Za dynasty The
Za dynasty or
Zuwa dynasty were rulers of a medieval kingdom based in the towns of Kukiya and
Gao on the
Niger River in what is today modern
Mali. The Songhai people at large all descended from this kingdom. The most notable of them being the
Zarma subgroup who derive their name
"Zarma (Za Hama)" from this dynasty, which means "the descendants of Za". Al-Sadi's seventeenth century chronicle, the
Tarikh al-Sudan, provides an early history of the
Songhay as handed down by oral tradition. The chronicle reports that the legendary founder of the dynasty, Za Alayaman (also called Dialliaman), originally came from the
Yemen and settled in the town of Kukiya. The town is believed to have been near the modern village of Bentiya on the eastern bank of the
Niger River, north of the Fafa rapids, 134 km south east of Gao. Tombstones with
Arabic inscriptions dating from the 14th and 15th centuries have been found in the area. Kukiya is also mentioned in the other important chronicle, the
Tarikh al-fattash. The
Tarikh al-Sudan relates that the 15th ruler, Za Kusoy, converted to Islam in the year 1009–1010 A.D. At some stage the kingdom or at least its political focus moved north to
Gao. The kingdom of Gao capitalized on the growing
trans-Saharan trade and grew into a small regional power before being conquered by the
Mali Empire in the early 13th century.
Gao Empire and Gao-Saney Gao-Saney became well known among African historians because French administrators discovered here in a cave covered with sand in 1939 several finely carved marble stelae produced in
Almeria in Southern Spain. Their inscriptions bear witness of three kings of a Muslim dynasty bearing as loan names the names of
Muhammad and his two successors. From the dates of their deaths it appears that these kings of Gao ruled at the end of the eleventh and the beginning of the twelfth centuries CE. According to recent research, the
Zaghe kings commemorated by the stelae are identical with the kings of the Za dynasty whose names were recorded by the chroniclers of
Timbuktu in the
Ta'rikh al-Sudan and in the
Ta'rikh al-Fattash. Their Islamic loan name is in one case complemented by their African name. It is on the basis of their common ancestral name
Zaghe corresponding to
Za and the third royal name Yama b. Kama provided in addition to 'Umar b. al-Khattab that the identity between the
Zaghe and the Za could be established. It appears from this table that
Yama b. Kima (or 'Umar b. al-Khattab), the third king of the stelae of Gao-Saney, is identical with the 18th ruler of the list of Za kings. His name is given in the ''
Ta'rikh al-Fattash (1665) as Yama-Kitsi and in the Ta'rikh al-Sudan'' (1655) as Biyu-Ki-
Kima. On account of this identification the dynastic history of the
Gao Empire can now to be established on a solid documentary basis. Apart from some Arabic epitaphs on tombstones discovered in 1939 at the cemetery of
Gao-Saney (6 km to the east of the city) there are no surviving indigenous written records that date from before the middle of the 17th century. Our knowledge of the early history of the town relies on the writings of external Arabic geographers living in Morocco, Egypt and Andalusia, who never visited the region. These authors referred to the town as Kawkaw or Kuku. The two key 17th century chronicles, the
Tarikh al-Sudan and the
Tarikh al-Fattash, provide information on the town at the time of the
Songhai Empire but they contain only vague indications on the time before. The chronicles do not, in general, acknowledge their sources. Their accounts for the earlier periods are almost certainly based on oral tradition and for events before the second half of the 15th century they are likely to be less reliable. For these earlier periods the two chronicles sometimes provide conflicting information. The earliest mention of Gao is by
al-Khwārizmī who wrote in the first half of the 9th century. In the 9th century Gao was already an important regional power.
