Sulayman Solong

Map of pre-colonial states in Central Africa, with the Darfur Sultanate in grey. Sulayman Solong (; 1550 – c. 1637) was the first historical sultan of Darfur. According to several sources, he ruled the Sultanate of Darfur from 1596 to 1637. However, because of the lack of contemporary references, estimates of his reign dates diverge widely, with some modern scholars stating that he probably reigned between 1660 and 1680.

Biography The Keira dynasty (also spelled Kayra) sprang from the Kunjara, one of the three Fur tribes. Although Fur tradition speaks of early rulers such as Daali and Kuuruu, they are generally regarded as folk heroes. Sulaiman Solong is considered the first historical ruler of the Keira dynasty. When he became strong enough, he overthrew his uncle Tunsam, recaptured Jabal Marra from him and forced him to flee east to the border with Kordofan. Modern historians hypothesize that the civil war between Kuuruu and Tunsam may be linked to the collapse of the Tunjur empire. with the traditions surrounding being recorded two centuries later. Sulaiman is traditionally credited with making Islam the sultanate's state religion. Sulaiman built mosques for his subjects and encouraged Islamic practices such as circumcision. which often gave a pedigree back to Sulaiman. Nevertheless, historian Peter Malcolm Holt writes in the Encyclopaedia of Islam that Sulaiman was probably not the founder of the Keira dynasty, but simply its first Muslim ruler. Sulaiman's descendants continued to reign over Darfur until Ali Dinar's death in battle at the hands of the British in 1916.