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Conflict Africa

Kanem–Bornu Wars

700 CE – 1846 CE · 1,146 years

One of Africa's longest-lived empires, spanning over a millennium around Lake Chad, defending against Bulala invasions, Hausa rivals, and the Fulani jihad before falling to the Sokoto Caliphate.

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Belligerents

The main peoples, kingdoms and states involved.

  • Kanem-Bornu Empire (Mai Idris Alooma and successors)
  • Bulala
  • Hausa states
  • Sokoto Caliphate / Fulani jihadists

Key moments

Defining events in the Kanem–Bornu Wars.

  1. c. 1380 Bulala overthrow of Kanem at Njimi
  2. 1564–1596 Mai Idris Alooma's campaigns
  3. 1808 Resistance to the Sokoto Caliphate

Elsewhere in Africa at the time

Records whose own span overlaps this one, found by the same test the canvas draws with. The bar under each card is where it sits inside this one.

See the whole view

Landmark · Africa

Volubilis

300 BCE – 1200 CE

Polity · Africa

Angola

Attested 1815 CE – 2026 CE

Conflict · Africa

Ghana–Almoravid Conflict

1054 CE – 1083 CE

Trade route · Africa

East African Coastal Trade

900 CE – 1505 CE

Landmark · Africa

Great Zimbabwe

1100 CE – still standing

Polity · Africa

Khoiasan

Attested 1500 BCE – 1500 CE

Conflict · Africa

Great Zimbabwe & Mutapa Wars

1100 CE – 1629 CE

Trade route · Africa

Indian Ocean Trade

900 CE

Dated moments inside this span

Events the timeline places between 700 CE and 1846 CE.

750 CE Ghana Empire Wars 757 CE Sijilmasa 789 CE Fez 900 CE Zanzibar 900 CE Mombasa 900 CE Kilwa Kisiwani

And in the rest of the world

Records running through the same years, on the other side of the map.

Machu Picchu Landmark · Americas 1450 CE – still standing Tibet Polity · South Asia 1000 CE – 1960 CE Mesoamerican Trade Network Trade route · Americas 1200 BCE – 1521 CE Sengoku Period (Japanese Warring States) Conflict · East Asia 1467 CE – 1615 CE Charlemagne Figure · Frankish Empire 742 CE – 814 CE Taj Mahal Landmark · South Asia 1632 CE – still standing
Image credits3 pictures from Wikimedia Commons
  • VolubilisSubhros · CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Flag of AngolaOriginal: Henrique de Carvalho Santos Vector: SKopp · Public domain
  • Great ZimbabweAndrew Moore from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY-SA 2.0