Sultanate of Agadez

The Sultanate of Agadez (also known as Tenere Sultanate of Aïr,[1] Sultanate of Aïr, or Asben[2]) was a Berber kingdom centered in the city of Agadez in the Aïr Mountains, located at the southern edge of the Sahara desert in north-central Niger. It was founded in 1430 by the Tuareg and Hausa people as a trading post. The Agadez Sultanate was later conquered by the Songhai Empire in 1500.[1] After the defeat of the Songhai kingdom in 1591, the Agadez Sultanate regained its independence. It experienced a steep decline in population and economic activity during the 17th century. The kingdom was later conquered by the French in 1900.

Tenere Sultanate of Aïr
Rough location of the Sultanate
Rough location of the Sultanate
CapitalAgadez
Common languagesTayiṛt, Arabic, Hausa
Religion
Sunni Islam
GovernmentSultanate
Establishment
• Establishment of the Sultanate
1404
• Establishment of Agadez
1430
• Agadez proclaimed as the new seat of the Sultanate
1449
• Conquered by Songhai
1500
• Fall of the Songhai Empire
1591
• Incorporated into French West Africa
1900
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Songhai Empire
Kel Ferwan
Kel Owey
Kel Geres
French West Africa
Today part ofNiger

History

According to oral tradition of the tribes of Kel Ferwan, Kel Owi and Itesen, the Sultanate was established because there had long been destructive clashes between the tribes. Because of this, the tribes sent an envoy to Constantinople to find a capable leader for the tribes.

Originally, the seat of the Sultanate was Tadaliza, which is now an archaeological site in the Air Mountains. Sultan Ilisawan (1430-1449) settled in Agadez and built a palace there, proclaiming it as the capital of the Sultanate in 1449.

References
  1. James B. Minahan (2016). Encyclopedia of Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups around the World, 2nd Edition. ABC-CLIO. p. 418. ISBN 978-1-61069-954-9.
  2. "Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Air" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 442–443).

Further reading
  • Decalo, Samuel. Historical Dictionary of Niger, 3rd ed., pp. 24–27. Scarecrow Press (Boston), 1997. ISBN 0-8108-3136-8.
  • Hudgens, Jim & al. Rough Guide to West Africa, 4th ed., p. 983. Rough Guide, 2003. ISBN 1-84353-118-6.

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