Al-Yaqubi wrote in his
Tarikh in around 872: There is the kingdom of the Kawkaw, which is the greatest of the realms of the Sūdān, the most important and most powerful. All the kingdoms obey its king. Al-Kawkaw is the name of the town. Besides this there are a number of kingdoms of which the rulers pay allegiance to him and acknowledge his sovereignty, although they are kings in their own lands. In the 10th century, Gao was already Muslim and was described as consisting of two separate towns. Al-Muhallabi, who died in 990, wrote in a lost work quoted in the biographical dictionary compiled by
Yaqut: Their king pretends before his subject to be a Muslim and most of them pretend to be Muslims too. He has a town on the Nile [Niger], on the eastern bank, which is called Sarnāh, where there are markets and trading houses and to which there is continuous traffic from all parts. He has another town to the west of the Nile [Niger] where he and his men and those who have his confidence live. There is a mosque there where he prays but the communal prayer ground is between the two towns. The archaeological evidence suggests that there were two settlements on the eastern bank of the Niger: Gao Ancien situated within the modern town, to the east of the Tomb of Askia, and the archaeological site of
Gao-Saney (Sané in French) situated around 4 km to the east. The bed of the Wadi Gangaber passes to the south of the Gao-Saney occupation mound (
tell) but to the north of Gao Ancien. The imported pottery and glass recovered from Gao-Saney suggest that the site was occupied between the 8th and 12th centuries. It is possible that Gao-Saney corresponds to Sarnāh of al-Muhallabi.
Al-Bakri writing in 1068 also records the existence of two towns, but
al-Idrisi writing in around 1154 does not. Both al-Muhallabi (see quote above) and al-Bakri situate Gao on the west (or right bank) of the Niger. The 17th century
Tarikh al-Fattash also states that in the 10th century Gao was situated on the Gourma side (i.e. the west bank) of the river. A large sand dune,
La Dune Rose, lies on the west bank opposite Gao, but at Koima, on the edge of the dune at a site 4 km north of Gao, surface deposits indicate a pre 9th century settlement. This could be the west bank Gao mentioned by 10th and 11th century authors. The site has not been excavated. Al-Sadi in his
Tarikh al-Sudan gives a slightly later date for the introduction of Islam. He lists 32 rulers of the
Zuwa dynasty and states that in 1009–1010 A.D. the 15th ruler, Zuwa Kusoy, was the first to convert to Islam. Towards the end of the 13th century, Gao lost its independence and became part of the expanding
Mali Empire. What happened to the Zuwa rulers is not recorded.
Ibn Battuta visited Gao in 1353 when the town formed part of the Mali Empire. He arrived by boat from Timbuktu on his return journey from visiting the capital of the Empire:Then I travelled to the town of Kawkaw, which is a great town on the Nīl [Niger], one of the finest, biggest, and most fertile cities of the Sūdān. There is much rice there, and milk, and chickens, and fish, and the cucumber, which has no like. Its people conduct their buying and selling with cowries, like the people of Mālī. After staying a month in the town, Ibn Battuta left with a caravan for
Takedda and from there headed north back across the Sahara to an oasis in
Tuat with a large caravan that included 600 slave girls. Sometime in the 14th century, Ali Kulun, the first ruler of the
Sunni dynasty, rebelled against Mali hegemony, and was defeated.; It was not until the first half of the 15th century that Sunni Sulayman Dama was able to throw off the Mali yoke. His successor,
Sunni Ali Ber (1464–1492), greatly expanded the territory under Songhay control and established the
Songhay Empire.
Under Mali Empire Towards the end of the 13th century, Gao lost its independence and became part of the expanding
Mali Empire. According to the
Tarikh al-Sudan, the cities of
Gao and
Timbuktu submitted to Musa's rule as he traveled through on his return to Mali. According to one account given by Ibn Khaldun, Musa's general Saghmanja conquered Gao. The other account claims that Gao had been conquered during the reign of
Mansa Sakura. Both of these accounts may be true, as Mali's control of Gao may have been weak, requiring powerful mansas to reassert their authority periodically. Both chronicles provide details on Ali Kulun (or Ali Golom) the founder of the Sunni dynasty. He revolted against the hegemony of the
Mali Empire. A date is not given in the chronicles but the comment in the
Tarikh al-fattash that the fifth ruler was in power at time when
Mansa Musa made his pilgrimage suggests that Ali Kulun reigned around the end of the 14th century. Both chronicles associate Ali Kulun (or Ali Golom) with the Mali court. 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 sultan of Mali. 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 probably that the early Sunni rulers controlled a region to the south, with the town of Kukiya possibly serving as their capital. As the economic strength of Mali Empire relied on controlling routes across the Sahara, it would not have been necessary to control the area to the south of Gao. 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''. The word may have a
Malinke origin meaning "a subordinate or confidant of the ruler". Under the rule of Sunni Sulayman, the Songhai captured the Mema region to the west of
Lake Débo.
