Fadlallah bin Rabih ruled parts of the Kanem–Bornu Empire in 1900–1901, succeeding his father Rabih az-Zubayr. Fadlallah came to power in the aftermath of his father's defeat and death at the battle of Kousséri and immediately faced an invasion by France, supported by local loyalists of the al-Kanemi dynasty (which had been deposed by Fadlallah's father). Fadlallah secured some British support as ruler of Bornu and enjoyed some success in fighting French forces and their allies but was himself defeated and killed in battle in 1901.
Background and early life Fadlallah was the son of the Sudanese warlord, slave raider, and adventurer Rabih az-Zubayr. In 1892–1894, Rabih conquered the Kanem–Bornu Empire and displaced its ruling al-Kanemi dynasty. Rabih spent some time in the empire's former capital, Kukawa, before transferring the capital to Dikwa, on account of its better communications and water supply. Rabih's rule was exceptionally brutal, marked by cruel punishments, heavy taxation, and an unprecedented concentration of power. The state was run akin to a military dictatorship, headed by Rabih as amir and a tiny military council (the Zubat al-Kubar). This council, made up of Rabih's close followers and commanders, had elected Rabih as amir in 1879, long before the conquest of Bornu. No important decision was made without the council's approval, though Rabih maintained final say.
The plunder and mass displacement of people under Rabih's rule, combined with the uncertainty created by the conquest, strongly impacted the Bornu economy, especially the agricultural sector. The state's formerly productive agricultural base was destroyed and Rabih proved unable to revive it. The conquest was also a threat to the colonial boundaries and spheres of influence envisioned in negotiations between the United Kingdom, France, and the German Empire. Britain recognised Rabih as a legitimate ruler, calling him the "Sultan of Borno", but the French condemned him as a usurper in order to justify expansion into his lands. In 1899, Rabih executed the French explorer Ferdinand de Béhagle and France invaded the empire, aided by local allies.
Fadlallah had at least two siblings: the brother Muhammad Niebe and the sister Hawwa. Rabih always considered Fadlallah to be his successor, and groomed him for this role. In 1898–1899 while Rabih was absent, Fadlallah served as the regent of Dikwa and all of Bornu. In January–February 1900 he was given command over the town of Gulfei, and after that he was made commander of Karnak Logone (both towns in modern-day Cameroon). Fadlallah impressed virtually all those who met him and was widely known as a courageous and resolute commander. Upon meeting Fadlallah in 1901, the British major Augustus McClintock wrote that "Fadlallah is a young man ... but one who gives the impression that he is the Chief, quiet and dignified with pleasing manners and keenly anxious for the welfare of the people who followed him."
Emir
Rise to power (April 1900) In the morning of 22 April 1900, Rabih was defeated and killed by a joint French–Bornuan force at the battle of Kousséri. At the time of his father's death, Fadlallah was less than 25 years old and stationed with some forces at Karnak Logone. Fadlallah learnt of Rabih's death when the first fugitives from the battle reached Karnak-Logone in the afternoon. Late in the evening, Fadlallah and his advisors agreed to abandon Karnak-Logone, despite it being a strong fortress, and unite with the forces of Muhammad Niebe in Dikwa, the capital. Fadlallah's enemies were facing mounting problems, including limited ammunition and French reluctance—the French were unsure if they would be able to withstand a determined counterattack and were nervous about marching into territories that were formally under the British and German colonial spheres of influence in the region—but most of the forces at Karnak-Logone were inexperienced recruits whose morale had been undermined by Rabih's defeat. Fadlallah ordered that anything that could not be carried from Karnak-Logone would be destroyed so that nothing was left for the enemy.
Fadlallah and his party entered Dikwa in the evening of 23 April, where he reunited with Muhammad Niebe and Hawwa. Once the majority of his troops had arrived after him, Fadlallah had them fed and paraded and held a speech, during which he claimed that "Rabih had not been killed in defeat by the French; rather, he had decided that his time had come. Death was his own choice." By April 1900, Rabih's original military council had been decimated and only the valued counsellor Faqih Ahmad al-Kabir may have been influential enough to succeed over Fadlallah, though he lacked the ambition. Fadlallah was thus accepted as Rabih's successor without any internal opposition.
First French pursuit (April–May 1900)
News of a French advance on Dikwa soon reached Dikwa, and Fadlallah organised a meeting to seek the council's advise in the evening of 30 April. They decided to evacuate Dikwa and withdraw, despite the exhausted French being vulnerable to attack. Fadlallah collected his family and property in the capital. Any valuables, food, and ammunition that could be carried were sent off with an advance guard, while the rest of the storehouses were opened to the general populace. Fadlallah ordered that everything else was to be destroyed, though this order was out of confusion not carried out. Fadlallah then retreated south with an army numbering 5,000, also accompanied by thousands of non-combatants, including women and children. The French occupied Dikwa soon thereafter and installed the shehu Sanda Kura, of the al-Kanemi dynasty, as Bornu's new ruler there. French pursuit of Fadlallah's group was delayed by a massive explosion from Dikwa's armory, perhaps rigged by Fadlallah's followers.
