Kingdom of Fouta Djallon
Encyclopedia
The Kingdom of Fouta Djallon (also the Kingdom of Fuuta Jallon and the Timbo Almamate) (1725-1896) was a pre-colonial West African state based in the Fouta Djallon
highlands of modern Guinea
.
(Fulɓe in their language) over successive generations between 13th and 16th centuries. Initially they were a traditionalist people called Pulli or Pulaar
, from which the language derives its name. In the 16th century an influx of Muslim
Fulɓe from the Macina
area of Mali
changed the fabric of Fula society.
with a central ruler in the city of Timbo
, near present-day Mamou
. The kingdom contained nine provinces called diwe, which all held a certain amount of autonomy. These diwè were: Timbo, Timbi, Labè, Koîn, Kolladhè, Fugumba, Kèbaly, Fodé Hadji and Murya. The meeting of the rulers of these diwè at Timbi decided to introduce Alpha Ibrahima from Timbo as first Almamy Fuuta Jallonke with residence at Timbo. Timbo then became the capital of Fuuta Jallon until the arrival of French colonialists. The objective of the constitution of this kingdom was to convince local communities to became Muslim. Through war and negotiation it became a regional power, wielding influence and generating wealth. As a sovereign state, it dealt with France
and other European powers as a diplomatic peer while championing artistic and literary achievement in Islamic learning at centers such as the holy city of Fugumba.
and Portuguese
. The twin Fula states also supplied valuable grain, cattle and other goods to their European neighbors on the coast. The Almaami would demand gifts in return for trade rights, and could enforce his will with a well-supplied army. In 1865, Fouta Jallon supported an invasion of the Kaabu Empire resulting in its demise at the Battle of Kansala
in 1867.
Fouta Djallon
Fouta Djallon is a highland region in the centre of Guinea, West Africa. The indigenous name is Fuuta-Jaloo...
highlands of modern Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
.
Origin
The Fuuta Jallon area was settled by the semi-nomadic Fula or Fulani peopleFula people
Fula people or Fulani or Fulbe are an ethnic group spread over many countries, predominantly in West Africa, but found also in Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa...
(Fulɓe in their language) over successive generations between 13th and 16th centuries. Initially they were a traditionalist people called Pulli or Pulaar
Pulaar
Pulaar is a Fula language spoken primarily as a first language by Fula people and Tukolor in the Senegal River valley area traditionally known as Futa Tooro, and further south and east...
, from which the language derives its name. In the 16th century an influx of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Fulɓe from the Macina
Macina
Macina may refer to:*Macina Empire , former state located in present-day Mali*Macina , the area in Mali once controlled by the empire*Macina, Mali-See also:*Masina *Messina...
area of Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
changed the fabric of Fula society.
Jihad
As in the Kingdom of Fuuta Tooro, the Muslim and traditionalist Fulɓe of Fuuta Jallonke lived side-by-side. Then, according to traditional accounts, a 17th century holy war erupted. In 1725, the Muslim Fulɓe took complete control of Fuuta Jallonke and set up the first of many Fula theocratic states to come. Alfa Ibrahim was appointed commander of the Faithful and first Almaami of the kingdom of Fuuta Jalonke. Fuuta Jallon's theocratic model would later inspire the Fula state of Fuuta Tooro.Kingdom
The new kingdom of Fuuta Jallonke was governed under strict Islamic LawIslamic law
Islamic law can refer to:*Sharia: The code of conduct enjoined upon Muslims in the Quran*Fiqh: Muslim jurisprudence...
with a central ruler in the city of Timbo
Timbo
Timbo is a town and sub-prefecture in the Mamou Prefecture in the Mamou Region of Guinea.It is located in the Fouta Djallon highlands of Guinea, lying north east of Mamou, in a part of the country mostly occupied by the Fula people. It was formerly an important religious centre and is still...
, near present-day Mamou
Mamou
Mamou is a city and sub prefecture in a valley of the Fouta Djallon area of Guinea. Population 76,269 .- History :It grew around the railway line from Conakry to Kankan and soon became the local administrative headquarters. Its main industry used to be until the 1990s decade meat processing, while...
. The kingdom contained nine provinces called diwe, which all held a certain amount of autonomy. These diwè were: Timbo, Timbi, Labè, Koîn, Kolladhè, Fugumba, Kèbaly, Fodé Hadji and Murya. The meeting of the rulers of these diwè at Timbi decided to introduce Alpha Ibrahima from Timbo as first Almamy Fuuta Jallonke with residence at Timbo. Timbo then became the capital of Fuuta Jallon until the arrival of French colonialists. The objective of the constitution of this kingdom was to convince local communities to became Muslim. Through war and negotiation it became a regional power, wielding influence and generating wealth. As a sovereign state, it dealt with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and other European powers as a diplomatic peer while championing artistic and literary achievement in Islamic learning at centers such as the holy city of Fugumba.
Schism
After the death of the first Almaami of the kingdom, his descendents split into the two houses of Alfaya and Soriya. They fought incessantly throughout the kingdom's history and threatened to destroy the new state altogether. This was resolved by a system of dual leadership where there were always two Almaamis (one from each house). The two Almaamis would trade off power every two years, but the system was hardly streamlined and didn't always work smoothly.Dominance
The kingdom of Fuuta Jallon became a multiethnic, multi-lingual society, ruled by Muslim Fulɓe and backed by powerful free and slave armies. The Fulɓe of Fuuta Jallonke and Fuuta Tooro were able to take advantage of the growing slave trade with the Europeans on the coast, particularly the FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. The twin Fula states also supplied valuable grain, cattle and other goods to their European neighbors on the coast. The Almaami would demand gifts in return for trade rights, and could enforce his will with a well-supplied army. In 1865, Fouta Jallon supported an invasion of the Kaabu Empire resulting in its demise at the Battle of Kansala
Battle of Kansala
The Battle of Kansala or ‘’’Final Battle’’’ or Siege of Kansla was a military engagement between forces of the Kaabu Empire and the Futa Jallon Kingdom...
in 1867.