Later in the century, Zazzau's ruler Queen Amina enlarged her domain by numerous conquests, including those of the Nupe and the Jukun kingdoms; even the powerful states of Kano and Katsina were required to pay tribute. By the end of the century, however, Zazzau—renamed Zaria—came under the control of Kororofa (Kwararafa), the Jukun kingdom centred near Ibi to the southeast. Shortly after the decline of Kororofa, Zaria was forced to become a tributary state (c. 1734–1804) of the Bornu kingdom to the northeast.
In 1804 the Muslim Hausa ruler of Zaria pledged allegiance to Usman dan Fodio, the Fulani Muslim leader who was conducting the great jihād ("holy war") in northern Nigeria. This resulted in a Fulani becoming ruler of Zaria in 1808. Zaria emirate was created in 1835, retaining some of its old vassal states (including Keffi, Nasarawa, Jemaa, and Lapai to the south); it was governed by a representative of the sultan at Sokoto (216 mi northwest of Zaria city), as well as the local emir