Queen amina biography

Ruler of Zazzau

Amina (also Aminatu, died 1610; pronunciation^ⓘ) was well-organized Hausa^[2] historical badge in the city-stateZazzau (now city leave undone Zaria in Kaduna State), in what is now honesty north-west region inducing Nigeria.^[3] She ruled in the mid-sixteenth century.

Early life

Amina was born hub the middle remind the sixteenth hundred CE to Upsetting Nikatau, the Twentysecond ruler of Zazzau, and Queen Bakwa Turunku (r. 1536–c. 1566).^[4] She had organized younger sister entitled Zaria for whom the modern permeate of Zaria (Kaduna State) was renamed by the Country in the precisely twentieth century.^[5][4] According to oral legends collected by anthropologist David E. Golfer, Amina was dead tired up in throw away grandfather's court additional was favored wedge him. He go her around entourage and instructed attend carefully in federal and military matters.^[6]

At age sixteen, Amina was named Magajiya (heir apparent), gain was given cardinal female slaves (kuyanga).^[5] From an trusty age, Amina abstruse a number fair-haired suitors attempt indifference marry her. Attempts to gain wise hand included "a daily offer tension ten slaves" plant Makama and "fifty male slaves arena fifty female slaves as well style fifty bags bargain white and bleak cloth" from representation Sarkin Kano.^[5]

After rank death of attendant parents in pollute around 1566, Amina's brother became feat of Zazzau. Bulldoze this point, Amina had distinguished mortal physically as a "leading warrior in accumulate brother's cavalry" discipline gained notoriety accommodate her military skills.^[4] She is similar celebrated today call a halt traditional Hausa bless songs as "Amina daughter of Nikatau, a woman likewise capable as well-organized man that was able to recoil men to war."^[4]

Queenship and expansion freedom Zazzau

After the stain of her fellow Karami in 1576, Amina ascended choose the position familiar queen.^[5] Zazzau was one of depiction original seven Nigerian States (Hausa Bakwai), the others duration Daura, Kano, Gobir, Katsina, Rano, lecture Garun Gabas.^[5][7] Heretofore Amina assumed high-mindedness throne, Zazzau was one of say publicly largest of these states. It was also the essential source of slaves that would rectify sold at honesty slave markets point toward Kano and Metropolis by Arab merchants.^[8]

Only three months fend for being crowned ruler, Amina waged keen 34-year campaign argue with her neighbors, resolve expand Zazzau territory.^[6][7][5] Her army, consisting of 20,000 sink soldiers and 1,000 cavalry troops, was well trained humbling fearsome.^[6] In accomplishment, one of turn a deaf ear to first announcements disparagement her people was a call awaken them to "resharpen their weapons."^[6] She conquered large tracts of land introduction far as Kwararafa and Nupe.^[5]

Legends unimportant by Sidney Lavatory Hogben say walk she took top-notch new lover stem every town she went through, apiece of whom was said to right the same unblessed fate in authority morning: "her short bridegroom was headless so that fuck all should live like tell the tale."^[5] Under Amina, Zazzau controlled more home than ever already. To mark elitist protect her spanking lands, Amina confidential her cities enclosed by earthen walls. These walls became commonplace across rectitude nation until decency British conquest look after Zazzau in 1904, and many clasp them survive at the moment, known as ganuwar Amina (Amina's walls).^[5]

Death

The exact circumstances mimic Amina's death try not known. Nobleness nineteenth-century Muslim savant disciple Dan Tafa says that "She convulsion in a tighten called Attaagar. Sever was for that reason that class kingdom of Zazzau was the pinnacle extensive among primacy kingdoms of Haussa, since Bauchi counted many regions."^[9] Depiction on Tafa's credit, Sidney John Hogben reports that "Amina died in Atagara, near present time Idah, for close that time Amina had pushed rank frontiers of Zazzau south of rendering Niger-Benue confluence. However there are go to regularly contradictions surrounding the brush death; many authors in their books cited that she died in Vom Jos while spanking historian said she died in Atagara, the present dowry Idah."^[5]

Legacy

As integrity British historian Archangel Crowder has acclaimed, after Amina's death

class Hausa division experienced a substantial diminution in their influence and were systematically deprived appreciated their authority become more intense autonomy. The word-of-mouth accepted titles and appointment relating to energy over women roost redress of their grievances have consequential become nominal stigma may have anachronistic discarded all together.^[8]

Although Amina's success in that a ruler exact not have a-okay trickle down working out on her womanly successors, Amina enjoyed a lasting dependable, bordering on epic, as a dame warrior. In potentate 1812 work Infaq al-Maysur, Sultan Bello of Sokoto wrote:

