Kingdom of Kano
The Kingdom of Kano was a Hausa kingdom centred on the city of Kano in modern-day northern Nigeria that was established around 1000 CE, and endured until its conquest during the jihad of Usman dan Fodio in 1805. Following this, its dynasty was replaced with a Fulani one subordinate to the Sokoto Caliphate, and the polity continues to exist today as the Kano Emirate Council, a non-sovereign monarchy in Nigeria.
Physical geography
Kano lies to the north of the Jos Plateau, located in the Sudanian Savanna region that stretches across the south of the Sahel. The city lies near where the Kano and Challawa rivers flowing from the southwest converge to form the Hadejia River, which eventually flows into Lake Chad to the east. Traditionally, agriculture was based on lifting water to irrigate small parcels of land along river channels in the dry season, known as the Shadouf system. At the time when the kingdom was flourishing, tree cover would have been more extensive and the soil less degraded than it is today.History
Background
Our knowledge of the early history of Kano comes largely from the Kano Chronicle, a compilation of oral tradition and some older documents composed in the late 19th century, as well as more recently conducted archaeology. The territory was inhabited by various chiefdoms, namely Sheme, Dala, and Santolo. Dala was said to have had six generations of rulers before the arrival of Bagauda.In the 7th century, Dala Hill was the site of a community that engaged in iron-working. It is unknown whether these were Hausa people or speakers of Niger–Congo languages. Some sources say they were Hausa-speaking hunter-gatherers known as Abagayawa who migrated from Gaya. There are still blacksmiths in Kano today who call themselves Abagayawa and claim descent from the early inhabitants of Kano. The Abagayawa also practiced the arts of medicine, beer-brewing, archery, drumming, minstresly and dancing.
The Arab geographer al-Yaqubi, writing in 872/873 CE, describes a kingdom called "HBShH" with a city named "ThBYR" ruled by a king called "MRH", located between the Niger Bend and the Kingdom of Kanem. If the kingdom's name is vocalized as "Habasha" it would correspond with other Arabic language texts that also appear to refer to the Hausa, and would be the earliest reference to the Hausa region.
Kano was originally known as Dala, after the hill, and was referred to as such as late as the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th by Bornoan sources. The hill was named after a man who built a house on it. He lived there with his wives and children. His oldest son, Garageje, was the great-grandfather of Barbushe, the most well-known pagan high priest of Dala. Barbushe was a great hunter who 'slew elephants with his stick and carried them on his head about nine miles.' He was the chief priest of Tsumburbura, the deity of Kano. Elizabeth Isichei notes that the description of Barbushe is similar to those of Sao people.
Arrival of Bagauda and the founding of Kano
At about the 10th-century, several immigrant groups arrived in Kano, one of them led by a man named Bagauda. He was said to be a descendant of the legendary Bayajidda of Daura. At first he settled in Garazawa, a district between Jakara and Damagaram. He then took control of Sheme after defeating the rulers in 999 CE and reigned as the first Sarkin Kano until 1063 CE. He was given the nickname of Yakano, from which the name of the kingdom is said to derive. According to the Kano Chronicle, Bagauda arrived with Buram, Isa, Baba, Kududdufi, Akasa, "and others of the Kano chiefs" all of whom were "men of princely clan" from Daura. The names are preserved as titles of princes to this day. Some of these titles are: Dan Buram, Dan Isa, Dan Baba, Dan Akasan, Dan Kududdufi, Dan Darman, and Dan Goriba.Bagauda's grandson Gijimasu, the third sarki, founding a settlement at the foot of Dala Hill which would become Kano. He began building city walls around the settlement, and Gijimasu's son, Tsaraki, the fifth king, completed them during his reign. The Bagauda dynasty steadily extended the kingdom through conquest of nearby communities. They established numerous sub-rulers, with titles starting with "Dan", of which the most important was Dan Iya. By 1200, Kano had extended its rule over all of the chiefdoms in the area apart from Santolo.
Introduction of Islam
The reign of Yaji I saw the introduction of Islam to Kano by Wangara. The Kano Chronicle says that Yaji accepted Islam and agreed to build a mosque and appoint some Wangara to religious positions. His reign saw the completion of Kano's subordination of the surrounding polities, including the conquest of Zamnagaba and the occupation of Rano for two years. With the help of the Wangara, Yaji conquered Santolo and destroyed the religious centre of the city, crucial to traditional religious practices. Yaji further campaigned southwards against the Kwararafa, however inconclusively as they paid tribute in slaves but refused to pledge allegiance. The Kano Chronicle characterises these conflicts as between the Muslim ruling class and commoners following traditional religions, however scholars consider this a later re-interpretation.Kanajeji, son of Yaji, reigned from, and the Kano Chronicle describes him as a "pagan". He continued the policy of expansion, and subdued Zazzau, killing its king in battle. During the reign of Dauda a Bornu prince migrated to Kano accompanied by many mallam, likely bringing concepts of administration as the titles galadima, chiroma, and kaigama came into use.
Apogee
The 15th century saw the expansion of trade in the region, as a road from Bornu to Gonja in modern-day Ghana was constructed, and Kano exported kola nuts and eunuchs while importing camels and salt. Fulani arrived bringing new scholarly works, and Kano's prosperity attracted many descendants of Muhammad and the influential Muslim cleric al-Maghili as the ruling class Islamised. Despite this prosperity, Abdullahi Burja's reign saw Kano begin paying tribute to Bornu.The reign of Muhammad Rumfa oversaw various innovations, including further construction on the city walls, the appointment of eunuchs to state offices, the establishment of the Kurmi market in Kano, and that of a council of nine senior office-holders. He also constructed a new palace, established a harem of 1000 wives, and began the official celebration of Eid al-Fitr. Rumfa also oversaw Kano's first war with Katsina which lasted 11 years and ended inconclusively. His successors Abdullahi and Muhammad Kisoki waged a second war against Katsina, however despite the conquest of Zazzau it too ended inconclusively.
Decline and Fall
and his successor, Kumbari dan Sharefa, both engaged the Fula in major battles. During this period Kano was a thriving city with advanced medical knowledge and a diverse economy, although Katsina had overtaken it in preeminence among the Hausa states. Muskets and gunpowder were manufactured locally, and the city of Timbuktu depended on the Sultanate for protection. Babban Zaki grew the sultanate's cavalry force and his personal bodyguard.Kano then became an emirate subject to Sokoto.