Who can explain the main motives behind the marriage of auwa to the hausa king of kano. .. is it because of the fear of rising songhai empire under askiya the great? To create some form of alliance or what?

Ive never read this anywhere before, sounds interesting, source?

I believe it was to ensure Kano's loyalty to the Songhai Empire.



Radoillo

MorrowCaligari:
I believe it was to ensure Kano's loyalty to the Songhai Empire.



Radoillo

You're largely correct. On another of Kaura's threads, I posted an excerpt from Leo Africanus where the writer said that the Askia compelled the Sarkin Kano to marry one of his daughters, after he (the Askia) had defeated Kano in war. It appears that this Sarki was Muhammad Rumfa.

Such marriages were used to keep tributary states (in this case, Kano) loyal to the empire (in this case, Songhai), as well as to plant an 'eye' in the tributary state who would report back to the emperor (in this case, the Askia).

It is interesting to note that Auwa was appointed to the position of Madakin Kano, the first woman apparently to hold that position in Kano. It is possible that the position was given to her on the insistence of her father, the Askia, in furtherance of his aim of keeping an eye on Kano politics. But that's just speculation on my part.

Radoillo:


You're largely correct. On another of Kaura's threads, I posted an excerpt from Leo Africanus where the writer said that the Askia compelled the Sarkin Kano to marry one of his daughters, after he (the Askia) had defeated Kano in war. It appears that this Sarki was Muhammad Rumfa.

Such marriages were used to keep tributary states (in this case, Kano) loyal to the empire (in this case, Songhai), as well as to plant an 'eye' in the tributary state who would report back to the emperor (in this case, the Askia).

It is interesting to note that Auwa was appointed to the position of Madakin Kano, the first woman apparently to hold that position in Kano. It is possible that the position was given to her on the insistence of her father, the Askia, in furtherance of his aim of keeping an eye on Kano politics. But that's just speculation on my part.

They seemed so strong. What happened after Askia died? They completely became irrelevant afterwards.

MorrowCaligari:


They seemed so strong. What happened after Askia died? They completely became irrelevant afterwards.

Yeah, Kotal Kanta of Kebbi broke their power in Hausaland. Actually, Kotal Kanta started kicking them out in the time of the Askia himself (whose actual name was Muhammad Toure, btw - Askia was just a title, like Mai or Shehu). Songhai didn't lord it over the Hausa for more than a generation.