Queen Amina

Early life Amina was born in the middle of the sixteenth century CE to King Nikatau, the 22nd ruler of Zazzau, and Queen Bakwa Turunku (r. 1536–). (Kaduna State).

At age 16, Amina was named Magajiya (heir apparent), and was given forty female slaves (kuyanga). Before Amina assumed the throne, Zazzau was one of the largest of these states. It was also the primary source of slaves that would be sold at the slave markets of Kano and Katsina by Arab merchants.

Only three months after being crowned queen, Amina waged a 34-year campaign against her neighbors, to expand Zazzau territory. Drawing on Tafa's account, Sidney John Hogben reports that "Amina died in Atagara, near present day Idah, for at that time Amina had pushed the frontiers of Zazzau south of the Niger-Benue confluence. But there are many contradictions surrounding her death; many authors in their books cited that she died in Vom Jos while other historians said she died in Atagara, the present day Idah."

Legacy ...ruling class Hausa women experienced a steady diminution in their influence and were systematically deprived of their authority and autonomy. The traditional titles and offices relating to authority over women and redress of their grievances have now become nominal or may have been discarded all together. and with introducing kola nut cultivation in the area.

Historical references One of the earliest textual sources to mention Amina is Muhammed Bello's history Ifaq al-Maysur, composed around 1836. He claims that she was "the first to establish government among [the Hausa]," and she forced Katsina, Kano and other regions to pay tribute to her. Bello provided no chronological details about her. She is also mentioned in the Kano Chronicle, a well-regarded and detailed history of the city of Kano, composed in the late nineteenth century, but incorporating earlier documentary material. According to this chronicle, she was a contemporary of Muhammad Dauda, who ruled from 1421 to 1438, and Amina conquered as far as Nupe and Kwarafa, collected tribute from far and wide and ruled for 34 years. A number of scholars accept this information and date her reign to the early to mid-fifteenth century.

There is also a local chronicle of Zaria itself, written largely in the nineteenth century but extending to 1902, published in 1910, that gives a list of the rulers and the duration of their reigns. Amina is not mentioned in this chronicle, but oral tradition in the early twentieth century held her to be the daughter of Bakwa Turunku, whose reign is dated by the chronicle from 1492 to 1522. On this basis, some scholars date her reign to the early sixteenth century.

Modern cultural depictions

The Queen Amina Statue at the National Arts Theatre in Lagos State honors her, and multiple educational institutions bear her name. also created by the author. In Education, the fifth episode of the Small Axe films by Steve McQueen, 12-year-old Kingsley Smith triumphantly reads aloud the story of Amina to his family, after having learnt to read. In the video game Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition Queen Amina appears as the leader of the Hausa civilization. Amina appears as the leader of Zazzau in 1444, well before her lifetime, in Europa Universalis IV. She is also a general, which female rulers typically cannot be in the game, and has very good stats. The 2021 film Amina depicts her rise to the throne. It is directed by Izu Ojukwu. Amina appeared as a Great General in the video game Civilization VI and a playable leader in Civilization VII.

More recent oral tradition has a series of lively stories about the queen, and these have found their way into popular culture. Among them were: Amina was a fierce warrior and loved fighting. As a child, her grandmother Marka, the favorite wife of her grandfather Sarkin Nohir, once caught her holding a dagger. Amina holding the dagger did not shock Marka, rather it was that Amina held it exactly as a warrior would. As an adult, she refused to marry for the fear of losing power. She helped Zazzau (Zaria) become the center of trade and to gain more land. Her mother, Bakwa, died when Amina was 36 years old, leaving her to rule over Zaria.

Partial family tree