Hummay

Hummay (Hummay bin ʿAbd al-Jalīl), also referred to as Umme, Houmé or Hume, was the mai of the Kanem–Bornu Empire in 1085–1097.^[1][2]

Hummay
Mai of the Kanem–Bornu Empire
Reign	1085–1097
Predecessor	Abd al-Jalil I
Successor	Dunama I Umemi
Spouse	Kinta
Issue	Dunama I Umemi
Dynasty	Sayfawa dynasty
Father	Abd al-Jalil I (?)
Mother	Tigiram (?)

Life

Hummay is considered to be the founder of a new dynastic line in Kanem, the Sayfawa dynasty.^[3] Although he was of Kanembu origin,^[4] Hummay and his dynasty claimed descent from a Yemeni noble named Saif ibn Dhi Yazan. other African dynasties of this time sometimes made similar claims to Arab origin as a source of prestige.^[3]

Despite being seen as establishing a new dynasty, later sources indicate that Hummay was the son of his predecessor, Abd al-Jalil I^[5][6] and Abd al-Jalil's consort Tigiram.^[6] The "dynastic shift" has sometimes been attributed to religion, with Hummay perhaps being the empire's first Muslim ruler.^[5] This is incorrect, however, since both Abd al-Jalil and Abd al-Jalil's predecessor Hu were Muslim.^[3] The spread of Islam during Hummay's reign apparently provoked some dissension in the empire, which caused the Toubou people to break from imperial rule and move east.^[7]

Hummay's consort was named Kinta^[6] and was of Toubou origin.^[8] Hummay is said to have performed the Hajj twice. He died in Egypt during his third voyage, while accompanied by his son and successor Dunama I Umemi.^[7]