Songhai Empire Formerly one of the peoples subjected by the
Mali Empire, the Songhai were able to reassert their control of the area around Gao after the weakening of the Mali Empire, founding the
Songhai Empire which came to encompass much of the former Malian territories, including
Timbuktu, famous for its Islamic universities, and the pivotal trading city of
Djenné, and extending their rule over a territory that surpassed the former Mali and Ghana empires. Among Songhai's most noted scholars was
Ahmed Baba— a highly distinguished historian frequently quoted in the
Tarikh al-Sudan and other works. The people consisted of mostly fishermen and traders. Following Sonni Ali's death, Muslim factions rebelled against his successor and installed Sonni Ali nephew,
Askia Muhammad (formerly Muhammad Toure) who was to be the first and most important ruler of the Askia dynasty (1492–1592). Under the Askias, the Songhai empire reached its zenith. Following Askia Muhammad, the empire began to collapse. It was enormous and could not be kept under control. The
Saadi Sultante saw Songhay's still flourishing salt and gold trade and decided that it would be a good asset, proceeding to conquer much of the region after the
Battle of Tondibi.
Songhai Empire Decline In 1528, Askia faced a rebellion led by his own children, resulting in the proclamation of his son
Musa as king. However, Musa's reign was short-lived as he was overthrown in 1531, leading to a period of decline for the Songhai Empire. Amidst the internal strife and numerous civil wars plaguing the empire, the
Saadians surprisingly launched an
invasion of the Songhai Empire. The primary motive behind this invasion was the desire to control and rejuvenate
trans-Saharan trade, particularly in salt and gold. Despite Askia's rule, the Songhai military remained traditional, composed of full-time soldiers, without modernization. In stark contrast, the invading Saadian force boasted thousands of arquebusiers and eight English cannons. The pivotal Battle of Tondibi on March 13, 1591, saw the Moroccans decisively defeating the Songhai army. Subsequently, they captured Gao and Timbuktu, marking the ultimate demise of the once-mighty Songhai Empire. After the empire's defeat, the nobles moved south to an area known today as
Songhai in present
Niger, where the Sonni dynasty had already settled. They formed smaller kingdoms such as
Wanzarbe,
Ayerou,
Gothèye,
Dargol,
Téra,
Sikié,
Kokorou,
Gorouol,
Karma,
Namaro, etc. and further south, the
Dendi which rose to prominence shortly afterward.
Kingdom of Dendi Under the Songhai Empire, Dendi had been the easternmost province, governed by the prestigious
Dendi-fari ("governor of the eastern front"). Some members of the
Askia dynasty and their followers fled here after being defeated by the invading
Saadi dynasty at the
Battle of Tondibi and at another battle seven months later. There, they resisted Saadians Invaders and maintained the tradition of the Songhai with the same Askia rulers and their newly established capital at
Lulami. The first ruler,
Askia Ishaq II was deposed by his brother
Muhammad Gao, who was in turn murdered on the order of the Saadians
pasha. The Moroccans then appointed
Sulayman as puppet king ruling the
Niger between
Djenné and
Gao. South of
Tillaberi, the Songhai resistance against the Saadians continued under
Askia Nuh, a son of
Askia Dawud. He established his capital at
Lulami.
Arma Pashalik of Timbuktu Following the
Saadians army's triumph at
Battle of Tondibi and the subsequent capture of
Gao,
Timbuktu, and
Djenné, the Pashalik of Timbuktu was established, designating Timbuktu as its capital. Commencing in 1618, the Pasha, initially appointed by the Saadi Sultan, transitioned to being elected by the
Arma. Despite governing the Pashalik as an independent republic, the Armas continued to acknowledge Saadian sultans as their leaders. During the civil war following
Ahmad al-Mansur's death, the Pashalik supported the legitimate Sultan,
Zidan al-Nasir, and by 1670, they pledged allegiance to the
Alaouite sultans. However, this allegiance was short-lived. By the early eighteenth century, the Pashalik revoked Saadian suzerainty. Local traditions attribute this event to
Gurdu, a learned scholar believed to have supernatural powers. According to tradition,
Gurdu halted slavery by sending his youngest student to sign a document, prohibiting the annual exchange of slaves from Timbuktu. By the mid-eighteenth century, the pashalik was declining. Around 1770, the
Tuareg seized Gao, and in 1787, they entered Timbuktu, establishing the Pashalik as their tributary.
