African Kingdoms

Zémio (Islamic Sultanate) (Africa)
AD 1892 - 1923

Central African States All African States All Modern States Early Africa (Intro) Egypt

The pre-history of Africa covers a long and uncertain stretch of unrecorded history. Much of this involves a great deal of uncertainty which can only be understood through archaeology. Even the more recent prehistory is shrouded in uncertainty, requiring analysis and archaeology to help define it.

Central Africa was poorly defined as a region until the creation of colonial-era territories. A collection of sultanates emerged in the eighteenth century, across the area which today is partially covered by Central African Republic (or CAR) and Chad to its north. The sultans here ruled large conquered populations in the north and east of CAR, usually as dependencies of larger sultanates to the north.

The title of sultan was later confirmed by colonial 'Congo Free State' agents for local rulers in Bangassou, Rafaï, and Zémio, in the early 1890s. These sultanates included the famous slave-trader, Muhammad al-Sanusi of Dar al-Kuti, along with the sultans Labasso of Bangassou, Hetman of Rafaï, and Zémio of the state of the same name, all heads of conquering minor dynasties.

The conquered populations were mainly Adamawa-Ubangi-speaking peoples such as the Bandia and the Zande-Nzakara in eastern CAR. They had previously lived in stateless societies without hereditary or paramount chiefs. Zémio was a Vungara-Zande kingdom in CAR, but one which had undergone some reorganisation and change.

Its origins lay with Nounga, a member of a Zande clan which belonged to the Angoura branch of the Anounga. His domains stretched north (into modern CAR's Mbomou prefecture), and south of the River Mbomou (in the modern Democratic Republic of the Congo). Nounga's Zande heritage lay within the Vungara clan (in English-language records) or Voungara clan (in French-language records).

Originally his royal court was established on the north bank of the Mbomou. His great-grandson, Zémio, did much to turn the Vungara clan state into an organised regional sultanate. On 11 December 1894 he and the Congo Independent State's resident to Zémio's court signed a 'contract' stating that Zemio was to move his court to the south bank of the Mbomou (Article 6) and that Zémio was to give up to his rights to the territories on the north bank of the Mbomou (Article 1). The sultanate was born, but the agreements under the contract would not last.

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(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information by Richard A Bradshaw & Juan Fandos-Rius, by Doctor Jean Kokide (University of Bangui), from Monographie du Dar-Kouti-Oriental, Edmond A J Boucher (Typescript, 1934, copied and updated from the original by Pierre Claustre), from Dar al-Kuti and the Last Years of the Trans-Saharan Slave Trade, Denis D Cordell (The University of Wisconsin Press, 1985), from Un ancien royaume Bandia du Haut-Oubangui, Eric de Dampierre (Plon, Paris, 1967), from Central African Republic, Pierre Kalck (Praeger Publishers, 1971), from Historical Dictionary of the Central African Republic, Pierre Kalck( Third Edition, Scarecrow Press, 2005), from Un explorateur du centre de l'Afrique, Paul Crampel (1864-1891), Pierre Kalck (L'Harmattan, Paris, 1993), from The New Atlas of African History, G S P Freeman-Grenville (Rex Collins, London, 1991), from Times Atlas of World History (Maplewood, 1979), and from External Links: Encyclopaedia Britannica, and Central African Republic (World Statesmen), and Anne Retel-Laurentin et les Nzakara, Jean-Noël Biraben (Cahiers d'Études Africaines, Vol 27, Notebook 105/106, Démographie Historique, 1987, pp 187-197, and available via JSTOR).)

c.1872 - 1912

Son of Tikima of Vungara. Died 12 October.

1892

Zémio is recognised as sultan of his Vungara clan state in 1892, and that state is recognised as an Islamic sultanate. It becomes part of a Belgian Congo protectorate from 1892, marking its acceptance by the European colonial powers as the sultanate of Zémio.

Today's Zemio City appears to be little more that a village setting, perhaps imposing some reality against the apparent urban claims of the use of 'city' in the name

1894

The sultan and the Congo Independent State's resident to his court sign a 'contract' on 11 December 1894 which states that the court will move to the south bank of the River Mbomou and that the sultan will give up to his rights to his territories on the north bank of the Mbomou.

French forces occupy Zemio city and the sultanate to the north of the Mbomou, as approved by the 12 July 1894 'France-Congo Free State' agreement. These areas are eventually drawn into 'French Equatorial Africa'.

1909

On 12 April 1909, Governor Merwart signs a new protectorate treaty with Sultan Zémio. In December of the same year Zémio realises that his rule south of the Mbomou is in fact no rule, due to Congo Free State domination in the region. As a result he moves back to the north bank of the Mbomou despite the established French controls there. He re-establishes his court in what is now the city of Zemio.

Central Africa in 1897 was a land of uncertain, shifting borders, with small states expanding to incorporate previously stateless tribal societies (click or tap on map to view full sized)

1912 - 1921

Reigned 12 Oct-Oct 1921.

1920

The territory of Ubangi-Shari is reorganised within 'French Equatorial Africa', which also includes territory which today forms parts of Chad, Gabon, and Republic of the Congo, as well as Central African Republic (CAR).

1921 - 1923

Reigned Oct 1921 on. Replaced by French Equatorial Africa'.

1923

The sultanate is suppressed by the French. Presumably this is upon the death of Sultan Momi, but English-language sources are virtually non-existent, and available French-language sources are not readily forthcoming. The territory is drawn fully within 'French Equatorial Africa'.