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Za dynasty

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The Zā dynasty (also rendered Dya, Zuwā, Zu’a, Juwā, Jā’, Yā, Diā, and Diu’a, sometimes equated with the Zaghe) were rulers of the Gao Empire based in the towns of Kukiya and Gao on the Niger River in what is today modern Mali. The Songhai people are descended from this kingdom and the Zarma people of Niger derive their name, which means "the descendants of Za", from this dynasty.[1] [2]

Competing Interpretations edit

Al-Sadi's seventeenth century chronicle, the Tarikh al-Sudan, provides a history of the Songhay as handed down by oral tradition and Timbuktu Manuscripts, including the Za dynasty. The history handed down by al-Sadi portrays a single, stable dynasty that smoothly transitions from Za Yasiboi (Yasibay) to his son Sonni Ali. Paolo de Moraes Farias, however, has used epigraphic evidence from funerary stelae from Bentiya, Gao-Saney, and Tadmekka to show that reality was far more complex.[3] The funerary stelae record the named and dates of kings, some of whom claim descent from an ancestor named Zaghe.

John Hunwick sees this Zaghe dynasty as a group of Sanhaja Berbers who took power in Gao-Saney during the height of the Almoravid movement, but were soon absorbed by the Za.[4] Dierk Lange, in contrast, argues that 'Za' or 'Zuwa' was a title used by the rulers of the pre-Almoravid Qanda dynasty. The Zaghe were localized Berbers who formed a competing royal clan, but eventually adopted the title as well and some appear in the kinglists of the Tarikh al-Sudan.[5] Ultimately, according to this interpretation, these Zaghe were the ancestors of the rival Sonni dynasty.[6] The Zaghe may have been subordinate kings to the Za.

Historians agree that the kingdom was islamized by the late 10th century, although it may have been Ibadism and that Sunni Islam arrived only with the Almoravids. It seems clear that there was some sort of dynastic upheaval at that point, although how this affected the Za is unclear.

Legend of Za al Yaman edit

The chronicle reports that the progenitor of the dynasty, Za al Yaman, the Yemenite (also called Alayaman or Dialliaman), originally came from the Yemen and settled in the town of Kukiya. Local traditions describe al-Yaman as a Berber Christian of Yahudim descent. The Chronicles state that Za al-Yaman came from Yemeni Jews who converted to Christianity and were transported by the Christian Kingdom of Axum in the sixth century from Zafar, Yemen, or the Himyarite Kingdom, due to persecution by Himyarite Jewish converts. Za al-Yaman and his brother were among the Jews of Bilad el-Sudan and they settled in the town and island of Kukiya, Niger River.[7] The town is believed to have been near the modern village of Bentiya on the eastern bank of the Niger River, north of the Fafa rapids, 134 km south east of Gao.[8] Tombstones with Arabic inscriptions dating from the 14th and 15th centuries have been found in the area.[9] Kukiya is also mentioned in the other important chronicle, the Tarikh al-fattash.[10][citation needed]

Za Alyaman is almost certainly a mythical figure,[11] but his legend may contain folk memories of the arrival of the Berbers.[12]

Rulers of the Za dynasty as given in the Tarikh al-Sudan edit

These names with their diacritics are as given in the translation by John Hunwick.[13] The surviving Arabic manuscripts differ both in the spelling and the vocalization of the names.

  1. Alayaman[14]
  2. Zakoi
  3. Takoi
  4. Ikoi
  5. Kū
  6. ʿAlī Fay
  7. Biya Kumay
  8. Bī/Bay
  9. Karay
  10. Yama Karaway
  11. Yuma Dunku
  12. Yuma Kībuʿu
  13. Kūkura
  14. Kinkin
  15. Kusoy (the first Muslim ruler)
  16. Kusur Dāri
  17. Hin Kun Wunka Dum
  18. Biyay Koi Kīma[15]
  19. Koy Kīmi
  20. Nuntā Sanay
  21. Biyay Kayna Kinba
  22. Kayna Shinyunbu
  23. Tib
  24. Yama Dao
  25. Fadazaw
  26. ʿAlī Kur
  27. Bēr Falaku
  28. Yāsiboy
  29. Dūru
  30. Zunku Bāru
  31. Bisi Bāru
  32. Badā

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Gado, Boubé (1980), Le Zarmatarey, ISBN 9782859210458, retrieved 2021-03-04
  2. ^ Rouch, Jean (1954), Les Songhay (PDF), retrieved 2021-03-04
  3. ^ Conrad 2005, p. 106.
  4. ^ Hunwick 2003, p. xxxvi.
  5. ^ Lange 1991, p. 268.
  6. ^ Lange 1994, p. 297.
  7. ^ Hunwick 2003, pp. xxxv, 5.
  8. ^ Bentiya is at 15°20′56″N 0°45′36″E / 15.349°N 0.760°E / 15.349; 0.760
  9. ^ Moraes Farias 1990, p. 105.
  10. ^ Kukiya is written as Koûkiya in the French translation.
  11. ^ Conrad 2005, p. 108.
  12. ^ Lange 1991, p. 266.
  13. ^ Hunwick 2003, pp. 3–4.
  14. ^ Hunwick 2003 on page 3 writes this name as Alayman. This appears to be a typographical error as on pages 5 and 6 and elsewhere the name is spelled Alayaman.
  15. ^ This ruler is, according to Dierk Lange, the one memorialized in a funeral stela found at Gao-Saney, but this identification is disputed.

References edit

Further reading edit

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