Kanem-Bornu Empire

Kanem-Bornu Empire, African state, in the Lake Chad region, that lasted for a thousand years, from the 9th to the 19th century. It was founded by the Kanuri, a mixed negroid and Berber people living east of Lake Chad, and was ruled by mais, or kings, of the Saifawa dynasty, with a capital at Njimi. Based on trans-Saharan trade, the state was early subject to the influences of Islam, which in the 11th century became the accepted religion. Conquests during the next 200 years expanded the empire as far west as the Niger River and east to Wadai; to the north its power extended into the Fezzan. In the 14th century, wars with the Bulala people to the south forced the mai to move west to Bornu, where succeeding mais reestablished the empire and, under Ali Ghaji, founded a new capital at Ngazargamu. The 16th century was one of renewed expansion and power, especially under Idris Alooma, who had acquired firearms from North African Turks. The empire declined again in the 18th century, due in part to infiltration by the Fulani from the west. Barely withstanding an onslaught by Usuman dan Fodio in 1808-9, the empire was finally absorbed by Wadai in 1846.