Despite their wide-ranging impact, many ancient African queens have yet to receive mainstream attention.
African women are under-documented in history. Female African leaders even more so. Studies have shown that, across Africa, colonialism both disrupted and stifled the roles of women in society. The list below outlines women who took up powerful positions in ancient African societies. Such women were certainly flawed but still figures who left indelible marks on their societies. Despite their wide-ranging impact, many ancient African queens have yet to receive mainstream attention. This list is by no means exhaustive and can be approached as a starting point for further research and reading.
Illustration of Queen Amina by Floyd Cooper.
Queen Amina
E. J. ARNETT
‘A HAUSA CHRONICLE’
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL AFRICAN SOCIETY,
VOL. 9, NO. 34 (JAN. 1910), PP. 161-167 (AVAILABLE HERE)
Queen Amina was born in the 1500s into a royal Hausa family and served as the ruler of the powerful state of Zazzau, now located in modern-day Zaria, Nigeria. Her mother, Queen Bakwa, was the 22nd ruler of Zazzau. As a child, Amina’s interest in politics began when she started attending royal court sessions. She gained experience in governing and in resolving conflicts. When she became a teenager, her mother, Queen Bakwa, appointed her the ‘magajiya’ Zazzau (heir to the throne)—Amina wouldn’t be queen until her uncle, the regent, died in 1576.
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