , pp.  80 , 334
  6. ↑ Hunwick 2003, pp. 333–334, Appendix 2.
  7. ↑ Lange, Dierk (1994), "From Mande to Songhay: Towards a political and ethnic history of medieval Gao", Journal of African History, 35 (2): 275–301, doi:10.1017/s0021853700026438, JSTOR   183220, S2CID   153657364 , retrieved 22 March 2024
  8. ↑ "Della descrizione dell'Africa e delle cose notabili che quivi sono per Giovani Lioni Africano" (PDF). p. 320. Egli è vero che il presente re di Tombutto, Abubacr Izchia, è del popol negro: il quale, essendo fatto capitano di Soni Heli, re di Tombutto e Gago, della stirpe di Libia, doppo la morte del detto si ribellò contra i figliuoli e quelli fece morire, e tornò il dominio nei negri" English translation: "It is true that the present king of Tombutto, Abubacr Izchia, is of the black people: who, having been made captain of Soni Heli, king of Tombutto and Gago, of the lineage of Libya, after the death of the said rebelled against his sons and he put them to death, and dominion returned to the blacks
  9. ↑ The town of Kukiya is believed to have been near the modern village of Bentiya on the eastern bank of the Niger, north of the Fafa rapids, 134 km south east of Gao. Bentiya is located at 15°20′56″N0°45′36″E / 15.349°N 0.760°E
  10. ↑ Lange, Dierk (2004). "Review of P. Moraes Farias, Medieval Inscriptions (2003)" (PDF). Afrika und Übersee. 87: 303.
  11. ↑ Kâti 1913 , pp.  80–81
  12. ↑ Hunwick 2003 , p. 102; Kâti 1913 , pp.  101–102
  13. ↑ Hunwick 2003, p. 5.
  14. ↑ Kâti 1913 , pp.  335 -338
  15. ↑ A comment in the Tarikh al-fattash states that the fifth ruler was in power at the time when Mansa Musa made his pilgrimage.
  16. ↑ Kâti 1913, p. 335.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Songhai Empire</span> Empire in West Africa from c. 1430s to 1591

The Songhai Empire was a state located in the western part of the Sahel during the 15th and 16th centuries. At its peak, it was one of the largest African empires in history. The state is known by its historiographical name, derived from its largest ethnic group and ruling elite, the Songhai people. Sonni Ali established Gao as the empire's capital, although a Songhai state had existed in and around Gao since the 11th century. Other important cities in the kingdom were Timbuktu and Djenné, where urban-centred trade flourished; they were conquered in 1468 and 1475, respectively. Initially, the Songhai Empire was ruled by the Sonni dynasty, but it was later replaced by the Askia dynasty (1493–1591).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Songhai people</span> Ethno-linguistic group of West Africa

The Songhai people are an ethnolinguistic group in West Africa who speak the various Songhai languages. Their history and lingua franca is linked to the Songhai Empire which dominated the western Sahel in the 15th and 16th century. Predominantly adherents of Islam, the Songhai are primarily located in Niger and Mali within the Western Sudanic region. Historically, the term "Songhai" did not denote an ethnic or linguistic identity but referred to the ruling caste of the Songhay Empire known as the Songhaiborai. However, the correct term used to refer to this group of people collectively by the natives is "Ayneha". Although some Speakers in Mali have also adopted the name Songhay as an ethnic designation, other Songhay-speaking groups identify themselves by other ethnic terms such as Zarma or Isawaghen. The dialect of Koyraboro Senni spoken in Gao is unintelligible to speakers of the Zarma dialect of Niger, according to at least one report. The Songhay languages are commonly taken to be Nilo-Saharan but this classification remains controversial: Dimmendaal (2008) believes that for now it is best considered an independent language family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Askia Muhammad I</span> Askia

Askia Muhammad I (1443–1538), born Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr al-Turi or Muhammad Ture, was the first ruler of the Askia dynasty of the Songhai Empire, reigning from 1493 to 1528. He is also known as Askia the Great, and his name in modern Songhai is Mamar Kassey. Askia Muhammad strengthened his empire and made it the largest empire in West Africa's history. At its peak under his reign, the Songhai Empire encompassed the Hausa states as far as Kano and much of the territory that had belonged to the Songhai empire in the east. His policies resulted in a rapid expansion of trade with Europe and Asia, the creation of many schools, and the establishment of Islam as an integral part of the empire.

Sunni Ali, also known as Si Ali, Sunni Ali Ber, reigned from about 1464 to 1492 as the 15th ruler of the Sunni dynasty of the Songhai Empire. He transformed the relatively small state into an empire by conquering Timbuktu, Massina, the Inner Niger Delta, and Djenne.

