KANEM – BORNU
Depending on how you understand the history of a country, Kanem-Bornu was one of the most long run empires in the world. Personally, I think this is one of the best African contenders to the game along with Ethiopia.
KANEM EMPIRE (700-1380)
It emerged from the union of tribes settled around Lake Chad, probably was the successors of some groups of Sao Civilization. This kingdom grew thanks to the trade routes that connect the Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. In the early years of this period, peoples of Kanuri ethnic group conquest many lands around Lake Chad. The kingdom in general stay with much of its population being animist, although I am unable to determine whether they were a very flagrant majority. The kings of this period legitimized their power by possessing a relic known as a “mune.” The mune was probably an anthropomorphic statuette.
The greatest expansion occurred during the reign of Mai (king) Dunama Dibbalemi of the Sefuwa dynasty, who reigned from 1221 to 1259 and take the Sunni Islam as dynasty religion.
Dunama Dibbalemi destroys the mune and causes a civil conflict, but the dynasty stays in power and the Islamization never stops (but many peoples abandon the kingdom in the first years of this transition). Dibbalemi initiated diplomatic exchanges with sultans in North Africa and was apparently willing to establish a special hostel in Cairo to facilitate the pilgrimage to Mecca.
The kingdom grew in order to protect trade routes like the northern routes. The lands near to the rivers based its economy on agriculture to sustain the nation, but the salt mines and raids to capture slaves was their principal exportation. Slaves, salt and other goods was exchanged for weapons and horses.
The acquisition of war horses, weapons and armor led the Mai to form a strong and numerous cavalry to dominate the region. This strong military power had to be commanded efficiently to fight against external threats, which is why the position of “Cima” (Master of the frontier) was created.
During the 14th century Kanem had some internal struggles, also the war against the Sao led to the deaths of several members of the royal family. Then, war with the Bulala peoples resulted in the death of four Mai in succession between 1377 and 1387. Around 1387 the Bulala forced Mai Umar b. Idris to abandon the Kanem capital of Njimi and migrate the Kanembu people to Bornu on the western edge of Lake Chad.
BORNU EMPIRE (1380–1893)
The born of the empire was chaotic and verry difficult. Fifteen Mais occupied the throne. Then, around 1460 Ali Gazi (1473–1507) defeated his rivals and began the consolidation of Bornu. He built a fortified capital at Ngazargamu, to the west of Lake Chad.
The following mai reorganized the military and beat the Bulala, reconquering the lands of Kanem. The new administration refocused its economy and took advantage of the fertile lands around Lake Chad, allowing its population to maintain stability.
The Bornu become a powerful merchant and military empire, the mai eventually drop this title in order to take the title of “Caliph”.
Bornu peaked during the reign of Mai Idris Alooma (c. 1564–1596), reaching the limits of its greatest territorial expansion, gaining control over Hausaland, and the people of Ahir and Tuareg. Also make the peace with the Bulala upon with a non-aggression pact and reform the army. The new innovations include the incorporation of mounted Turkish musketeers, slave musketeers, mailed cavalrymen. Ottoman instructors were brought in to train the army in modern tactics, and musketeer regiments were formed, equipped with iron helmets and chest plate. Ribāts were built on frontiers, and trade routes to the north were secure, allowing relations to be established with the Pasha of Tripoli and the Turkish empire. Infantry was trained to perform shield wall formations. The army use camel caravans and big boats to move around the empire, between the Ribats and fortified villages destined to host them.
After Alooma government the empire starts a decline. During the 19th the Fulani Jihad of Usman Da Fodio and in 1808 Fulani warriors conquered Ngazargamu. The campaign makes the population slowly turns toward Islamic orthodoxy. The Bornu eventually expels the Fulani, but never reach the hegemonic position again. The next mai and caliphs tries to maintain the bornu power in the following years until the reach of British empire to the region.
The last years of the bornu state was complex, eventually they being absorbed into the new Northern Nigeria Protectorate.
CIV MECHANIC
Tributary Exchange: When a trader let gold on a market or a dock the net of town centers gains points equal to the gold. These points can be exchanged for tributes of food, wood, stone, 3 Tuareg Cavalry (Camel Ryders), 4 Berber Mercenaries (Horsemen with low armor but high attack against ranged units), or 4 handgunners.
Millenarie Reforms: To age Up the Kanem Bornu don’t build landmarks, instead chose a reform focus. Every age has a reform, but the player must choose the focus. Every reform increase town center HP in 15% and gives +1 of damage to their arrows.
