15th century – 15th century
Hausaland, especially Katsina and Kano
Fulani migration into Hausaland is described as a west-to-east movement whose chronology and routes remain uncertain. The first arrivals are associated with the reign of Sarkin Katsina Jabdayaki, around 1405–1445, and with the reign of Yak’ubu of Kano, 1452–1463. Muslim clerics and nomadic pastoralists entered the region, contributing to Islamic learning and seeking pasture for livestock.
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The Story
The first immigrant herdsmen entering Hausaland were the Fulani or Fulbe, followed later by the Tuareg. Scholars agree broadly that the Fulani reached the central Sudan from the west, but the chronology and routes of their migration remain obscure. The excerpt therefore presents their arrival as a process rather than a single, securely dated movement.
According to one reconstruction, Fulani first came to Katsina during the reign of Sarkin Katsina Jabdayaki, dated approximately 1405–1445. The Kano Chronicle places another arrival during the reign of Yak’ubu, from 1452 to 1463, describing Fulani coming from Melle with books on divinity and etymology before continuing toward Bornu. A small number remained in Hausaland with slaves and other travellers who had abandoned the journey.
The immigrant population included Muslim clerics, but most Fulani were nomadic pastoralists who retained traditional religious beliefs. They sought grazing for cattle, sheep, and goats and were concentrated in central Kano, northern Katsina, and the Rima valley, including parts of Zamfara and Kebbi. Their numbers cannot be established with certainty, but the passage suggests that they were not very numerous during this period.
Fulani clerics lived mainly in Hausa urban centres, where they contributed to the strengthening of Islam, especially in Kano and Katsina. Their presence connected pastoral migration with the circulation of religious knowledge. The account also emphasizes that the early Fulani movement should not be confused with the much later, more intensive migrations of subsequent periods.
15th century – 15th century
Hausaland, especially Katsina and Kano
Fulani migration into Hausaland is described as a west-to-east movement whose chronology and routes remain uncertain. The first arrivals are associated with the reign of Sarkin Katsina Jabdayaki, around 1405–1445, and with the reign of Yak’ubu of Kano, 1452–1463. Muslim clerics and nomadic pastoralists entered the region, contributing to Islamic learning and seeking pasture for livestock.
Continue exploring
The Story
The first immigrant herdsmen entering Hausaland were the Fulani or Fulbe, followed later by the Tuareg. Scholars agree broadly that the Fulani reached the central Sudan from the west, but the chronology and routes of their migration remain obscure. The excerpt therefore presents their arrival as a process rather than a single, securely dated movement.
According to one reconstruction, Fulani first came to Katsina during the reign of Sarkin Katsina Jabdayaki, dated approximately 1405–1445. The Kano Chronicle places another arrival during the reign of Yak’ubu, from 1452 to 1463, describing Fulani coming from Melle with books on divinity and etymology before continuing toward Bornu. A small number remained in Hausaland with slaves and other travellers who had abandoned the journey.
The immigrant population included Muslim clerics, but most Fulani were nomadic pastoralists who retained traditional religious beliefs. They sought grazing for cattle, sheep, and goats and were concentrated in central Kano, northern Katsina, and the Rima valley, including parts of Zamfara and Kebbi. Their numbers cannot be established with certainty, but the passage suggests that they were not very numerous during this period.
Fulani clerics lived mainly in Hausa urban centres, where they contributed to the strengthening of Islam, especially in Kano and Katsina. Their presence connected pastoral migration with the circulation of religious knowledge. The account also emphasizes that the early Fulani movement should not be confused with the much later, more intensive migrations of subsequent periods.
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