Taghaza is an abandoned salt-mining centre located in a salt pan in the desert region of northern Mali. It was an important source of rock salt for West Africa up to the end of the 16th century when it was abandoned and replaced by the salt-pan at Taoudenni which lies 150 km (93 mi) to the southeast. Salt from the Taghaza mines formed an important part of the long distance trans-Saharan trade. The salt pan is located 857 km (533 mi) south of Sijilmasa, 787 km (489 mi) north-northwest of Timbuktu and 731 km (454 mi) north-northeast of Oualata.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gao</span> Urban commune and town in Mali

Gao, or Gawgaw/Kawkaw, is a city in Mali and the capital of the Gao Region. The city is located on the River Niger, 320 km (200 mi) east-southeast of Timbuktu on the left bank at the junction with the Tilemsi valley.

Judar Pasha was a Spanish-Moroccan military leader under the Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansur in the late 16th century. He led the Saadian army in the conquest of the Songhai Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Askia Mohammad Benkan</span> Askiya of the Songhai Empire

Askia Mohammad Benkan, also Askiya Muhammad Bonkana, was the third ruler of the Songhai Empire from 1531 to 1537.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Askia Musa</span> Emperor of the Songhai Empire

Askia Musa or Askiya Musa was the second Askia ruler of the Songhai Empire.

The Zā dynasty were rulers of the Gao Empire based in the towns of Kukiya and Gao on the Niger River in what is today modern Mali. The Songhai people are descended from this kingdom and the Zarma people of Niger derive their name, which means "the descendants of Za", from this dynasty.

The Askiya dynasty, also known as the Askia dynasty, ruled the Songhai Empire at the height of that state's power. It was founded in 1493 by Askia Mohammad I, a general of the Songhai Empire who usurped the Sonni dynasty. The Askiya ruled from Gao over the vast Songhai Empire until its defeat by a Moroccan invasion force in 1591. After the defeat, the dynasty moved south back to its homeland and created several smaller kingdoms in what is today Songhai in south-western Niger and further south in the Dendi.

The University of Timbuktu is a collective term for the teaching associated with three mosques in the city of Timbuktu in what is now Mali: the mosques of Sankore, Djinguereber, and Sidi Yahya. It was an organized scholastic community that endured for many centuries during the medieval period. The university contributed to the modern understanding of Islamic and academic studies in West Africa during the medieval period and produced a number of scholars and manuscripts taught under the Maliki school of thought.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Askia Ishaq I</span> Emperor of the Songhai Empire

Askia Ishaq I was the ruler of the Songhai Empire from 1539 to 1549, elected Askia following the death of Askia Isma'il. He was the fifth ruler of the Askiya dynasty.

<i>Tarikh al-fattash</i> 16th century West African chronicle

The Tarikh al-fattash is a West African chronicle written in Arabic in the second half of the 17th century. It provides an account of the Songhay Empire from the reign of Sonni Ali up to 1599 with a few references to events in the following century. The chronicle also mentions the earlier Mali Empire. It and the Tarikh al-Sudan, another 17th century chronicle giving a history of Songhay, are together known as the Timbuktu Chronicles.

Sonni Bāru, also known as Sonni Abū Bakr Dao was the 16th and last king of the Sonni dynasty to rule over the Songhai Empire located in west Africa. His rule was very short, from 6 November 1492, to 12 April 1493. The dates of his birth and death are not known.

The Gao Empire was a powerful kingdom that ruled the Niger bend from approximately the 7th century CE until their fall to the Mali Empire in the late 14th century. Ruled by the Za dynasty from the capital of Gao, the empire was an important predecessor of the Songhai Empire.

Askia Ismail was the sixth ruler of the Songhai Empire from 1537 – 1539, and fourth from the Askia dynasty. He was the son of Askia Mohammad I, the founder of the Askia dynasty, and Maryam Daabu, a member of the Malian royal family captured in 1501.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Timbuktu</span> History of a city in the Republic of Mali

Starting out as a seasonal settlement, Timbuktu was in the kingdom of Mali when it became a permanent settlement early in the 12th century. After a shift in trading routes, the town flourished from the trade in salt, gold, ivory and slaves from several towns and states such as Begho of Bonoman, Sijilmassa, and other Saharan cities. It became part of the Mali Empire early in the 14th century. By this time it had become a major centre of learning in the area. In the first half of the 15th century the Tuareg tribes took control of the city for a short period until the expanding Songhai Empire absorbed the city in 1468. The Moroccan army defeated the Songhai in 1591, and made Timbuktu, rather than Gao, their capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Askia Daoud</span> Askia of the Songhai Empire

Askia Daoud was the ruler of the Songhai Empire from 1549 to 1582. His rule saw the empire rise to a peak of peace and prosperity following a series of succession disputes and short reigns.

The Sohance are a social caste among the Songhai nobility. They are believed to be the direct descendants of the Sonni Dynasty and its last ruler, Sonni Ali Ber, the founder of the Songhai Empire, who reigned from 1464 to 1492.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.