A black power in the Blue Nile: A military history of the Funj Sultanate of Sinnār 1503-1821

Abstract

Funj, a dark skinned people of Arab origin located in the northeastern part of the present day Republic of Sudan went into political alliance with the Abdullāb (an ethnic group in the area) the peak of which was the establishment of a conglomeration in the late 15th century. In 1503,the Funj through wars of conquest took over the mantle of leadership, which subsequently led to the establishment of the Funj Sultanate with its capital at Sinnār. Despite the military strength of the Sultanate of Sinnār however, historians give it little, or no concern and thus, this paper studies the military history of the Funj laying emphasis on the historical formation of the Sultanate’s military, method of drilling, weaponry, wars and expeditions, coups and counter-coups, the introduction and impact of its military reforms, as well as, the coup of 1762, which played an important role in the decline of the Sultanate in 1821. Built on both oral and written sources, the paper argues that even the available written sources treated the history of the Funj from the periphery mainly placed within the context of other political entities that had flourished in the region located east of the Blue Nile. The paper equally observes that a study of this nature does not only expand the boundaries of the military history of the Funj, but also, lessons can be deducted from the Sultanate’s history, especially that revolving around the strength and weaknesses of its military formation.