The Songhai (also Songhay, Songhaytarey (), ()) is an area in the northwestern corner of Niger's Tillabéri Region populated mainly by the Songhai proper. It is considered the heartland of the Songhai people and the sanctuary of their ancient pantheon and priestly class and the place in which the original lineage of the Sonni dynasty retreated after the coup d'etat of 1493 creating a secret society of magicians, the

Sohance The Sohance (also known as the Sohankye or Si Hamey) are a social caste among the Songhai nobility. They are believed to be the direct descendants of the Sonni Dynasty and its last ruler, Sonni Ali Ber, the founder of the Songhai Empire, who reigne ...

History

The

Songhay Empire The Songhai Empire (also transliterated as Songhay) was a state that dominated the western Sahel/Sudan in the 15th and 16th century. At its peak, it was one of the largest states in African history. The state is known by its historiographical ...

grew out of a polity that was formed in this region of present-day Niger. This polity flourished in present-day Mali and replaced the

Mali Empire The Mali Empire ( Manding: ''Mandé''Ki-Zerbo, Joseph: ''UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. IV, Abridged Edition: Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century'', p. 57. University of California Press, 1997. or Manden; ar, مالي, Māl ...

as the major West Sudanese power with its capital as Gao. After being vanquished by incursions from Morocco, the Songhay state withdrew to its original homeland which is this region. WestAfrica1350-pt

The first stettlers to move back here from Gao were the Sonni dynasty in 1493 followed by the Askia dynasty in 1591 who also settled here and further south in the Dendiganda and established smaller kingdoms after the invasion of the Songhai Empire by the Saadi dynasty of Morocco. WestAfrica1625

The nobles of the towns in this region trace their ancestry to two groups of Songhay nobility: the ''Si'' or ''Sonni Hamey'' (offspring of

Sonni Ali Ber Sunni Ali, also known as Si Ali, Sunni Ali Ber (Ber meaning "the Great"), was born in Ali Kolon. He reigned from about 1464 to 1492. Sunni Ali was the first king of the Songhai Empire, located in Africa and the 15th ruler of the Sunni dynasty. ...

) and ''Mamar Hamey'' (offspring of Mamar or Maamar, that being the vernacular name of Askia Mohammad I). The primary dialect spoken in this region is Songhoyboro Ciine.

References

{{Authority control 1591 disestablishments in Africa Former empires in Africa Regions of Niger Ancient peoples History of Africa Sahelian kingdoms