Queen Amina of Zazzau

Hausa Warrior Queen, Amina of Zazzau (modern day Zaria, Nigeria)

 Zazzau was one of the seven Hausa city-states which dominated the sub-saharan trade after the collapse of the Songhai Empire at the end of the 16th century. The city-state accumulated its wealth through the sale of leather, textile, horses, salt, kola, cloth, and metals. 

 

Amina was a Hausa Warrior queen who led the city. Much of what is known about her is based on oral traditions, rendering much of her story to be classified as legendary. Although historians widely agree she was a real person. 

 

Amina was born around 1533 to King Nikatau and Queen Bakwa Turunku (who was the founding ruler of Zazzau as a kingdom). Amina grew up in her grandfather’s (then king) court, where from a young age, he instructed her in political & military matters. At the age of 16, Amina was named Magajiya (heir apparent), seen as a potential successor to her mother’s throne. Amina began being trained in royal duties from her mother. Although her mother’s reign had been one of peace and prosperity, Amina chose to learn military skills from the warriors. 

 

After the death of her parents around 1566, Amina’s younger brother, Karama, became king of Zazzau. During Karama’s reign, Amina emerged as principal warrior of the kingdom’s cavalry and gained respect and power for her military skills and success. When her brother died after a ten-year reign, Amina was crowned queen of Zazzau in 1576.  

 

Zazzau achieved prominence under Amina’s over three-decade rule. Leading an army of 20,000 men, she expanded the kingdom to the Atlantic and made it the trading hub for all of southern Hausaland. However, her priority was not on annexation of neighboring lands, but on forcing local rulers to accept vassal status and allow Hausa traders safe passage.

 

Amina is also credited as the architect of the strong walls around the city of Zazzau, which became the prototype for the fortifications used in all Hausa states. During her reign, she established military camps and commissioned the construction of defensive muralled walls around each one. Later, those camps evolved into prosperous cities within those walls, and some can still be seen today in northern Nigeria. Those cities are known as ‘ganuwar of Amina’ or ‘Amina’s walls‘.  

 

Amina is believed to have died in the town of Altagara in 1610. Her exploits earned her the title Amina, rana de Yar Bakwa ta San’ (Amina, daughter of Nikatau, woman as capable as a man).

 

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