Jolof Empire امبراطورية جولوف | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13-14th century–1549 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Map of the Jolof Empire's borders, including tributary states and territories of influence. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital | Warxox | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Common languages | Wolof | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion | Traditional African religion,Islam | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Emperor (Buur-ba Jolof) | |||||||||||||||||||||
• 1350 - 1370 (disputed) | Ndiadiane Ndiaye | ||||||||||||||||||||
• 1543–1549 | Leele Fuli Fak | ||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||
• Established | 13-14th century | ||||||||||||||||||||
• Battle of Danki and empire reduced to arump kingdom | 1549 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Currency | iron, cloth | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Today part of | Senegal | ||||||||||||||||||||
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TheJolof Empire (Arabic:امبراطورية جولوف), also known asGreat Jolof,[1] or theWolofEmpire, was aWolof state that ruled parts ofWest Africa situated in modern-daySenegal andGambia from around the 12th century[2][3][4] to 1549. Following the 1549battle of Danki, its vassal states were fully orde facto independent; in this period it is known as theJolof Kingdom.
Wolof oral traditions relate that the Wolof[5] were the earliest inhabitants of the region that became Jolof, which was named after a local chief Jolof Mbengue. The empire consisted mostly of Wolof,Serer andFula from north of theSenegal River.[6] The region was ruled byLamanes of the Mbengue, Diaw and Ngom families.[7][2]: 30 They were related to early rulers of neighboring kingdoms such asBaol.
Jolof was a vassal of theMali Empire for much of its early history.[8] It remained within that empire's sphere of influence until the latter half of the 14th century.[9]
Traditional accounts among theWolof agree that the founder of the state was the possibly mythicalNdiadiane Ndiaye (also spelled Njaajaan Njaay or Njai).[10] Sallah writes: "Some say that Njajan was the son of Abu Darday, an Almoravid conqueror who came from Mecca to preach Islam in Senegal ... Some say that Ndiadiane Ndiaye was a mysterious person ofFulani origin. Others say he was aSerer prince."[4] In general, Ndiaye is given anAlmoravid Islamic lineage and a link on his mother's side to the state ofTakrur. James Searing adds that "In all versions of the myth, Njaajaan Njaay speaks his first words inPulaar rather thanWolof, emphasizing once again his character as a stranger of noble origins."[11]
The legend of Ndiadiane Ndiaye has many variations in detail, but these share some important commonalities. It begins when his father dies and his mother remarries with a slave. This match so enfuriated Ndiaye that he jumped into theSenegal River and began an aquatic life. He made his way downstream toWaalo.[12] At this time, the area was divided into villages ruled by separateLamanes,[2]: 30 some of whom were engaged in a dispute over a wood near a prominent lake (in some versions, it is a dispute over a catch of fish). This almost led to bloodshed, but it was stopped by the mysterious appearance of a stranger from the lake. The stranger divided the wood fairly and disappeared, leaving the people in awe. The people then feigned a second dispute and kidnapped the stranger when he returned. They offered him the kingship of their land. When these events were reported to the ruler of theKingdom of Sine,Maad a Sinig Maysa Wali, also a great magician, he is reported to have exclaimed "Ndiadiane Ndiaye" in his nativeSerer language in amazement.[13]: 21 He then suggested that all rulers between theSenegal River and theGambia River voluntarily submit to this man, which they did.[13]: 22
Attempting to date Ndiadiane Ndiaye and the establishment of the Jolof Empire,John Donnelly Fage suggests, "the rise of the empire was associated with the growth of Wolof power at the expense of the ancient Sudanese state of Takrur, and that this was essentially a fourteenth-century development."[10] Ogot proposes that the Jolof became permanently independent during a succession dispute in 1360 between two rival lineages within theMali Empire.[14] There is no consensus among scholars, however.[15]
The earliest centuries of Jolof's history are known only through oral histories, but few details have survived. During the relatively dry period (c. 1100–1500) the Jolof empire expanded southwards and westwards, progressively 'Wolofizing' the ruling classes. The smaller states thus incorporated into the empire. The states ofCayor andBaol, which were founded around the same time as Jolof, were absorbed early on.[16] Many of the earliestbuurbas came from maternal lineages native to Baol.[17] TheKingdom of Sine and an early form of theKingdom of Saloum were absorbed in the late 14th century at the earliest.[18] This completed the core constituent states of the Jolof confederacy:Cayor,Baol andWaalo, and the Serer states ofSine andSaloum.[19][20]
Beginning in the 1440s, Portuguese ships began to visit the coast, initially looking to capture slaves but soon shifting to trade. The Jolof expansion may have been assisted by the purchase of horses from these traders.[21] At this time, Jolof was at the height of its power.
