Aissa Koli (1497–1504)

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Aissa Koli (1497–1504)

Queen of Kanem-Bornu. Born in 1497; died in 1504; daughter of Ali Gaji Zanani, ruler of Kanem-Bornu, located in West Africa; her mother was a Bulala.

The family of Aissa Koli was left with no male heirs following the death of Ali Gaji Zanani, the ruler of Kanem-Bornu, and that of another relative, Dunama, in 1497. Taking her father's place, Aissa Koli ruled Kanem-Bornu for seven years—the fixed term of rule in many African nations. In 1504, when a brother who had been put in protective exile was discovered and became king, Aissa Koli continued as his advisor.