Bornu Empire

The Kanem-Bornu Empire was a former country in Africa, founded around 1100 CE and dissolved on April 22, 1900. Based around Lake Chad, it once ruled areas now part of Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Libya, Algeria, Sudan, and Chad. It was sustained by prosperous trans-Saharan trade, exporting salt, ivory, slaves, and animal products. The empire was one of the oldest and longest-lived in world and African history. Its early history is not well known, but it was initially ruled by the Duguwa dynasty from Njimi in the Kanem region. In the 11th century, it converted to Islam and the Sayfawa dynasty took over. The empire later re-centered in the Bornu region, with Ngazargamu as a new capital.