The Sword of Islam

sayf al'iislam
Col Davidson
In 1996 I purchased from Sotheby’s Sydney some North African knives and a sword. The
knives were money substitutes of the area and were for my primitive money collection. The
sword was purchased because I liked it. I was later advised by the Tribal Arts Expert of
Sotheby’s that the sword has been recorded as having been owned by Kakubu of Bauchi and
was of considerable historical importance.

Before the Fulani Islamic Jihad, the Bauchi area was a sparsely wooded savanna region east
of the Jos Plateau, an area without centralised states and whose population was almost
entirely non-Muslim. This area, which was later to become Bauchi, was completely caught up
in the holy Jihad initiated by Usman dan Fodio, a wealthy Fulani Muslim of the Dambazawa
clan. From 1804 to 1808, Dan Fodio and his followers led a Jihad to purify the Muslim faith
and establish a political system based on strict Sharia law. The mainly Fulani force, with a
contingent of the native Hausa people, toppled the 158-year Kutumbawa dynasty and
established the Sokoto Caliphate in Northern Nigeria with the imposition of a more rigorous,
though still Sufi, version of the faith. Usman dan Fodio was elected “Commander of the
Faithful” (Amir al Mu’minin) by his followers and he created several flag bearers from
amongst his supporters thus creating an early political structure of the empire. One of these
flag-bearers was Mallam Yakubu.
Yakubu, strangely enough, was not a Fulani but was a Gerawa, one of the people who had
originally settled the area. He was the only non-Fulani to become the head of one of the
emirates. Having accepted the flag of dan Fodio, which authorised him to conduct a Jihad in
the region, he roused the clans and commenced a war against the local rulers and, within a
few years had subdued the whole country within a wide radius, penetrating as far as the rivers
Benue and Gongila, the Wurkum hills, Lafia Beri-Beri, parts of the Gongola River valley and
Leri. He also assisted the Emir of Kano against the Bornuese and conquered Missau.
He was a more than competent battle commander and it is told of one instance in which he
was confronted by a superior force and was facing defeat. The fighting was obscured by the
dust raised by the melee of warriors and cavalry so he cried to his archers “FIRE INTO THE
MURK, FIRE INTO THE MURK”. This rather desperate ploy, although sacrificing some of
his own men, broke the enemy and led to their rout. After many battles, the Bauchi emirate
was finally established and in 1809 Yakubu created and named the city of Bauchi. He became
the first Emir and was given the title of Sarkin Yakin Sarkin Musulmi a title that every Emir
of Bauchi bears even till today. He lived in his city in comparative peace until he died in 1845
and was succeeded by his son Ibrahim.
The sword itself is quite unusual. It is noted as being of Yaka (tribe) manufacture but this
seems to be in error. It has none of the markers of a sword of the Yaka people and the error
probably arises from its connection to Yakubu and the similarity of the names. It is 850mm in
overall length and has a steel blade with a wooden grip. The blade is of obvious early African
manufacture with rather crudely formed fullers (central grooves) on both sides which gives
extra strength and reduced weight. There are parrying lugs on either side below the ricasso
(non-sharpened area below the grip for two-handed use) and two cut-outs in that area with
zig-zag decoration cut into the central strut. The wooden grip has overall zig-zag and
geometric designs. It has good balance with reasonably sharp edges and point which would
allow it to be used for both slashing and stabbing.
Regarding the provenance: Sotheby’s sold it on behalf of the Christensen Fund Collection.
Alan D Christensen was an American mining engineer who founded Texada Mines in
Western Australia in the 1950s and established the "Christensen Fund" a private foundation
that supported scientific research in Papua New Guinea. Through the 1950s he acquired a
significant collection of quality Oceanic and African art and was instrumental in helping
museums enhance their collections. On his death, the Fund shifted its focus and sold some of
its collection. He obtained the sword from Alex Bortignon of Australia who had acquired it
from Hales of London. Bortignon was a dealer in Tribal Arts and Hales dealt in Oriental arms
and armour. It was recorded by Sotheby’s as having been owned by Kakubu of Bauchi and
was of considerable historical importance.
A true Sword of Islam.