THE BEGINING

Zaria

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Zaria

historical kingdom and province, Nigeria

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By Umar Ango•

Zaria, formerly Zazzau, or Zegzeg, historic kingdom, traditional emirate, and local government council in Kaduna State, northern Nigeria, with its headquarters at Zaria (q.v.) city. The kingdom is traditionally said to date from the 11th century, when King Gunguma founded it as one of the original Hausa Bakwai (Seven True Hausa States). As the southernmost state of the seven, it had the function of capturing slaves for all Hausa Bakwai, especially for the northern markets of Kano and Katsina. Camel caravans from the Sahara travelled south to Zazzau to exchange salt for slaves, cloth, leather, and grain. Islām was introduced about 1456, and there were Muslim Hausa rulers in the early 16th century. Muḥammad I Askia, a warrior leader of the Songhai Empire, conquered Zazzau c. 1512; the results of that conquest were recorded by the traveller leo Africanus