Takrur: Difference between revisions
Editing with sources. leaving original editor's unsourced work intact. It is up to the general reader to read and make up their minds. Also removing POV templates |
→Adoption of Islam: remove material copy and pasted across wikipedia which is from an Ethnocentric POV. All of this is outside the topic |
||
| (3 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown) | |||
| Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
|year_start = 800s |
|year_start = 800s |
||
|date_start = |
|date_start = |
||
|event1 = Conversion to [[Islam]] after [[Serer people]]'s [[exodus]] (previously [[Serer Religion]]). |
|event1 = Conversion to [[Islam]] after [[Serer people]]'s [[Emigration|exodus]] (previously [[Serer Religion]]). |
||
| |
| |
||
|date_event1 = 1030s |
|date_event1 = 1030s |
||
| Line 59: | Line 59: | ||
Unlike Ghana to its east, the kings of Takrur eventually adopted [[Islam]]. Sometime in the 1030s during the reign of King [[War Jabi]], the court converted to Islam, the first regent to officially pronounce Orthodoxy in the [[Sahel]], establishing the faith in the region for centuries to come. This adoption of Islam greatly benefited the state economically and would also affect them in the coming conflicts between the traditionalist state of Ghana and its northern neighbors. |
Unlike Ghana to its east, the kings of Takrur eventually adopted [[Islam]]. Sometime in the 1030s during the reign of King [[War Jabi]], the court converted to Islam, the first regent to officially pronounce Orthodoxy in the [[Sahel]], establishing the faith in the region for centuries to come. This adoption of Islam greatly benefited the state economically and would also affect them in the coming conflicts between the traditionalist state of Ghana and its northern neighbors. |
||
Note that it was in 1035ad that [[War Jabi]] introduced [[Sharia law]] in the Kingdom. The Serer people who had worshipped [[Serer religion]] where finally deafeated at the last Battle of Sali in 1035 when fighting against the Muslim army - an army made of [[Almoravids]] whom the Serer previously defeated on several occasions and their African converts to the new religion (Islam) such as the [[Fula people]] and [[Toucouleur people]]. The Serer nobles who gathered at Sali to defend their religion, wealth and power for the last time, could not maintain their previous victories and were finally defeated by the Muslim coalition army (Almoravids, Toucouleurs and Fulas etc). After their defeat and [[exodus]] from Takrur to the South such as the [[Kingdom of Sine]], War Jabi introduced Sharia law (1035).<ref>Mamadou Diouf, Mara Leichtman. New perspectives on Islam in Senegal: conversion, migration, wealth, power, and femininity. Published by: Palgrave Macmillan. 2009. the University of Michigan. ISBN 0230606482</ref> <ref>Mamadou Diouf. History of Senegal: Islamo-Wolof model and its outskirts. Maisonneuve & Larose. 2001. ISBN 2706815035</ref> <ref>Roland Anthony Oliver, J. D. Fage. Journal of African History. Volume 10. Published by: Cambridge University Press. 1969</ref> <ref>The African archaeological review, Volumes 17-18. Published by: Plenum Press, 2000</ref> <ref>Martin A. Klein. Islam and imperialism in Senegal: Sine-Saloum, 1847-1914. Page 7.</ref> |
Note that it was in 1035ad that [[War Jabi]] introduced [[Sharia law]] in the Kingdom. The Serer people who had worshipped [[Serer religion]] where finally deafeated at the last Battle of Sali in 1035 when fighting against the Muslim army - an army made of [[Almoravids]] whom the Serer previously defeated on several occasions and their African converts to the new religion (Islam) such as the [[Fula people]] and [[Toucouleur people]]. The Serer nobles who gathered at Sali to defend their religion, wealth and power for the last time, could not maintain their previous victories and were finally defeated by the Muslim coalition army (Almoravids, Toucouleurs and Fulas etc). After their defeat and [[Emigration|exodus]] from Takrur to the South such as the [[Kingdom of Sine]], War Jabi introduced Sharia law (1035).<ref>Mamadou Diouf, Mara Leichtman. New perspectives on Islam in Senegal: conversion, migration, wealth, power, and femininity. Published by: Palgrave Macmillan. 2009. the University of Michigan. ISBN 0230606482</ref> <ref>Mamadou Diouf. History of Senegal: Islamo-Wolof model and its outskirts. Maisonneuve & Larose. 2001. ISBN 2706815035</ref> <ref>Roland Anthony Oliver, J. D. Fage. Journal of African History. Volume 10. Published by: Cambridge University Press. 1969</ref> <ref>The African archaeological review, Volumes 17-18. Published by: Plenum Press, 2000</ref> <ref>Martin A. Klein. Islam and imperialism in Senegal: Sine-Saloum, 1847-1914. Page 7.</ref> |
||
