THE BORNU TRIBE

The Bornu tribe of the African continent has historically been proven to be one of the largest African countries in area. It extended from the Niger River in the west to the Nile River in the east and from the Fezzan region in the north to Adamawa in the south. It was also the longest-lived country, having lived for more than a thousand years (700 - 1919 AD). This is why  It played a major role in spreading Islam on the African continent in general and the western and central Sudan region in particular 

The peoples of this vast region converted to Islam at the hands of Bornu, and Islamic and Arab culture spread through Bornu’s institutes and mosques, which continued to inhabit this region throughout the Middle Ages and part of the modern era. Its Qur’anic fires were not extinguished until after the colonial invasion of the continent.  Their state also spread consultation and justice among its subjects and adopted Islamic law as a method in all its political systems. 

And civilization (2). Manar was admired by all the travelers who visited it, whether they were Arabs or foreigners. Thus, it was able to establish strong relations with the rulers of Egypt and the countries of North Africa. It extended its hand to the Ottoman Caliphate, which accepted it and provided it with the necessary material and moral support. Its commercial convoys set off to roam the African desert, and they were like waves of waves.  In a deep sea, its trade flourished with Egypt, the Hijaz, and North Africa, and its trade even went as far as China, India, and East Africa (3). So T. appeared.

Neighboring Bornu, there were merchants and preachers, and Hajj was an important Islamic manifestation for the Sultans of Bornu. It is even said that more than thirty of the Sultans of Bornu performed the Hajj. Thus, this young state filled the Islamic region with a pool and a pool, and it was able to preserve its possessions throughout that period, even when European colonialism entered the African continent during the century. 

The twentieth was on three fronts: the British, the French, and the German (4), so the old empire fell after struggling for all that period, and then its possessions were divided between those three countries, but it left for the Muslims a wonderful heritage and eternal pages of Islamic history and the Islamic civilization of this continent.

Establishment of the Borno state:

The Borno state went through two stages in its political history. The first stage was known as the Kanem state (700-1398 AD) and the second was known as the Bornu state (1398-1919 AD). Nothing changed during the two stages except the name of the state. As for the rulers, they themselves only moved from the east of Lake Chad.

To the west of the lake, they called their state the state of Borno.  Most historical documents confirm that the state of Bornu was established at the beginning of its era in the Kwar region, south of the Fezzan region ((12)), after the fall of the Kingdom of Kush at the hands of Axum and the ensuing tribal conflicts that led to the migration of these tribes and their settlement in the Kwar region and the establishment of a king for them. 

In this region...then this country moved south and settled east of Lake Chad, which was known as the Land of the Kanem. This happened as a result of the Roman wars in North Africa and the subsequent events of the Islamic conquest. Huge tribes of Berber elements migrated and settled around Lake Chad and the Niger Basin.

Foreign relations of the State of Borno:

Since its inception, the state of Borno has been concerned with its external relations, especially since it is a major Islamic state in the heart of the African continent. It reached a stage of strength and greatness in the internal political structure and spread of Islam in the African continent, attracting the attention of the civilized world at that time, especially Islamic countries.. Sheikh Ahmed Baba says that the great sultans of the world are four. they:

The greatest Sultan of Baghdad, meaning the Ottoman Caliph, the Sultan of Egypt, the Sultan of Borno, and the Sultan of Mali ((35)). This is its position in the Islamic world.  As for Africa, Sheikh Abdul Qadir bin Al-Mustafa says in his book (Rawdat Al-Afkar) that the state of Bornu was the greatest of all African countries ((36)) during the Middle Ages, and for this prestigious position, the Sultans of Bornu were keen to consolidate their relations with major Islamic countries such as Egypt, North African countries, and the Ottoman countries.

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