African Kingdoms

Kingdom of Dongola / Makuria
AD 543 - 1314

The kingdom of Dongola is by far the best known of the Nubian states, but it still contains gaps in the records. It was located in modern Northern Sudan and southern Egypt. It was one of a group of Nubian kingdoms that emerged in the centuries after the fall of the Kushite Kingdom which had dominated the region from 785 BC to AD 350.

Makuria originally covered the area along the Nile from the Third Cataract to somewhere between the Fifth and Sixth Cataracts. It also had control over the trade routes, mines, and oases to the east and west. Its capital was Dongola (or Dunqulah), by which name the kingdom seems to be better known.

Note that dates are quite uncertain for most Makurian rulers.

c.590

The kingdom converts to Christianity. After the work of the missionaries is concluded, the kingdom sinks back into obscurity, and only re-emerges in the seventh century.

639

Egypt is conquered by Islamic armies and Nubia is cut off from the rest of Christianity.

652

An invading Islamic army is repulsed and a treaty (the baqt) is signed which ensures the peace until the thirteenth century. Around the same time, Dongola expands to annexe its northern neighbour, Nobatia. The use of the name of the kingdom of Makuria and Nobatia at some points after this may imply the creation of a dual monarchy.

c.697 - c.722

Merkurios

c.722 - ?

Zacharias I

Simon

c.744

Abraham

c.744

Markos

750 - 1150

The kingdom is stable and prosperous, enjoying a golden age.

c.750

Kyriakos

c.790

Mikael

Johannes

c.822 - c.854

Zacharias III

c.854

Ali Baba

Israel

c.872 - c.892

Georgios I

c.892

Asabyos

Istabanos

c.943

Kubri

Zacharias IV

c.969

Georgios II

Simeon

c.1002

Rafael

? - 1080

Georgios III

1080 - 1089

Salomo

1089 - 1130

Basileios

1130 - 1171

Georgios IV

1171 - 1272

The kingdom enters a sharp decline, due in part to increased Bedouin attacks after these tribes people have been pushed south by the Ayyubids. Cities have to be defended by new walls, buildings are made stronger, and some settlements are moved to more defendable locations.

1171 - 1210

Moise

1210 - 1268

Yahya

1268 - 1274

David I

1274 - 1276

David II

1276 - ?

Shakanda

? - 1279

Masqadat

1279 - 1286

Barak

1286 - 1293

Samamun

1304 - 1305

Amai

1305 - 1324

Kudanbes

1314

Increased aggression from Egypt and internal discord leads to the state's collapse.

Modern Sudan
AD 1820 - Present Day

One of the largest and most diverse countries in Africa, modern Sudan has large areas of cultivatable land, as well as gold and cotton, and extensive oil reserves. Sudan's name comes from the Arabic 'bilad al-sudan', or land of the blacks. Arabic is the official language and Islam is the religion of the state, but the country has a large non-Arabic-speaking and non-Muslim population which has rejected attempts by the government in Khartoum to impose Islamic Sharia law on the country as a whole. This and other problems have led to widespread unrest in the country in the years since independence was achieved.

1820 - 1822

Muhammad Ali of Eqypt conquers Sudan.

1872 - 1874

Eqypt conquers South Sudan.

1881 - 1898

The Sudanese revolt is led by the Mahdi against Turco-Egyptian administration.

1898 - 1956

Sudan is ruled under joint Anglo-Egyptian control.

1956

Sudan gains independence, but just two years later General Abbud leads a military coup against the civilian government elected that year.

1958 - 1964

Ibrahim Abbud / Abboud

Dictator.

1962 - 1964

Civil war begins in the south, led by the Anya Nya movement. Two years later the 'October Revolution' overthrows Abbud and a national government is established.

1969

Jafar Numayri leads the 'May Revolution' military coup. In 1971 the Sudanese Communist Party leaders are executed after a short-lived coup against Numayri.

1972

Under the Addis Ababa peace agreement between the government and the Anya Nya, the south becomes a self-governing region.

1983 - 1985

Civil war breaks out again in the south involving government forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), led by John Garang. Islamic law is imposed in the same year as President Numayri declares the introduction of Sharia. After widespread popular unrest, in 1985 Numayri is deposed by a group of officers and a Transitional Military Council is set up to rule the country. A coalition government is formed the following year after general elections, with Sadiq al-Mahdi as prime minister.

1989 - 1993

The National Salvation Revolution takes over in a military coup. By 1993, the Revolution Command Council is dissolved after Omar al-Bashir is appointed president.

2003

In February rebels in the western region of Darfur rise up against government, claiming the region is being neglected by Khartoum. In January the following year, the army moves to quell the rebel uprising and hundreds of thousands of refugees flee to neighbouring Chad.