Sultanate of Bagirmi

The Sultanate or Kingdom of Bagirmi or Baghermi (French: Royaume du Baguirmi) was a kingdom and Islamic sultanate southeast of Lake Chad in central Africa between 1522 and 1897.

Mostly contained within modern-day Chad, Bagirmi emerged to the southeast of the Kanem-Bornu Empire under Mbang Birni Besse. He seems to have displaced the earlier Bulala. His state was subjugated by the Bornu Empire by the end of his reign, but continued as a partially independent tributary. The Bagirmi carried a tradition that they migrated from far to the east, which is supported by the resemblance of their language to various tribes on the White Nile. The fourth king, Abdullah (1568–1608), adopted Islam and converted the state into a sultanate, permitting the state to extend their authority over many pagan tribes in the area, including the area's Saras, Gaberi, Somrai, Gulla, Nduka, Nuba, and Sokoro. He and his successors continued to use the title "mbang" alongside that of "sultan". A palace and court were eventually constructed in Bagirmi's capital Massenya.

The Shari River formed the kingdom's western boundary, with most of its interior watered by its affluents. The area was home to a kind of footworm that mutilated many of the inhabitants. Bagirmi was also continually plagued by drought, pestilence, and slave raiding both internally and externally organized. The Muslim Bagirmi would raid the pagan tribes of their own kingdom in order to pay the necessary tribute to Bornu. Trade with Bornu was carried out by caravan along a route which extended north across the Sahara to Tripoli on the Libyan coast.

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