This is a list of rulers of Kano since the establishment of the Bagauda Dynasty in 999. The early rulers are known almost exclusively from a single source, the Kano Chronicle,; in Google Books. which was composed in the late 19th century.
Bagauda dynasty (998–1809)
Names and dates taken from John Stewart's African States and Rulers (2006):
Kings (998 – 1349)
# Name Reign Start Reign End 1 Bagauda (or Yakano) December 998 January 1063 2 Warisis (or Warisi) January 1063 January 1095 3 Gajemasu (or Gijimasu) January 1095 November 1133 4 Nawata (joint ruler with twin brother Gawata) November 1133 October 1135 5 Gawata (joint ruler with twin brother Nawata) 6 Yusa (or Tsaraki) October 1135 December 1193 7 Naguji December 1193 May 1247 8 Gujjua (or Gugua) May 1247 January 1290 9 Shekarau I (or Shekkarau I) January 1290 July 1306 10 Tsamiya (or Tsamia; also Barandamasu) July 1306 June 1342 11 Usmanu Zamnagawa June 1342 March 1349
Sultans (1349 – 1807)
# Name Reign Start Reign End 12 Yaji I March 1349 February 1385 13 Bugaya February 1385 December 1389 14 Kanejeji (or Kanajeji) December 1389 May 1409 15 Umaru May 1409 January 1421 16 Dauda January 1421 January 1437 17 Abdullahi Burja January 1437 January 1452 18 Dakauta January 1452 (One night) 19 Atuma January 1452 February 1452 20 Yakubu February 1452 September 1462 21 Muhammad Rumfa September 1462 August 1498 22 Abdullahi August 1498 May 1508 23 Muhammad Kisoki May 1508 August 1564 24 Yakufu August 1564 January 1565 25 Dauda Abasama I January 1565 March 1565 26 Abu Bakr Kado March 1565 May 1572 27 Muhammad Shashere May 1572 January 1582 28 Muhammad Zaki January 1582 December 1617 29 Muhammad Nazaki December 1617 November 1622 30 Kutumbi November 1622 January 1648 31 al-Hajj January 1648 January 1649 32 Shekkarau II January 1649 December 1650 33 Muhammad Kukuna December 1650 December 1651 34 Soyaki December 1651 – Muhammad Kukuna (Restored) December 1651 September 1659 35 Bawa September 1659 1670 36 Dadi 1670 May 1702 37 Muhammad Sharefa May 1702 July 1730 38 Kumbari July 1730 February 1743 39 al-Hajji Kabe February 1743 May 1752 40 Yaji II May 1752 May 1768 41 Babba Zaki May 1768 February 1776 42 Dauda Abasama II February 1776 December 1780 43 Muhammad Alwali II December 1780 March 1807
Suleiman's reign (1807–1819) # Name Reign Start Reign EndNotes 1 Suleimanu dan Aba Hama 1807 1819Shehu Suleiman dan Aba Hama from the Fulani Mundubawa clan led the Jihad of Usman dan Fodio in Kano, and overthrew the almost eight-centuries-old Bagauda dynasty. He pledged allegiance to the Sokoto Caliphate and became the first emir of the Kano Emirate. He was a wise and just king.
Dabo dynasty (1819–present)
# Name Reign Start Reign EndNotes 2Ibrahim Dabo dan Mahmudu 1819 1846Shehu Ibrahim Dabo from the Fulani Sullubawa clan was a mystic and scholar. He is the eponymous founder of the Dabo dynasty as the khalifa of Emir Suleiman which has ruled Kano for over two hundred years.3Usman I Maje Ringim dan Dabo 18461855Son of Dabo4Abdullahi Maje Karofi dan Dabo18551883Son of Dabo5Muhammadu Bello dan Dabo18831893Son of Dabo6Muhammadu Tukur dan Bello 189318947Aliyu Babba dan Maje Karofi18941903Aliyu was on a visit to Sokoto in 1903 when Kano fell to the British during the Battle of Kano. Aliyu gathered his forces on a long march to retake the city but his cavalry was annihilated by the Lord Lugard at the sanguinary Battle of Kwatarkwashi. His brother Wambai Abbas was proclaimed Emir by the British and Aliyu subsequently went on a Mahdist Hijra north into the Sahara but was captured by the French and handed over to the British who exiled him to Yola and then Lokoja8Muhammad Abbass dan Maje Karofi19031919First Emir to reign under the Kano Emirate Council.9Usman II dan Maje Karofi1919192610Abdullahi Bayero dan Abbas19261953Bayero was a scholarly-king who promoted traditional Islamic education and encouraged trade in the city-state 11Muhammadu Sanusi I dan Bayero19531963Sanusi I was the first Emir to be dethroned by the government12Muhammad Inuwa dan AbbasApril 1963October 1963Second shortest reign after Sultan Dakauta (who reigned for one night in January 1452)13Ado Bayero (San Kano) dan Abdu Bayero19632014Ado Bayero had the longest reign in the royal history of the city-state spanning over five decades. His reign started three years before the fall of the first republic and saw 14 heads of state and 17 state governors. His funeral was the largest gathering in the modern history of northern Nigeria.14Muhammadu Sanusi II dan ciroma Aminu Sanusi Bayero dan Muhammadu Sanusi I20142020Sanusi II was the first Sullubawa prince since the 19th century founding of the Dabo dynasty to become emir not through royal primogenitureship. His six-year reign marks also the first to usher in a dynastic generational-shift away from the old regime of 1903; he is the second emir to be dethroned after his grandfather Sir Sanusi I15Aminu dan Takawa Ado Bayero Jikan Sarki Alhaji 2020202416Muhammadu Sanusi II dan Nadawaki Aminu dan Muhammadu Sanusi I2024present
Lineages
Hausa rulers
Fulani rulers
See also
Hausa Kingdoms Kano Chronicle Timeline of Kano
References