Kingdom of Fouta Tooro
Encyclopedia
The Kingdom of Fouta Tooro or the Kingdom of Fuua Tooro (1776-1861) was a pre-colonial West Africa
n state of the Fula-speaking
people (Fulɓe
and Toucouleur
s) centered around the middle valley of the Senegal River
. The region is known as Futa Tooro
.
languages spanning West Africa from Senegal
to Nigeria
. They identified themselves by the language giving rise to the name Haalpulaar'en meaning those who speak Pulaar. The Haalpulaar'en are also known as Toucouleur
s, a name derived from the ancient state of Tekrur.
were non-Muslim
s that ruled over most of Senegal. By the 18th century, the kingdom was severely weakened by a combination of North African invaders and growing resentment amongst the largely Muslim lower class. Under the unifying banner of Islam, the Muslim Fulbe revolted under the leadership of Sileymaani Baal. The following Islamic revolution created the new kingdom of Fuuta Tooro under a government called the Almamate (a Fulbe corruption of the Arabic
al-imaam)..
and sedentary Fulbe joined their ranks.
or Almaamy elected from a group of eligible lineages who possessed the necessary credentials of learning by local chiefs called jaggorde or jaggorgal. There was an electoral council, which contained a fixed core and a fluctuating periphery of members. Two families were eligible for the post of Almaami, the Lih of Jaaba in Hebbiyaabe province and the Wan of Mbummba in Laaw province.
In the middle of the 19th century Tooro was threatened by the French under the leadership of Governor Louis Faidherbe
. At the same time, Umar Tall
, a native of Tooro, launched a holy war against the predominantly non-Muslim Mandinka
and Bambara to the east. To achieve his goals he recruited heavily in Senegambia, especially in his native land. The recruitment process, in which Umar evoked the founders of the Islamic revolution, reached its culmination in a massive drive in 1858 and 1859. It had the effect of undermining the power of the Almaami even more.
The authority of the regional chiefs, and particularly that of the electors, was compromised much less than that of the Almaami. Some of these leaders became fully independent and fought off the French and Umar Tall on their own. As a result, the Almaami and the chiefs began to rely increasingly on French support.
The last Almaami of Fuuta Tooro was overthrown and made a lieutenant of Umar Tall's Toucouleur Empire
in 1861.
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
n state of the Fula-speaking
Fula language
The Fula or Fulani language is a language of West Africa. It is spoken as a first language by the and related groups from Senegambia and Guinea to Cameroon and Sudan...
people (Fulɓe
Fula 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...
and Toucouleur
Toucouleur
The Toucouleurs are a Fula agricultural people who live primarily in West Africa: the north of Senegal in the Senegal River valley, Mauritania, and Mali.-History:...
s) centered around the middle valley of the Senegal River
Sénégal River
The Sénégal River is a long river in West Africa that forms the border between Senegal and Mauritania.The Sénégal's headwaters are the Semefé and Bafing rivers which both originate in Guinea; they form a small part of the Guinean-Malian border before coming together at Bafoulabé in Mali...
. The region is known as Futa Tooro
Futa Tooro
Futa Tooro refers to the region on the Senegal River in what is now northern Senegal and southern Mauritania.The word Fuuta was a general name the Fulbe gave to any area they lived in, while Tooro was the actual identity of the region for its inhabitants. The people of the kingdom spoke Pulaar, a...
.
Origins
The word Fuuta was a general name the Fulbe gave to any area they lived in, while Tooro was the actual identity of the region for its inhabitants. The people of the kingdom spoke Pulaar, a dialect of the greater FulaFula language
The Fula or Fulani language is a language of West Africa. It is spoken as a first language by the and related groups from Senegambia and Guinea to Cameroon and Sudan...
languages spanning West Africa from Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
to Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. They identified themselves by the language giving rise to the name Haalpulaar'en meaning those who speak Pulaar. The Haalpulaar'en are also known as Toucouleur
Toucouleur
The Toucouleurs are a Fula agricultural people who live primarily in West Africa: the north of Senegal in the Senegal River valley, Mauritania, and Mali.-History:...
s, a name derived from the ancient state of Tekrur.