In the evening of 31 April, Fadlallah reached Dagumba, near Shigabaya, 40 kilometres south of Dikwa. Progress for the large party had been slow due to stragglers coming under attack from Baggara Arabs, aligned with the French or acting on their own volition, and most women and children being on foot. French forces reached the party at this time and were able to get close since no guards had been posted; it had been assumed by Fadlallah and his advisors that the French would rest before following them and that guards were thus unnecessary. The ensuing battle lasted less than an hour and was a French victory, partly due to panic among the non-combatants making the defense difficult. In his retreat from the battle, Fadlallah lost the bulk of his powder and ammunition, ten battlefield standards, over 300 guns, and 10,000 Maria Theresa thalers from his treasury. The French also managed to kill Faqih Ahmad al-Kabir and take the wives and families of many of his officers and soldiers captive. Fadlallah's own wives Hadija and Niarinzhe, his harem, and his sons Abd al Mejid and Mahmud were all taken captive and brought back to Dikwa by the French.
The French lacked sufficient cavalry to pursue Fadlallah's group further as they retreated from the battle. He made quick progress through the valley of the river and soon reached lands close to the border with the Mandara Kingdom. It became clear that the French were not in immediate pursuit and Fadlallah thus slowed down to allow stragglers to rejoin the group. On 5 May, a small French party caught up with Fadlallah's camp but his forces easily withstood an attempted night attack. Fadlallah's party suffered from dwindling supplies and ammunition and were denied entry into Mandara by Sultan Umar Adjara. On the dawn of 9 May, a greater French party led by René Reibell, with 148 men and a Hotchkiss gun, reached Fadlallah's camp. The French surprise attacked the camp and won a decisive victory. Reibell reported that less than two hundred had escaped and could prove his claims through the capture of numerous soldiers, women, and children, two standards, and more than a hundred guns. Reibell's party returned to Dikwa on 13 May.
On 16 May, the French forces abandoned their presence in Dikwa, transferring their base of operations to Kousséri. The French campaign against Rabih and Fadlallah was officially ended the day after Reibell reached Kousséri. The French forces soon moved across the Chari River and founded Fort-Lamy (modern-day N'Djamena) as the nucleus of their power in Chad. On 5 June, Émile Gentil and shehu Sanda Kura travelled to Dikwa, where Sanda Kura was settled in Rabih's former royal palace. Gentil was much impressed with the city.
Recovery (May–November 1900)
After the defeat on 9 May, Fadlallah retreated further up the Yedseram valley. Although suffering from a severe lack of morale and supplies, his forces still had four hundred repeating rifles. All who remained by his side were disciplined elite warriors, as all others had either died, deserted, or been captured by this point. They made camp in the region of Mubi, where they were gradually joined by survivors from the previous defeats. By early July, Fadlallah commanded almost 5,000 men and had 1,000 horses. Rumors began to spread into French-held territories that Fadlallah and Muhammad Niebe had taken to the field with a large force, intent on reconquering Bornu. False rumors also spread that Fadlallah was seeking to join Muhammad al-Mahdi as-Senussi. The army was sustained mainly through raids for supplies. Fadlallah attempted to secure alliances with Zubeiru of the Adamawa Emirate, though Zubeiru rejected his proposals.
After suffering some desertions, Fadlallah sent a messenger to W.P. Hewby, the British representative of the Royal Niger Company at Ibi. The letter explained the recent series of events and Fadlallah's plight, and requested entry into British-held territories and protection from the French forces. The letter reached Hewby on 4 August and was translated by 7 August. In his replies, Hewby assured Fadlallah British protection if he kept westward of the line establishing the border of British and French colonial spheres of influence and added that the French had not had any right to pursue him as far as they had, and that the British were displeased with Zubeiru's rejection of an alliance. Fadlallah moved into the lands of the Kilba people and built a camp at Pella. His forces raided the surrounding countryside for supplies. Although some captives were also taken, they were returned for ransoms of grain, horses, or cattle. In the middle of October, the entire force moved north, raiding as they traveled. At Chibok there was a large battle with the locals and Fadlallah failed to take the town. His sister Hawwa was by this point commanding one of his regiments, reportedly dressed as a man, and distinguished herself in the fighting. In late October, the army reached Marguba, around 35 milometres south-west of Magumeri. At Marguba they learnt that the French had deposed shehu Sanda Kura and replaced him with his brother, Abubakar Garbai. They also learnt that the French no longer had a military presence at Dikwa, having left Abubakar Garbai there after learning that Fadlallah was supported by Britain. Abubakar Garbai faced mounting problems at Dikwa; the return of the shehus had been welcomed at first, but both Sanda Kura and Abubakar Garbai had been forced to extort the populace for funds, partly to pay the French. Several al-Kanemi dynasts had also returned to Dikwa, many of whom could challenge Abubakar Garbai for the throne.