Reigned Circa 1570-Circa 1600-1617
Ruler Of Bornu

Great Leader. Idris Ali, who was posthumously named Idris Alooma, was the greatest mai (ruler) of the kingdom of Bornu in the eastern-most part of West Africa. Much is known about Alooma's military exploits, because Ahmad ibn Fartuwa, the chief religious leader of Bornu, wrote elaborate accounts of his military campaigns.

Military Innovator. Like several other rulers of his time, Alooma was pre-occupied with military conquest and the territorial expansion of his domain, and he took several steps to enhance the professional competence of his military. He established a new military corps equipped with firearms and trained by Turkish instructors. He furnished his cavalrymen chain mail, quilted armor, and iron helmets and introduced a cavalry of camels as a transportation unit of the army. He also built larger boats for naval use. He repeatedly attacked a particular target...