Economic Reform (To age II)
Exterior Trade Focus
-Traders gains 20% HP and become 10% cheaper.
-Markets can gain an archer attack and garrison 3 units as the dock.
-Gain the following tech: Saharian Pathfinders.
Internal Growth Focus
-Age II economic tech becomes 20% better.
-Villagers cost reduction in 20%.
-Gain the following tech: Chad Lake production.
Religious Reform (To age III)
Embrace Sunni
-Gain the Mosque and Iman.
-Cannot gather from boars anymore.
-Mosques ant their technologies cost reduction to half.
-Iman +1/+1 armor and +20% movement speed.
-Gain the following tech: Kanembu Conversion
Stay Traditional
-Gain the Chaman and can train it in the town center.
-Town centers research religious tech.
-Town centers can garrison up to 2 relics. Town centers with relics shoots an additional arrow per relic and works 5% faster.
-Gain the following tech: Zagawa Mune Relic
Military Reform (To age IV)
Original Refinement
-Spearmens, Lifida Cavalry, Archers and Kanuri Riders gains 15 of HP.
-Up to 3 Lifida Cavalry units can become Cima. The cima is a hero version with an active ability than allows it duplicate the damage of the next attack of the nearby allied units in the next 10s (also have cooldown).
-Gain the following tech: Frontier Defenders
External Innovations
-Iron Helmet Handcanonners, Man-at-arms, Berber Mercenaries and Tuareg Riders become 20% cheaper (in trade points and resources).
-Gain the following tech: Idris Aloma Reforms
UNIQUE BUILDING
Ribat: Replaces the fortress, can train military units (not siege workshop units) 20% faster and Imans. Have an aura than regenerates trading units and gives it +2/+2 armor. During imperial age can upgrade their archer attacks to hand cannoneer attacks, also have cannon upgrade, but doesn’t have springald upgrade.
UNIQUE UNITS
-Lifida Cavalry: Replaces the lancer, has a little bit less armor, but moves faster and gets small bonus damage against infantry. This is for the representation of the Elite Bornu Cavalry, which gave the empire dominance over its neighbors who lacked anything comparable. Although it seems that only the rider used to wear chain mail and plates over the padded protection, the Lifida barding of the horse was not bad either (Without being an expert, I consider that the Gambesones, Lifidas and Ichcahuipilli).
-Kanuri Riders: Replaces the horsemen but has more HP and cost gold.
-Iron Helmet Handcanonner: Handcanonner with more armor.
UNIQUE TECHNOLOGIES
-Saharian Pathfinders (Markets age II): Traders move 15% faster.
-Chad Lake Production (Mill age II): Farms and fishing ships produces 15% more food.
-*Zagawa Mune Relic (Town Center age III): * Relics on Town centers make nearby buildings works 4% per relic on Town Centers (doesn’t affect the town center).
-*Kanembu Conversion (Mosque age III): * Iman increase nearby units armor +1/+1.
-Frontier Defenders (Out Post age IV): Out Post, Town Centers, Markets and Ribats attacks 35% faster.
-Idris Aloma Reforms (Riba age IV): Handcannoneer +4 of attack and +15 HP. Kanuri riders gain a special Handcannoneer ranged attack with cooldown.
-Fluvial Navy (Dock age III): Arrow ships gains 20% more HP and shoots 35% faster.
-River power (Dock age IV): Arrow ships become harquebusier ships.
NAVY
As an nation without a constant access to coasts and sea I don’t think Kanem-Bornu had verry big vessels. Despite everything, they did have a river fleet to control and guard the regions accessible by rivers and Lake Chad. So, only archers and springald ships.
SIEGE WORKSHOP
Access to battering ram, siege tower, springald, mangonel, bombard and culverin.
WONDER
Mai’s palace: The image its from deviant art. The capital of Ngazargamu was abandon after 1,800 and I can’t find any image about it, so, maybe aren’t well documented. At least we now were build using red bricks, so the walls have to be similar to the next image.
KANEM-BORNU FLAG
ARCHITECTURE
It seems that many ancient structures are still in operation today, perhaps because the empire lasted a long time until the division of Africa by the Europeans, its infrastructures were well established.
Instead of wood many buildings use adobe and clay bricks. Fortifications uses stone.
PROS
-The bonuses and strategies can specialize to specific scenarios.
-Slowly can gain free units with trade.
-Powerful cheap navy.
-Defensively strong.
CONS
-Lack of warship.
-Only one landmark, so more vulnerable to its destruction.
-Trade dependency.
