Editing Kanem–Bornu Empire (section)

==== Muhammad al-Kanemi (1776–1837) ====
[[File:Young woman from Bornu.jpg|thumb|left|upright=.6|Young woman from Bornu, mid-19th century]]
[[Muhammad al-Amin al-Kanemi]], who was of mixed Kanuri and Shuwa Arab heritage from [[Fezzan]] contested the Fulani incursions into Bornu. Al-Kanemi was a Muslim scholar who had put together an alliance of mostly [[Baggara|Shuwa Arabs]], and Kanembu within the region. He eventually built in 1814 a capital at [[Kukawa]] (in present-day Nigeria). After the creation of his capital at Kukawa, Al-Kanemi quickly amassed a large following within Bornu and adopted the title of [[Sheikh|Shehu]] within Bornuan society and quickly supplanted the rule of the Mais who became figurehead monarchs. In the year of 1846, the last ''mai'', in league with the [[Ouaddai Empire]], precipitated a civil war, resulting in the death of Mai Ibrahim, the last mai. It was at that point that Kanemi's son, [[Umar of Borno|Umar]], became Shehu, thus ending one of the longest dynastic reigns in international history. By then, [[Hausa Kingdoms|Hausaland]] in the west, was lost to the [[Sokoto Caliphate]], while the east and north were lost to the [[Wadai Empire]].<ref>Brenner, ''Shehus'', 64–66.</ref><ref name=Kevin/>{{rp|233}}<ref name=Martin/>{{rp|194–195}}<ref name=Palmer/>{{rp|268}}