Denanke period
From 1495 to 1776, the Fulbe people were under the control of the Denanke Kingdom. The Fulbe leadership of DenankeDenanke
The Empire of Great Fulo, also known as the Denanke Kingdom or Denianke Kingdom was a pre-Islamic Pulaar kingdom of Senegal, which dominated the Futa Tooro region...
were non-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...
s that ruled over most of Senegal. By the 18th century, the kingdom was severely weakened by a combination of North African invaders and growing resentment amongst the largely Muslim lower class. Under the unifying banner of Islam, the Muslim Fulbe revolted under the leadership of Sileymaani Baal. The following Islamic revolution created the new kingdom of Fuuta Tooro under a government called the Almamate (a Fulbe corruption of the Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
al-imaam)..
The Toorobbe
A new class was also born called the toorobbe. The name comes from the verb tooraade, meaning to beg for alms in reference to the Qur'anic school pupils who supported themselves in that way. The label of begging was likely applied by the Denanke court who made fun of the Muslim underclass. The toorobbe took the pejorative connotation and transformed it into a proud new identity. The toorobbe became the new ruling class and grew rapidly in numbers as pastoralPastoralism
Pastoralism or pastoral farming is the branch of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is animal husbandry: the care, tending and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas, and sheep. It may have a mobile aspect, moving the herds in search of fresh pasture and...
and sedentary Fulbe joined their ranks.
Government
The kingdom was ruled by an AlmaamiAlmami
Almami is a title of West African Muslim rulers, used especially in the conquest states of the 19th century. It is a contraction of Amir al-Mu'minin , usually translated "Commander of the Faithful" or "Prince of the Faithful"...
or Almaamy elected from a group of eligible lineages who possessed the necessary credentials of learning by local chiefs called jaggorde or jaggorgal. There was an electoral council, which contained a fixed core and a fluctuating periphery of members. Two families were eligible for the post of Almaami, the Lih of Jaaba in Hebbiyaabe province and the Wan of Mbummba in Laaw province.
Abdul Kaader
The first and most effective ruler of Fuuta Tooro was Almaami Abdul Kaader, a victorious general who extended Fulbe influence into the regions of western and southeastern Senegal. He also redistributed lands amongst his followers and assigned imaams to many villages. The quick rise to power of the Fuuta Tooro kingdom was halted however by Almaami Abdul's defeat in Kajoor around 1797. This marked the beginning of the decline of the regime. Abdul was assassinated in 1807.Decline
The Almamate survived through the 19th century albeit in a much weaker state. The state was governed officially by the Almaami, but effective control lay with regional chiefs of the central provinces who possessed considerable land, followers and slaves. The struggle of various coalitions of electors and eligibles further hastened the decline of the kingdom.In the middle of the 19th century Tooro was threatened by the French under the leadership of Governor Louis Faidherbe
Louis Faidherbe
Louis Léon César Faidherbe was a French general and colonial administrator. He created the Senegalese Tirailleurs when he was governor of Senegal.- Background :...
. At the same time, Umar Tall
Umar Tall
El Hadj Umar ibn Sa'id Tall , , born in what is now actual Senegal was a West African political leader, Islamic scholar, and Toucouleur military commander who founded a brief empire encompassing much of what is now Guinea, Senegal, and Mali.-Name:Umar Tall's name is spelled variously: in...
, a native of Tooro, launched a holy war against the predominantly non-Muslim Mandinka
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
and Bambara to the east. To achieve his goals he recruited heavily in Senegambia, especially in his native land. The recruitment process, in which Umar evoked the founders of the Islamic revolution, reached its culmination in a massive drive in 1858 and 1859. It had the effect of undermining the power of the Almaami even more.
The authority of the regional chiefs, and particularly that of the electors, was compromised much less than that of the Almaami. Some of these leaders became fully independent and fought off the French and Umar Tall on their own. As a result, the Almaami and the chiefs began to rely increasingly on French support.
The last Almaami of Fuuta Tooro was overthrown and made a lieutenant of Umar Tall's Toucouleur Empire
Toucouleur Empire
The Toucouleur Empire was founded in the nineteenth century by El Hadj Umar Tall of the Toucouleur people, in part of present-day Mali....
in 1861.