formerly Zazzau
Historic kingdom and traditional emirate, northern Nigeria.
It was founded in the 11th century and was the southernmost of the original seven Hausa Bakwai states. Islam was introduced 0441; 1456, and there were Muslim Hausa rulers in the early 16th century. A Songhai warrior conquered Zazzau 0441; 1512. By the end of the century it was renamed Zaria and was in decline. It became a tributary state ( 0441; 17341804) of the Bornu kingdom. In 1804 it came under the Fulani Muslims. The Zaria emirate was created in 1835. It remains one of Nigeria's largest traditional emirates, and it is one of the nation's leading producers of cotton for export.