Kingdom of Baol Baol | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1549–1894 | |||||||||
 Baol in 1855 | |||||||||
| Capital | Lambaye | ||||||||
| Common languages | Wolof,Serer | ||||||||
| Religion | Serer religion,Islam | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| Teigne | |||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | Cayor defeats Jolof atBattle of Danki 1549 | ||||||||
• French colonization | 1894 | ||||||||
| Currency | |||||||||
| |||||||||
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Baol orBawol was a kingdom in what is now centralSenegal. Founded in the 11th century, it was a vassal of theJolof Empire before becoming independent in the mid-16th century. The ruler bore the title ofTeigne (or Teeň) and reigned from the capital inLambaye. The kingdom encompassed a strip of land extending east from the ocean and included the towns ofTouba,Diourbel, and Mbacke. It was directly south of the Kingdom ofCayor and north of theKingdom of Sine.
There are no written sources for the early history of Baol, and even oral traditions are sparse. The earliest recordedTeigne of Baol was named Kayamangha Diatta and was a member of theSoninkeWagadu matrilineage, reflecting influence emanating from theGhana Empire.[1][2]
Serer people moved into the region in the 11th or 12th century, fleeing Islamization in theSenegal river valley.Wolof groups gradually arrived later.[3] The Wagadu dynasty integrated them into the Baol government.[2] Some early Serer kings included: Kolki Faye; Mbissine Ndoumbé Ngom; Massamba Fambi Ngom; Fambi Langar Ngom;Patar Xole Joof (great-grandson ofMaad Ndaah Njemeh Joof).[4]
At some point early in its history, Baol was integrated into theJolof Empire. The legend ofNdiadiane Ndiaye, the firstBuurba Jolof, claims that the ruler of Baol voluntarily submitted to him, but this is likely a later invention to celebrate the unity of the empire.[5] Many of the earliestbuurbas came from maternal lineages native to Baol, perhaps benefiting from the prestigious historical memory of Ghana. Some even usedLambaye as an imperial residence.[6]
ThePortuguese began trading on the coast of Baol in the 15th century, bringing primarily horses and iron.[7]
Amary Ngoné Sobel Fall,Damel ofCayor, and his cousin Maguinak Joof of Baol fought together at theBattle of Danki (1549), where they defeated the Emperor ofJolof and won independence.[4][8] Fall became the firstDamel-Teign, reigning over both kingdoms in a personal union and founding the Fall dynasty.[9][2] This arrangement resurfaced periodically throughout the history of the two states, with frequent wars between them. Fall was son ofLingeer Ngoneh Sobel Njie and the maternal grandson ofLingeer Sobel Joof, making him a descendant of the ancient Baol royal house ofMaad Ndaah Njemeh Joof.
Around the turn of the 16th century, Baol, still largelySerer andanimist and under the reign ofTeigne Mafane Thiaw, was invaded by the nominally IslamicCayor. Defeated in battle, some of the priests of Baol took refuge with theMaad Saloum, founding the city ofKaolack.[10]: 87
In 1697 TeigneLat Sukaabe Fall conquered Cayor and built a powerful, centralized state backed by a military armed with firearms. Upon his death, however, he deeded each kingdom to a separate son, and the rivalry between them continued.[11] During the 18th century, Damel Maïsa Teindde Ouédji of Cayor annexed Baol, but the kingdom was embroiled in a succession dispute after his death. Baol regained its independence in 1756.[12]
The French conquest of Baol began in 1859 under GovernorLouis Faidherbe. Most of Baol was conquered by 1874, but complete control of the former kingdom was only established in 1895 when it was divided into two provinces. Under colonialism,Mouridism, whose founderAmadou Bamba was a Baol-Baol, spread widely in the region.[9]
The social and political systems were basically the same as those of its larger neighbor,Cayor. The government was composed of the great electors who selected the Teigne, a crown-slave bureaucracy directly under the king, and representatives of each of the dependent communities (pastoralists, fishermen, clergy, castes and women).[13]
Baol was ruled by a mixed dynasty: the Wagadu maternal lineage (from theGhana Empire) along with the Serer paternal dynasties of N'Gom (or Ngum), Thiaw,Joof or Diouf, andFaye.[4] The heir to the throne was given the title ofThialao, and ruled over the province of Salao.[14]: 24
Baol was famous for its horses. It had unique breeds, which were faster and more robust than most of the horses on the plain.[citation needed] The kingdom's primary seaports were atSaly Portudal andMbour, giving the nobles access to imported luxuries and firearms that they purchased with slaves raided from outlying villages or in war.[13]
Baol was aWolof kingdom, but included large communities ofSerer-Safen and otherSerer groups.[9] Natives of Baol are known as 'Baol-Baol', a common formulation in Senegal (e.g.Saloum-Saloum,Waalo-Waalo, etc.)
Rulers marked (DT) reigned asDamel-Teigne over both Baol andCayor.[15]
