The hills and valleys round the later Abeche, between Kanem's world and Darfur, were the home of the Maba and related peoples who later formed the Wadai sultanate (seventeenth century).
Al-Idrisi's Zaghawa centre of Saghawa has been placed in southern Wadai (Lange). Nothing names a ruler here near 1200.
Who holds it
- Title
- clan and village heads
- Confidence
- low
The Tunjur and the Islamic sultanate of Wadai are much later; the Daju kingdom of Darfur lies east, on the Nubia sheet.
Overlord
None recorded; possibly within the reach of the Daju of Darfur (nub sheet)
How things stand that morning
Self-governing peoples on the Ouaddai edge; east of about 21 E the Nubia sheet's Darfur records take over.
Customs
Clan heads (later ethnography).
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Later history and ethnography; one doubtful identification in al-Idrisi.
On the map: Rough outline.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.