:''"The Islamic religion which dominates [[Senegal]] today was carried from Mecca into North Africa after the seventh century by ... the Sahara by the Arabs and [[Arabized]] Berbers into Senegal. Only the powerful [[Serer people|Serer tribes]] resisted conversion..."'' <ref>Elisa Daggs. All Africa: All its political entities of independent or other status. Hasting House, 1970. ISBN: 0803803362</ref> |
|||
The history of the Serer people who resided at Tekrur, the influence of their culture, history, religion, civilisation and tradition on the land is noted by Issa Laye Thiaw in the following terms: |
|||
:''"If the term "religiosity" expresses the commitment or devotion to a particular religion, it also applies to the Serer who are jealously attached to their traditional values and show little interest in respect of religions from outside. However, few people adhere to these religions and gradually move away from the religion of the land. The latter is the object of aggression and distortion on the part of some [[Muslims]], to weaken the impact in people's minds. In this context, their Serer neighbours assigned names and adjectives to things they have invented from scratch, trying to prove their superiority and that of their religion (the Serer Religion)..."<ref>''Issa Laye Thiaw. "La Religiosite de Seereer, Avant et pendant leur Islamisation". Ethiopiques no: 54, Revue semestrielle de Culture Négro-Africaine. Nouvelle série, volume 7, 2e Semestre 1991</ref> |
|||
This account is backed up by Becker in the following terms after the historical [[relics]] and [[artefacts]] of the [[Serer people]] were uncovered throughout the Senegambia where they have transveresed: |
|||
"Finally we should remember the important relic called Sereer in Fouta ([[Futa Toro]] previously Takrur) , but also in the former countries of the Ferlo, [[Jolof]] and Kajoor ([[Cayor]]), which marked the migration of proto-Sereer, whose imprint on the Fouta was so significant and remains in the memory of the ''Halpulaareen''" (speakers of the [[Fula language]] e.g. [[Fula people]] and [[Toucouleur people]]).<ref>Vestiges historiques, trémoins matériels du passé clans les pays sereer". Dakar. 1993. Charles BECKER, CNRS - ORS TO M</ref> |
|||
==Ghana Empire== |
==Ghana Empire== |
||
| Line 79: | Line 69: | ||
Takrur would not enjoy its place in the sun very long, however. The Almoravids were quick to leave and many anti-Muslim tribes were eager to take its place. Among these were the [[Susu people|Susu]] who carved out the sizeable though short-lived [[Kaniaga]]. Waalo, the first [[Wolof people|Wolof]] state, emerged out its south. By the time Mandinka tribes united to form the [[Mali Empire]] in 1235, Takrur was in a steep decline. The state was finally conquered by the usurper emperor [[Sabakoura]] of Mali in the 1280s. |
Takrur would not enjoy its place in the sun very long, however. The Almoravids were quick to leave and many anti-Muslim tribes were eager to take its place. Among these were the [[Susu people|Susu]] who carved out the sizeable though short-lived [[Kaniaga]]. Waalo, the first [[Wolof people|Wolof]] state, emerged out its south. By the time Mandinka tribes united to form the [[Mali Empire]] in 1235, Takrur was in a steep decline. The state was finally conquered by the usurper emperor [[Sabakoura]] of Mali in the 1280s. |
||
By this time the [[Serer people]] have already left and joint their distant Serer relatives in the South where they help to set up their [[territorial]] rule of management such as the [[Kingdom of Sine]] and used their ancient Serer religion to reinforce their power. The [[Jolof Empire]] itself was ruled by the Njie or [[Ndiaye]] paternal dynasty, originally Serer who becamed Wolofized by virtue of the fact that they were rulling a Wolof state [[Kingdom of Jolof]] which was the administrative capital of the Emperor. <ref>Oumar Ndiaye Leyti. “Le Djoloff et ses Bourba.” Nouvelles Editions Africaines, 1981. ISBN: 2723608174</ref>Previous to the Njie dynasty of Jolof, Jolof was ruled by the [[Ngom]] paternal dynasty also Serer and [[Baol]] was ruled by the [[Joof]] or [[Diouf]] paternal dynasty also Serer in origin.<ref>Lucie Gallistel Colvin. Historical Dictionary of Senegal. Scarecrow Press/ Metuchen. NJ - London (1981) ISBN 081081885x</ref> The [[Kingdom of Sine]] and [[Kingdom of Saloum]] will become known as the two ancient Serer Kingdoms. The Sine has since then remained the Holy Land and safe heaven of the [[Serer people]] which is not only ethnically Serer, but also spiritually and religiously deeply rooted in ancient [[Serer religion]]. Takrur came to a very devastating end after the Serer exodus. Not only was it later conquered by Mali, it was also conquered by [[Jolof]] in the 15th century.<ref>Oumar Ndiaye Leyti. “Le Djoloff et ses Bourba.” Nouvelles Editions Africaines, 1981. ISBN: 2723608174</ref> Although ''Koli'' (a Fula rebel) did finally managed to regain Takrur and named it [[Fouta Toro]] in the 15th century thereby setting up the first Fula dynasty ([[Denanke]]), that dynasty also did not last long and in 1776 at the Fouta Revolution, a bunch of Muslim [[clerics]] entered the kingdom and brought down the house of Denanke. From then on it was ravaged by wars mostly religious in nature. |
By this time the [[Serer people]] have already left and joint their distant Serer relatives in the South where they help to set up their [[Territory (country subdivision)|territorial]] rule of management such as the [[Kingdom of Sine]] and used their ancient Serer religion to reinforce their power. The [[Jolof Empire]] itself was ruled by the Njie or [[Ndiaye]] paternal dynasty, originally Serer who becamed Wolofized by virtue of the fact that they were rulling a Wolof state [[Kingdom of Jolof]] which was the administrative capital of the Emperor. <ref>Oumar Ndiaye Leyti. “Le Djoloff et ses Bourba.” Nouvelles Editions Africaines, 1981. ISBN: 2723608174</ref>Previous to the Njie dynasty of Jolof, Jolof was ruled by the [[Ngom]] paternal dynasty also Serer and [[Baol]] was ruled by the [[Joof]] or [[Diouf]] paternal dynasty also Serer in origin.<ref>Lucie Gallistel Colvin. Historical Dictionary of Senegal. Scarecrow Press/ Metuchen. NJ - London (1981) ISBN 081081885x</ref> The [[Kingdom of Sine]] and [[Kingdom of Saloum]] will become known as the two ancient Serer Kingdoms. The Sine has since then remained the Holy Land and safe heaven of the [[Serer people]] which is not only ethnically Serer, but also spiritually and religiously deeply rooted in ancient [[Serer religion]]. Takrur came to a very devastating end after the Serer exodus. Not only was it later conquered by Mali, it was also conquered by [[Jolof]] in the 15th century.<ref>Oumar Ndiaye Leyti. “Le Djoloff et ses Bourba.” Nouvelles Editions Africaines, 1981. ISBN: 2723608174</ref> Although ''Koli'' (a Fula rebel) did finally managed to regain Takrur and named it [[Fouta Toro]] in the 15th century thereby setting up the first Fula dynasty ([[Denanke]]), that dynasty also did not last long and in 1776 at the Fouta Revolution, a bunch of Muslim [[clerics]] entered the kingdom and brought down the house of Denanke. From then on it was ravaged by wars mostly religious in nature. |
||
==Trivia== |
==Trivia== |
||
| Line 111: | Line 101: | ||
[[br:Takrour]] |
[[br:Takrour]] |
||
[[ca:Takrur]] |
|||
[[fr:Tekrour]] |
[[fr:Tekrour]] |
||
[[id:Takrur]] |
[[id:Takrur]] |
||
Revision as of 02:47, 25 November 2011
Takrur | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 800s–1285 | |||||||||||
| Capital | Settlement on Morfil | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Serer, Fula | ||||||||||
| Religion | Serer Religion, Traditional Religions, Islam | ||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||
• 1030s | War Jabi | ||||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||||
• Established | 800s | ||||||||||
| 1030s | |||||||||||
• Conquered by Mali Empire | 1285 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Takrur, Tekrur, or Tekrour (c. 800 - c. 1285) was an ancient state of West Africa, which flourished roughly parallel to the Ghana Empire.
Origin
The formation of the state came about as an influx of Fulbe noble clans from the east settled after the formation of the Soninké state of Ghana.
Note that according to historical and archaeological sources, the kingdom was actually founded by the Serer people (also spelt "Sérère", "Sereer", "Serere", "Seereer") the oldest inhabitants of the Senegambia along with the Jola people[1] to which Takrur belonged. The historical and archaeological imprint of the Serer people in Takrur is illustrated by Henri Gravrand in the following terms:
- "Since the publication of "Cossan" (history), I took as a starting point of the Sereer story in Tekrur (Takrur) over 2000 years ago, I noted an important discovery. In the middle of the Sahara, in the Tasili the rock carvings listed by Henri L'hote, appears the traces of the present "Sereer Cossan" (Serer history) or their ancestors, a period dating back to the third or fourth millennium. This engraving represents the Sereer initiation Star (Serer Cosmology), with two coiled snakes, symbols of the "Pangool" (ancestral spirits also ancient Serer Saints in the Serer Religion)... The rock where the Star appears is the Sereer symbols of the Pangool which was probably a place of worship." [2]
It was the Serer people who resided at Takrur (not all Serers resided at Takrur) who previously ruled the Kingdom. They were the high priests and priestesses and the land owners through what is referred to as the Lamanic lineage (Kings and land owners of the Serer people).[3] It was the Serer religion that was historically practiced in the Kingdom and headed by the Serer Priestly Class what is now referred to as Saltigue (Serer high priests, priestesses and diviners).
Center of Trade
Located in the Senegal Valley, along the border of present-day Senegal and Mauritania, it was a trading center, where gold from the Bambuk region, salt from the Awlil, Sahel grain. It was rival of the Ghana Empire and the two states clashed from time to time with the Soninké usually winning. Despite these clashes, Takrur prospered throughout the 9th and 10th centuries.
Adoption of Islam
Unlike Ghana to its east, the kings of Takrur eventually adopted Islam. Sometime in the 1030s during the reign of King War Jabi, the court converted to Islam, the first regent to officially pronounce Orthodoxy in the Sahel, establishing the faith in the region for centuries to come. This adoption of Islam greatly benefited the state economically and would also affect them in the coming conflicts between the traditionalist state of Ghana and its northern neighbors.
Note that it was in 1035ad that War Jabi introduced Sharia law in the Kingdom. The Serer people who had worshipped Serer religion where finally deafeated at the last Battle of Sali in 1035 when fighting against the Muslim army - an army made of Almoravids whom the Serer previously defeated on several occasions and their African converts to the new religion (Islam) such as the Fula people and Toucouleur people. The Serer nobles who gathered at Sali to defend their religion, wealth and power for the last time, could not maintain their previous victories and were finally defeated by the Muslim coalition army (Almoravids, Toucouleurs and Fulas etc). After their defeat and exodus from Takrur to the South such as the Kingdom of Sine, War Jabi introduced Sharia law (1035).[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Ghana Empire
The king of Takrur sided with the Berber and Tuareg tribes of the Almoravids in their political intervention of the Ghana Empire. when Ghanaian power faded, Takrur was left as the sole power in the region. Integration of Takrur with the Almoravids meant that some of these troops reached all the way to Andalusia (Spain) with the Almoravid expansion.
Downfall
Takrur would not enjoy its place in the sun very long, however. The Almoravids were quick to leave and many anti-Muslim tribes were eager to take its place. Among these were the Susu who carved out the sizeable though short-lived Kaniaga. Waalo, the first Wolof state, emerged out its south. By the time Mandinka tribes united to form the Mali Empire in 1235, Takrur was in a steep decline. The state was finally conquered by the usurper emperor Sabakoura of Mali in the 1280s.
By this time the Serer people have already left and joint their distant Serer relatives in the South where they help to set up their territorial rule of management such as the Kingdom of Sine and used their ancient Serer religion to reinforce their power. The Jolof Empire itself was ruled by the Njie or Ndiaye paternal dynasty, originally Serer who becamed Wolofized by virtue of the fact that they were rulling a Wolof state Kingdom of Jolof which was the administrative capital of the Emperor. [9]Previous to the Njie dynasty of Jolof, Jolof was ruled by the Ngom paternal dynasty also Serer and Baol was ruled by the Joof or Diouf paternal dynasty also Serer in origin.[10] The Kingdom of Sine and Kingdom of Saloum will become known as the two ancient Serer Kingdoms. The Sine has since then remained the Holy Land and safe heaven of the Serer people which is not only ethnically Serer, but also spiritually and religiously deeply rooted in ancient Serer religion. Takrur came to a very devastating end after the Serer exodus. Not only was it later conquered by Mali, it was also conquered by Jolof in the 15th century.[11] Although Koli (a Fula rebel) did finally managed to regain Takrur and named it Fouta Toro in the 15th century thereby setting up the first Fula dynasty (Denanke), that dynasty also did not last long and in 1776 at the Fouta Revolution, a bunch of Muslim clerics entered the kingdom and brought down the house of Denanke. From then on it was ravaged by wars mostly religious in nature.
Trivia
Some Serers refer to these events as the curse of Takrur.
Influence
Later Islamic Takrur kingdoms are often called Toucouleur, after a French corruption of "Takrur." The Denanke Kingdom, and kingdom of Fuuta Tooro all followed creating powerful Fulbe states over the same general area once ruled by ancient Takrur. [dubious – discuss] [citation needed]
See also
Notes
- ^ Gambian Studies No. 17. People of The Gambia. I. The Wolof. By David P. Gamble & Linda K. Salmon with Alhaji Hassan Njie. San Francisco 1985
- ^ Henry Gravrand. La Civilisation Sereer - Pangool. Published by Les Nouvelles Editions Africaines du Senegal. 1990. Page 9. ISBN: 2-7236-1055-1
- ^ Dennis C. Galvan. The State Must be Our Master of Fire. ISBN 9780520235915
- ^ Mamadou Diouf, