Chronology of the Sefuwa (Kanem-Bornu)

The Chronology of the Sefuwa (Kanem-Bornu) concerns the rule of the Sefuwa dynasty first over Kanem, then over Kanem-Bornu and finally, since c. 1380, over Bornu alone. African historians presently use several conflicting chronologies for the history of Kanem-Bornu. Below the general principals for such a chronology are established and a list of the main kings of the Empire with the conflicting chronologies is provided.

Dating the kings of Kanem-Bornu

The Chronology of the Sefuwa kings of Kanem-Bornu has been delt with on the basis of the lengths of reign provided by the dynastic records of the Sefuwa for the successive kings (mai) by three different authors (a fourth author published only the results of his chronological considerations). The variations between the five available chronologies result from the combination of the internal data and the external synchronisms. The differences between the proposed chronologies are mainly explained by the fact that the authors of the first studies did not take into account some synchronisms discovered later. With respect to the Sefuwa-Duguwa kings it should be noted that the first ten were ancient Near Eastern kings and that only the eleventh, Abd al-Jalil (1064–1068), ruled in Kanem.

Name of the king (mai)	Barth 1857[1]	Palmer 1936[2]	Urvoy 1941[3],	Lange 1977[4]	Lange 2004[5]
(12) Hume	1086–1097	1086–1097	1085–1097	1075–1086	1068–1080
(17) Dunama Dibbalemi	1221–1259	1221–1259	1210–1224	1210–1248	1203–1242
(48) Ali Gajideni	1472–1504	1476–1503	1473–1507	1465–1497	1455–1487
(49) Idris Katakarmabe	1504–1526	1503–1526	1507–1529	1465–1497	1487–1509
(54) Idris Alauma	1571–1603	1570-1602/3	1580–1616	1564–1596	1564–1596

Bibliography

• Barth, Heinrich (1858). "Chronological table, containing a list of the Sefuwa", in: Travel and Discoveries in North and Central Africa. Vol. II, New York, 581-602.
• Lange, Dierk (1977). Chronologie et histoire d'un royaume africain: le dīwān des sultans du Kanem-Bornu. Wiesbaden.
• -----(2004). Ancient Kingdoms of West Africa. Dettelbach (chronology: p. 552).
• Lavers, John (1982)."Review of Lange, Chronologie Journal of African History 23, 122-3 (in support of Lange's chronology 1977).
• Palmer, Herbert Richmond (1936). Bornu Sahara and Sudan. London.
• Urvoy, Yves (1941). "Chronologie du Bornou", Journal de la Société des Africanistes, 11, 21-31.

External links

• Chronology, ed. 1911; see also Encyclopædia Britannica, 4th ed., Chicago 1980, vol. 4, 572-582.
• Regnal Chronologies
•  "General Chronology". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. 

References

1. ^ Barth, Travels, II, 15-25, 581-602.
2. ^ Palmer, Bornu, 112-268.
3. ^ Urvoy, "Chronologie", 27-31.
4. ^ Lange, Chronologie, 83-94.
5. ^ Lange, Kingdoms, 552.

See also

• Bornu Empire
• Kanem Empire
• Sayfawa dynasty