Ibrahim II of Bornu
| Ibrahim II | |
|---|---|
| Mai of the Kanem–Bornu Empire | |
| Reign | 15th century (7–8 years) c. 1433–1440[a] |
| Predecessor | Abdullah III Dakumuni |
| Successor | Kade III |
| Died | c. 1440 Zamtam, Bornu |
| Dynasty | Sayfawa dynasty (Dawudid[b]) |
| Father | Uthman III Kalinumuwa (?) |
Ibrahim II (Ibrāhīm bin ʿUthmān[2]) was mai (ruler) of the Kanem–Bornu Empire in the early-to-mid 15th century, ruling approximately 1440–1444.[a] Ibrahim ruled during the "Era of Instability", a chaotic period of internal and external conflict in the empire.
Life
[edit | edit source]Ibrahim was the son of a mai named Uthman,[3] probably Uthman III Kalinumuwa.[4] The chronology of Ibrahim's reign is confused in the sources.[6] The girgam and diwan (later Kanem–Bornu sources) attribute Ibrahim a reign of seven or eight years and designates him as the successor of mai Abdullah III Dakumuni and the predecessor of Kade III.[2][3][6] Kade's father was also named Uthman[3] and he may thus have been Ibrahim's brother.[4]
An account of the reigns of different mais translated by the German explorer Heinrich Barth in the mid-19th century records that Ibrahim was placed on the throne by the kaigama (chief general) Abdullah Dighelma, who had been engaged in a civil war against Abdullah III Dakumuni. Upon Ibrahim's death, Dighelma is said to have made Abdullah III Dakumuni mai again.[6] Barth also contradictorily records that Ibrahim was murdered by Kade III, who then seized the throne.[6] Regardless of the chronology, Ibrahim is said to have been an unpopular ruler, who did not keep a regular court and rarely, if at all, showed himself to the public, inspiring discontent among the people.[6] He is said to not have "covered the land in his majesty" and to have "listened to hearsay".[7]
Ibrahim ruled for seven or eight years.[a] Ibrahim died at Zamtam in Bornu, north of modern-day Gamboru.[6][7]
Notes
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b c Different king lists (girgams) and chronicles translated in the 19th–20th centuries assign Ibrahim a reign of 7 years (Palmer) or 8 years (Barth, Urvoy). He is omitted in the lists of Landeroin and Nachtigal.[3] As a result of this, and due to different calculations for other mais, various dates have been given for his reign, including 1442–1450 (Barth), 1436–1443 (Palmer), and 1432–1440 (Urvoy).[3] Cohen (1966) considered a reign of 8 years most likely.[3] Later authors have also proposed different dates. Lange (1984) and Stewart (1989) both assigned Ibrahim a 8-year reign, dated to 1431–1439[4] and 1442–1450,[5] respectively. Bosworth (2012) assigned Ibrahim a 7-year reign, dated to 1433–1440.[2]
- ^ The 14th and 15th centuries saw protracted civil wars between the rival Idrisid (descendants of Idris I Nikalemi) and Dawudid (descendants of Dawud Nikalemi) branches of the Sayfawa dynasty.[1]
References
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- ^ a b Palmer, H. R. (1926). History Of The First Twelve Years Of The Reign Of Mai Idris Alooma Of Bornu (1571–1583) (Fartua, Ahmed Ibn). p. 114.