Ibrahim II of Bornu

Ibrahim II was mai of the Kanem–Bornu Empire in the early-to-mid 15th century, ruling approximately 1440–1444. Ibrahim ruled during the "Era of Instability", a chaotic period of internal and external conflict in the empire.

Life

Ibrahim was the son of a mai named Uthman, probably Uthman III Kalinumuwa. The chronology of Ibrahim's reign is confused in the sources. The girgam and diwan attribute Ibrahim a reign of seven or eight years and designates him as the successor of mai Abdullah III Dakumuni and the predecessor of Kade III. Kade's father was also named Uthman and he may thus have been Ibrahim's brother.
An account of the reigns of different mais translated by the German explorer Heinrich Barth in the mid-19th century records that Ibrahim was placed on the throne by the kaigama Abdullah Dighelma, who had been engaged in a civil war against Abdullah III Dakumuni. Upon Ibrahim's death, Dighelma is said to have made Abdullah III Dakumuni mai again. Barth also contradictorily records that Ibrahim was murdered by Kade III, who then seized the throne. Regardless of the chronology, Ibrahim is said to have been an unpopular ruler, who did not keep a regular court and rarely, if at all, showed himself to the public, inspiring discontent among the people. He is said to not have "covered the land in his majesty" and to have "listened to hearsay".
Ibrahim ruled for seven or eight years. Ibrahim died at Zamtam in Bornu, north of modern-day Gamboru.