Gobir: Difference between revisions

*[[Sultanate of Agadez|Asben]] (1150–13501150–1450)

*Goran Rami (1685–1756)

| government_type = [[LimitedElective monarchy]]

| established_event1 = EvacuationFounding of AsbenBirnin Lalle

| established_event2 = MoveFounding toof BirninGoran LalleRami

According to records preserved by the Gobir ruling house, they trace their descent from the nomadic [[Copts]] (or Kibdawa) of [[Arabian Peninsula|Arabia]]. They are said to have migrated from Kabila, north of [[Mecca]], to Gubur in [[Yemen]], where they established their first king (Sarkin Gobir), Bana Turmi. From there, they passed through [[Khartoum]] and [[Kanem–Bornu Empire|Bornu]] to [[Agadez Region|Asben]], Surukul, [[Birni Lalle|Birnin Lalle]], Magali, and finally Goran Rami. Historians [[S. J. Hogben]] and [[A. H. M. Kirk-Greene]] noted that this claim is disputed by some and might have been an invention of [[Bawa Jan Gwarzo]] (r. 1777–1795) to avoid paying tribute (murgu) to Bornu.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=|pages=367–368}}

[[File:The_States_of_the_Nigerian_Region_in_the_16th_century.png|thumb|219x219px|Gobir in the 16th century|left]]Gobir was one of the seven original kingdoms of [[Hausa Kingdoms|Hausaland]], tracing a lineage back to the 11th century. It was the northernmost of the [[Hausa Kingdoms|Hausa states]] and was depended on to protect its sister states from northern adversaries, particularly the Tuareg tribes. From its founding, Gobir had a proud martial reputation, likely stemming from its long history of nomadism.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=368}}<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Sutton |first=J. E. G. |date=1979 |title=Towards a Less Orthodox History of Hausaland |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/181513 |journal=The Journal of African History |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=179–201 |issn=0021-8537}}</ref>

Although the majority of the Gobirawa ('people of Gobir') were Hausa, the ruling dynasty claimed Coptic descent, marking under their eyes with "[[Eye of Horus|the same mark found under the eye of the Pharaohs on the monuments]]," called ''takin kaza'' ('the fowl's footprint') in [[Hausa language|Hausa]]. This ruling house descended from Bana Turmi, the first Sarkin Gobir, who died at Bilma. They arrived in the [[Aïr Mountains|Asben region]] between the 12th and 14th centuries, establishing a state with the ''Idirfunawa'' (Hausawa in [[Adrar Region|Adrar]]) they met there.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=369}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hama |first=Boubou |author-link=Boubou Hama |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Histoire_du_Gobir_et_de_Sokoto/FH05AQAAIAAJ?hl=en |title=Histoire du Gobir et de Sokoto |date=1967 |publisher=Présence africaine |pages=11 |language=fr}}</ref>[[File:Gobir man.jpg|thumb|An early 20th-century depiction of a man from Gobir by {{Interlanguage link|Carl Arriens|de|Carl Arriens}}]]By the 15th-century, Gobir had 'many villages inhabited by shepherds and other herdsmen,' according to [[Leo Africanus]]. It utilised its large number of artisans and linen weavers to produce and export textiles and shoes, 'made like those of the [[Clothing in ancient Rome#Footwear|ancient Romans]],' as far as [[Timbuktu]] and [[Gao]] through [[Soninke Wangara|Wangara]] traders. However, due to constant pressure from the [[Tuareg people|Tuaregs]], its economy suffered, and the Gobirawa were forced to move southwards. The Tuaregs had established the [[Sultanate of Agadez]] earlier in the century, replacing Gobir as the dominant power in the Aïr mountains.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" />

[[File:Sokotorivermap.png|thumb|Sokoto-Rima river basin|left]]Gobir is particularly remembered as the chief opponent of [[Fula people|Fulani]] [[Islam]]ic reformer [[Usman dan Fodio]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Meredith |first=Martin |url=http://archive.org/details/fortunesofafrica0000mere_b3d2 |title=The fortunes of Africa : a 5000-year history of wealth, greed, and endeavour |date=2014 |publisher=New York : Public Affairs |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-1-61039-459-8 |pages=164}}</ref> Bawa, a ruler of Gobir, appears to have invited [[Usman dan Fodio|dan Fodio]] to the area in 1774; dan Fodio made his home in the small town of [[Degel]], and began preaching. Dan Fodio was given some role in the education of Bawa's nephew and later successor, [[Yunfa]] (r. 1803–8), but also publicly attacked what he saw as the abuses of the Hausa elite,<ref name=":0" /> particularly the burden they placed on the poor. Sarki [[Nafata of Gobir|Nafata]] (r. 1797–98) reversed Bawa's tolerant policy, and feared the increase of arms amongst dan Fodio's followers. The next two rulers vacillated between repressive and liberal measures.