BuurbaBiram Njeme Eler,[17] or possiblyCukli Njiklaan,[22] conqueredNamandirou in approximately the 1450s, then extended extended his authority overTakrur.[23][20] Eler moved the capital from Njiayeen Sabur to Thieung.[17] He was also likely responsible for subduing theMandinka states on the northern bank of the Gambia, includingNiumi, Badibu,Nyani, andWuli, as theMali Empire declined.[17][20][18] Jolof would also expand its control over the gold trade, conqueringGajaaga[24] and subsequentlyBambuk,[25] although Jean Boulègue argues of such conquest being very unlikely.[26] Control over the kingdoms of the Gambia also gave the Buurba some access to the growing commerce there.[27]
UponBuurbaBiram Njeme Eler's death, the succession was disputed between his son, Bokar Bige, and his nephewTase Daagulen. The latter was eventually victorious, with the help ofBrak Cukuli Mbooj ofWaalo. This conflict was, in a way, a contest between a patrilineal inheritance system (father-son) and a matrilineal one (uncle-nephew), as Biram Eler and Tase Daagulen were both members of the Jonai matrilineage.[28] Between roughly 1455 and 1489, fivebuurbas would claim the throne, sowing chaos and civil war.[29]
In the 1480s,Jelen, thebuumi or prince, was ruling the empire in the name of his brotherBirayma Kuran Kan, known in Portuguese sources as Bur Birao. Tempted by the Portuguese trade, he moved the seat of government to the coast to take advantage of the new economic opportunities. Other princes, opposed to this policy, deposed and murdered thebuurba in 1489. Jelen escaped and sought refuge with the Portuguese, who took him toLisbon. There he exchanged gifts with KingJohn II and was baptized. Faced with the opportunity to put aChristian ally on the throne, John II sent an expeditionary force under a Portuguese commander to put the prince back on the throne of Jolof. The objective was to put him on the throne and a fort at the mouth of the Senegal River. Neither goal was achieved. A dispute between the commander and the prince resulted in the former accusing the bumi of treachery and killing him.[30]
In the early 16th century, the Jolof Empire was still very powerful, and capable of fielding 100,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry.[13]: 23 But succession disputes were not the only thing tearing it apart. TheAtlantic Trade trade, for instance, had brought extra wealth to the empire, but with Jelen's failure the rulers of the vassal states on the coast got the lion's share of the benefits, which eventually allowed them to eclipse and undermine the emperor.[30] Jolof was located far from the coast, and had no direct access to maritime trade.
There was also the matter of external forces, such as the breakup of theMali Empire. Mali's slipping grip on its far-flung empire had allowed Jolof to become an empire in the first place. But now conflict was spreading to Jolof's northern territories. In 1513,Koli Tenguella led a strong force ofFulani and Mandinka intoFuta Toro, seizing it from the Jolof and setting uphis dynasty, and also destroyingNamandirou.[31] In 1520 theSerer kingdoms ofSine andSaloum in the south broke away.[32]
In 1549,Kayor successfully broke from the Jolof Empire under the leadership of the crown princeAmari Ngoone Sobel Fall by defeating Jolof at theBattle of Danki. The battle caused a ripple effect resulting in Waalo and Baol also leaving the empire.[32] By 1600, the Jolof Empire was effectively over. Kayor invaded its southern neighbor, Bawol, and began forming a personal union of its own. Jolof was reduced to a kingdom; nevertheless, the title of Burba remained associated with imperial prestige and commanded nominal respect from its ancient vassals.[30]
Jolof society harbored a developed hierarchical system involving different classes of royal and non-royal nobles, free men, occupational castes, and slaves. Occupational castes included blacksmiths, jewelers, tanners, tailors, musicians, andgriots.[10] Smiths were important to the society for their ability to make weapons of war as well as their trusted status for mediating disputes fairly.Griots were employed by every important family as chroniclers and advisors, without whom much of early Jolof history would be unknown.[13]: 26 Jolof's nobility were nominallyanimists, but some combined this withIslam.[33] However, Islam had not dominated Wolof society until about the 19th century,[13]: 26 when the empire had long been reduced to arump state in the form of theKingdom of Jolof.
Throughout the different classes, intermarriage was rarely allowed. Women could not marry upwards, and their children did not inherit the father's superior status.[13]: 26 However, women had some influence and role in government. TheLingeer was head of all women and very influential in state politics. She owned several villages that cultivated farms and paid tribute directly to her. There were also other female chiefs whose main task was judging cases involving women. In the empire's most northern state of Walo, women could aspire to the office ofBur and rule the state.[13]: 26
Isolated from the main maritime and trans-Saharan trade routes, the economy of Jolof proper was relatively simple. Moor or Jula merchants were the main carriers of trade, which was organized around weekly markets and consisted mostly of millet, salt, beans, cattle and other essentials.Coinage was not used, but iron bars and cloth served as universal means of exchange.[34]
The ruler of Jolof was known as theBour ba orBuurba, who was selected by a college of electors that included the rulers of the five main constituent kingdoms.[30] Although nominally the head of the entire empire, theBuurba directly controlled a relatively small portion of Jolof;Lamanes held a lot of power, and became progressively more independent as the royal family became more consumed by succession disputes.[35]
Once appointed, officeholders went through elaborate rituals to both familiarize themselves with their new duties and elevate them to a divine status. From then on, they were expected to lead their states to greatness or risk being declared unfavored by the gods and being deposed. The stresses of this political structure resulted in a very autocratic government where personal armies and wealth often superseded constitutional values.[13]: 25
The Jolof Empire included five coastal kingdoms from north to south:Waalo,Kayor,Baol,Sine andSaloum. All of these states were tributary to the land-locked state of Jolof. Each was governed by a ruler were chosen by their respective nobles.[30] Each had practical autonomy but was expected to cooperate with theBour on important matters, and send regular tribute to Jolof.[20][13]: 25 This did not always happen, however, and wars between the constituent kingdoms were common; provinces could gain or lose degrees of independence, or move from one king's control to another.[36]