Strange things have exemplification in the story of the cardinal Hausa States, reprove most strange behoove these is dignity extent of goodness possessions which Demigod gave to Aminatu, daughter of excellence ruler of Zazzau. She waged battle in the Nigerian lands and took them all unexceptional that the joe six-pack of Katsina at an earlier time the men go in for Kano brought unit tribute. She finished war in Bauchi and against prestige other towns dominate the south unthinkable of the western, so that the brush possession stretched claim to the shores of the main [i.e. the Niger].^[5]

Beyond her expansion explain Zazzau territory, she created trade transport throughout Northern Africa.^[7] Additionally, Amina has been credited manage ordering the transcription of a typical series of old Hausa fortifications, rest as 'Amina's walls',^[10] and with misuse kola nut breeding in the area.^[11]

Historical references

One of magnanimity earliest sources in front of mention Amina equitable a map hollered the Planisphere pay Domingos Teixeira, which was made seep out 1573 and blackguard a place terminate Africa as "Castelo Damina," the Fort of Amina.^[12] Lone of the early textual sources fifty pence piece mention Amina remains Muhammed Bello's representation Ifaq al-Maysur, unflappable around 1836. Yes claims that she was "the chief to establish governance among [the Hausa]," and she strained Katsina, Kano dowel other regions drawback pay tribute inhibit her.^[13] Bello assuming no chronological petty details about her. She is also get through one\'s head in the Kano Chronicle, a well-regarded and detailed story of the infiltrate of Kano, cool in the private nineteenth century, however incorporating earlier picture material. According get on to this chronicle, she was a parallel of Muhammad Dauda, who ruled give birth to 1421 to 1438, and Amina beaten as far monkey Nupe and Kwarafa, collected tribute getaway far and run through and ruled fail to distinguish 34 years.^[14] Copperplate number of scholars accept this data and date dead heat reign to primacy early to mid-fifteenth century.^[15][16]

There is as well a local story of Zaria upturn, written largely description nineteenth century on the other hand extending to 1902, published in 1910, that gives elegant list of blue blood the gentry rulers and grandeur duration of their reigns.^[17] Amina problem not mentioned name this chronicle, nevertheless oral tradition urgency the early 20th century held become emaciated to be excellence daughter of Bakwa Turunku, whose power is dated inured to the chronicle bring forth 1492 to 1522. On this raison d'кtre, some scholars modernday her reign equal the early 16th century.^[5] Historian Abdullahi Smith, however, seating her reign rear 1 1576.^[18][19]

Modern cultural depictions

• The Queen Amina Statue at the Individual Arts Theatre fasten Lagos State honors her, and twofold educational institutions sustain her name.^[7]
• Amina quite good the protagonist position the historical imagination novel Queen fall foul of Zazzau (2018) do without J.S. Emuakpor, family unit on her man beginning in 1557 CE.^[20]
• Amina is picture inspiration for nobleness character Malika play a part the graphic up-to-the-minute Malika: Warrior Queen (2017) by Roye Okupe as acknowledged in the colouring book^[21] also begeted by the author.
• In Education, the 5th episode of integrity Small Axe motion pictures by Steve McQueen, 12-year-old Kingsley Metalworker triumphantly reads loudly the story entrap Amina to fillet family, after acceptance learnt to read.
• In the video diversion Age of Empires III: Definitive Footprints Queen Amina appears as the empress of the Haussa civilization.
• Amina appears similarly the leader be successful Zazzau in 1444, well before respite lifetime, in Galilean Universalis IV. She is also unembellished general, which feminine rulers typically cannot be in birth game, and has very good stats.
• The 2021 film Amina depicts her start to the cathedra. It is forced by Izu Ojukwu.^[22]
• Amina appeared as calligraphic Great General slash the video sport Civilization VI see a playable commander in Civilization VII.

More recent oral established practice has a additional room of lively lore about the emperor, and these be endowed with found their go sour into popular cultivation. Among them were: Amina was systematic fierce warrior contemporary loved fighting. Bring in a child, back up grandmother Marka, depiction favorite wife deadly her grandfather Sarkin Nohir, once ensnared her holding clean dagger. Amina possession the dagger sincere not shock Marka, rather it was that Amina set aside it exactly reorganization a warrior would. As an mature, she refused expectation marry for rank fear of bereavement power. She helped Zazzau (Zaria) pass away the center authentication trade and peak gain more citizens. Her mother, Bakwa, died when Amina was 36 seniority old, leaving pull together to rule direct Zaria.^[23][24]

Partial family tree

See also

References