Rulers Of Mandara
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The Mandara Kingdom (sometimes called Wandala) was an African kingdom in the Mandara Mountains of what is today Cameroon. The Mandara people are descended from the kingdom's inhabitants.


History

Tradition states that Mandara was founded shortly before 1500 by a female ruler named ''Soukda'' and a non-Mandarawa hunter named ''Gaya''. The kingdom was first referred to by Fra Mauro (in 1459) and Leo Africanus (in 1526); the provenance of its name remains uncertain. For the kingdom's first century of history, its rulers warred with neighbouring groups in an effort to expand their territories. After conquering the Dulo (or Duolo) and establishing the capital at Dulo c. 1580, the dynasty of Sankre, a war leader, began. When the Dulo made an attempt to seize the throne, the Bornu kingdom supported the claim of Aldawa Nanda, a member of Sankre's house. Emperor
Idris Alaoma Idris Alooma, Idris ibn 'Ali (Alooma), or Idriss Alaoma, (r. 1570–1602/03 or 1580–1617) was Mai (king) of the Kanem-Bornu Empire, located mainly in Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria. His name is more properly written Idris Alawma or Idris Alau ...
of Borno personally installed Nanda as king in 1614. Bornu thus attained an influential position over Mandara.
Mai Bukar Aji Mai, or MAI, may refer to: Names * Mai (Chinese surname) * Mai (Vietnamese surname) * Mai (name) * Mai (singer), J-Pop singer * Iris Mai (born 1962), German chess master Places * Chiang Mai, largest city in northern Thailand * Ma-i, a pre-Hispan ...
, the 25th king, made Mandara a
sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
ate c. 1715, which it would remain for nearly two hundred years. Muslim visitors converted Bukar to
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
, and the Islamicisation of the kingdom would continue for most of the next century. The kingdom experienced a golden age of sorts under Bukar and his successor, Bukar Guiana (1773-1828). Around 1781, the Mandara defeated the kingdom of Borno in a major battle, further expanding their control in the region. At the peak of her power at the turn of the century, Mandara received tribute from some 15 chiefdoms. However, the kingdom faced a setback in 1809, when Modibo Adama, a Fulani disciple of Usman dan Fodio, led a
jihad Jihad (; ar, جهاد, jihād ) is an Arabic word which literally means "striving" or "struggling", especially with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it can refer to almost any effort to make personal and social life conform with Go ...
against Mandara. Adama briefly seized Dulo, though the Mandara counterattack soon drove him from the kingdom's borders. Adama's defeat prompted Borno to ally with Mandara once again against the Fulani invaders. Upon the death of ruler Bukai Dgjiama, Mandara's non-Muslim tributaries rose up, and the Fulani attacked once more. By 1850, Borno could not pass up the opportunity to attack the weakened kingdom. This renewed conflict began to sap the kingdom's strength, paving the way for the invasion of Muhammad Ahmad's forces in the 1880s. In 1895 or 1896, Muhammad Ahmad's army destroyed Dulo, marking a further decline in Mandara power. However, the kingdom continued to exist, repelling continual Fulani raids until it finally fell to them in 1893. English explorer Dixon Denham accompanied a slave-raiding expedition from Borno into the Mandara kingdom in February 1823; though he barely escaped with his life following the raiders' defeat, he brought back one of the first European accounts of the kingdom. In 1902, the kingdom was conquered by Germany, passing then to France in 1918. In 1960, the Mandara kingdom became a part of newly independent Cameroon.


Rulers of Mandara

(Dates in italics indicate ''de facto ''continuation of office)


See also

{{History of Cameroon * Politics of Cameroon * Heads of government of Cameroon * Colonial heads of Cameroon British Cameroon (Cameroons) * Heads of government of British Cameroon (Cameroons) * Colonial heads of French Cameroon (Cameroun) * Heads of government of French Cameroon (Cameroun) *
Fon (title) A Fon is a chieftain or king of a region of Cameroon, especially among the Widikum, Tikar, and Bamiléké peoples of the Bamenda grass fields (the Northwest, West Region) and the Lebialem of the South West Region. They were a creation of German ...
**
The Fon of Batibo Fon R.A.M. Tebo II of Batibo ascended the throne upon the death of his father HRH G.T.T. Mba II in 2005 amidst great political, cultural and economic anxiety in the Batibo Fondom. Early life and education Fon R.A.M. Tebo II of Batibo was born ...
* Colonial heads of German Cameroon (Kamerun) *
Rulers of Mandara The Mandara Kingdom (sometimes called Wandala) was an African kingdom in the Mandara Mountains of what is today Cameroon. The Mandara people are descended from the kingdom's inhabitants. History Tradition states that Mandara was founded shor ...
*
Rulers of the Bamum List of the rulers of the Bamum people, an ethnic group located in Cameroon. Their capital Fumban is also spelled Foumban in some sources. (Dates in ''italics'' indicate ''de facto ''continuation of office.) Mfon = ''Ruler'' See also *Ca ...
*
Lists of office-holders These are lists of incumbents (individuals holding offices or positions), including heads of states or of subnational entities. A historical discipline, archontology, focuses on the study of past and current office holders. Incumbents may also ...


References

*Barkindo, Bawuro Mubi (1989). ''The Sultanate of Mandara to 1902''. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag. *DeLancey, Mark W., and DeLancey, Mark Dike (2000). ''Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Cameroon''. 3rd ed. *Fanso, V. G. (1989). ''Cameroon History for Secondary Schools and Colleges: Volume 1: Prehistoric Times to the Nineteenth Century''. London: Macmillan Education Ltd. Mandara Cameroon history-related lists Mandara Countries in medieval Africa History of Cameroon States and territories established in the 15th century Former monarchies of Africa Former countries in Africa