Kingdom of Baguirmi

Bagirmi (also Baguirmi ) was an Islamic sultanate that existed from about 1480 to 1897 in Central Africa.

It extended south-east of Lake Chad in what is now the State Chad. The kingdom Bagirmi originated in the southeast of the old Kanem -Bornu Empire. The first recorded ruler (title: Mbang "king" ) is mentioned in 1522 and was the Kanem -Bornu tribute. Islam was introduced during the reign of Abdullah IV (1568-1608), who made the kingdom to Sultanate. The title " Mbang ", however, was maintained for long periods in addition to the title Sultan. Later, a sultan's palace was in the capital Massenya built and furnished a court. The official language was the language Bagirmi (also: Barma ).

History

The political role Bagirmi resulted from the relationship with its more powerful neighbors. While under the Kanem -Bornu ruler Idris Alooma (1571-1603), the empire was virtually Bagirmi this subject, it reached in the 17th century, a certain degree of independence, was in the 1750s but again a tribute dependent vassal state of Kanem - Bornus. At times our own strength but Bagirmi could achieve a degree of regional supremacy and even subjugate neighboring nations, alliances with other nomadic peoples, as well as control the trade in the area of Lake Chad. The kingdom covered an area of up to 200,000 km ²; the locals settled primarily in the area of the Chari River and operated primarily livestock. Cotton strips ( Farda ) served as means of payment. Beginning of the 19th century. then began the decline of the empire Bagirmi, which eventually had to throw the Wadai is that it offered aid in internal conflicts. 1852 reached the German explorer Heinrich Barth the area, 1872 Gustav Nachtigal after the Wadai had devastated the country. 1893 joined the Sudanese warlord Rabih b. Fadlallah after Massenya before that he had burnt down. Then asked the 25th Sultan of Bagirmi, Abd ar Rahman Gwaranga to the protection of France, which in 1897 exercised a protectorate over the Bagirmi Empire and thus de facto incorporated its colonial empire.

To date, the Bagirmi language is spoken by locals; 1993 44.761 speakers of this language were counted, especially in the Chadian province Bagirmi.

Swell

  • N'Gare, Ahmed (1997) ' Le royaume du Baguirmi ( XVe - XXe siècles ) '. Hemispheres, 11, 27-31.
  • Lebeuf, Annie M. D. (1978 ) ' L' ancien royaume du Baguirmi ' Moon et cultures, 38, 3, 437-443.
  • Country Study Chad
  • Historical State in Africa
  • History ( Chad)
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