Editing Kanem–Bornu Empire (section)

==== Mai Idris Alooma, 1564–17th century ====
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. Peace was made with Bulala, when a demarcation of boundaries was agreed upon with a [[non-aggression pact]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Dewière|first=Rémi|url=http://books.openedition.org/psorbonne/30097|title=Du lac Tchad à la Mecque: Le sultanat du Borno et son monde (xvie - xviie siècle)|date=2019-11-08|publisher=Éditions de la Sorbonne|isbn=979-10-351-0101-5|series=Bibliothèque historique des pays d'Islam|location=Paris|language=fr|doi=10.4000/books.psorbonne.30097}}</ref> Military innovations included the use of mounted Turkish musketeers, slave musketeers, mailed cavalrymen, footmen and feats of military engineering as seen during the siege of the fortified town of Amsaka. This army was organized into an advance guard and a rear reserve while often using shield wall methods as well.<ref>{{Cite book |author=Ibn Furṭū, Aḥmad |title=في تأريخ السودان : كتاب غزوات السلطان ادريس ألوما في برنو (1564-1576) = A Sudanic chronicle : the Borno expeditions of Idrīs Alauma (1564-1576) according to the account of Aḥmad B. Furṭū: Arabic text, English translation, commentary and geographical gazetteer |date=1987 |publisher=F. Steiner |isbn=3-515-04926-6 |oclc=496104059}}</ref> The Bornu army was transported via camel or large boats and fed by free and slave women cooks, and often employed a [[scorched earth]] policy if necessary for the conquest of fortified towns and other strongholds. [[Ribat|''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]]. Between 1574 and 1583, the Borno sultan had diplomatic relations with the Ottoman sultan Murad III, as well as with the Moroccan sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, in the context of political tensions in the Sahara. The Borno sultan allied with the Moroccan sultan against the Ottoman imperialism in the Sahara.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Dewière|first=Rémi|title=A struggle for Sahara: Idrīs ibn 'Alī's embassy to Aḥmad al-Manṣūr in the context of Borno-Morocco-Ottoman relations, 1577–1583|url=https://www.academia.edu/16116909|language=en}}</ref> [[Ibn Furtu]] called Alooma [[Amir al-Mu'minin]], after he implemented [[Sharia]], and relied upon large [[fiefholder]]s to ensure justice.<ref name=Smith/>{{rp|207–212,497–500}}<ref name=Kevin/>{{rp|190–191}}<ref name=Martin/>{{rp|159}}<ref name=Palmer/>{{rp|94,234–243}}<ref name=Urvoy/>{{rp|75}}

The Lake Chad to Tripoli route became an active highway in the 17th century, with horses traded for slaves. An intense diplomatic activity has been reported between Borno and the Pachalik of Tripoli at that time.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Dewière|first=Rémi|date=2013-04-16|title=Le Discours historique de l'estat du royaume de Borno, genèse et construction d'une histoire du Borno par un captif de Tripoli au XVIIe siècle|url=http://journals.openedition.org/afriques/1170|journal=Afriques. Débats, Méthodes et Terrains d'Histoire|language=fr|issue=4|doi=10.4000/afriques.1170|issn=2108-6796|doi-access=free}}</ref> About two million slaves traveled this route to be traded in Tripoli, the largest slave market in the Mediterranean. As [[Martin Meredith]] states, "Wells along the way were surrounded by the skeletons of thousands of slaves, mostly young women and girls, making a last desperate effort to reach water before dying of exhaustion once there."<ref name=Martin/>{{rp|159–160}}