Zabarma Emirate (1860-1897) The
Zabarma Emirate was an Islamic state that existed from the 1860s to 1897 in what is now parts of Northern
Ghana and
Burkina Faso. Founded by the
Zarma people, a subgroup of the Songhai, the Zabarma Emirate, despite its Zarma origins, was diverse, with the Zarma constituting a minority. It was primarily composed of
Hausa,
Fulani,
Mossi, and notably the
Gurunsi people, who played a crucial role as allies and soldiers. The word "Gurunsi" is derived from the Zarma language, "Guru-si," meaning "iron does not penetrate." During the Zarma conquest of Gurunsi lands in the late 19th century, the Zarma leader,
Baba Ato Zato (known as Babatu in the Hausa corruption of his name), enlisted a battalion of indigenous men who, after ingesting traditional medicines, were believed to be impervious to iron. In 1887, Zabarma Emirate forces raided
Wa, the capital of the
Kingdom of Wala, prompting a significant population displacement. This event marked the beginning of enduring playful ethnic banter and slavery jokes between the Zarma and the Gurunsi communities in Ghana. Despite their minority status, the Zarma effectively enlisted followers of diverse origins, cultivating lasting loyalty. The Emirs of the Zabarima Emirate included Hanno or Alfa Hanno dan Tadano, Gazari or Alfa Gazare dan Mahama, and Babatu or Mahama dan Issa (commonly known as Babatu in colonial literature). In a series of battles, the French, alongside local allies, defeated Babatu and his Zarma army at
Gandiogo on March 14, 1897, and again at
Doucie on June 23, 1897. Survivors fled south, prompting British military action in October 1897, concluding in June 1898 with the defeat of Babatu's former private army. As the British presence expanded in
Gambaga and areas east of the
Black Volta, authorities of the Zabarma Emirate in the Gurunsi region fled eastward toward
Dagbon.
Dares-Salam (Marabadiassa) imamate ( 1883-1898) The Zerma warriors and traders from the Niger valleys, East of Niamey, under the leadership of Mori Ture, Zerma warlord and leader of militant Islam (Jihad) in current Northern part of
Ivory Coast, attacked the Tagouana and
Djimini, defeating the former and signing the truce with the latter, A second Zerma attack brought all the southern senufo to arms, and the Zerma retreated to the frontier with the Baule (1895), where they founded Dares-Salam, their military and religious capital renamed
Marabadiassa (Maraba Diassa 'the citadel of the Zerma) by the Mandingo, from there they spread military expeditions and Islam in the region, they allied with the
Baoulé to organize the slave trade and the arms trade (rifle, cannon). Having made the Baoulé country a protectorate and the
Wassoulou Empire their allies, the Zerma rallied to
Samori Toure and attacked the Senufo again . The Zerma Empire in Senufo country was an imamate that covered the region of the
Vallée du Bandama District,
Mankono region, all on the lands of the
Senufo Tagouana and Djimini, with the Baoulé country as a protectorate. The power of the Zerma army based on the use of rapid cavalry, rifle and cannons, made it the most powerful ally of the Wassoulu Empire and the most powerful state of the late 19th century in the lands of the modern
Ivory Coast.
Semassi Warriors of Togo and Northwest Benin (1875-1898) Zarma riders and mercenaries, the
Semassi', are known for having operated on Togolese territory on behalf of slave traders between 1883 and 1887. After having been co-opted by the Tem, they kidnap children on the roads at the level of Fazao mountains, or further south, and place up to two or three of them on the same horse before fleeing.. The Zerma Warriors, who numbered 500 horsemen equipped with rifles and cannons, built an great army by integrating the slaves they captured. Commanded by the Zerma Warlords, Mayakki Mongoro and Mayakki Maali, the Semassi in Togo had seized in 1875 to 1898, the regions of
Savanes and
Kara occupied by the
Moba and
Kabye, they made the
Tem Tchaoudjo Kingdom located in the
Centrale Region (
Sokodé) a protectorate and pushed their conquests as far as
Atakpamé. in
Benin,
Djougou was their protectorate, and they incessantly raided the
Tammari people of
Atakora. From 1890 to 1900, they had to bow to the projects and ambitions of the French and German colonial empires. == Society and culture ==