Summary

The Fulani War, also known as the Fulani Jihad or Usman dan Fodio's Jihad, was a military campaign of conquest of the territory of present-day Nigeria and Cameroon that took place between 1804 and 1810. Expelled from Gobir by his former student Yunfa in 1802, the Islamic reformer Usman dan Fodio formed a Fulani army to lead a jihad against the Hausa kingdoms to the north. Realizing the threat Usman's forces posed, Yunfa rallied the Hausa rulers to oppose him.

The Hausa rulers dealt the jihadists a series of initial blows, especially during the Battle of Tsuntua (in December 1804), during which Usman lost more than 2,000 men. The following year, however, Usman's forces besieged the Kebbi and established a permanent base at Gwandu. Relying on popular discontent caused partly by famine and partly by Hausa fiscal policy, the jihadists continued their advance by seizing the Gobir capital Alkalawa in 1808 and assassinating Yunfa.

Usman united the conquered lands under the Fulani Empire. The success of the jihad inspired a number of jihadists in West Africa, such as Seku Amadu, founder of the Massina Empire, Umar Tall, founder of the Tuculor Empire, Samory Touré, founder of the Wassoulou Empire, and Modibo Adama, founder of the Adamawa Emirate.

Sources

1. Fulani War
2. Guerra fulani
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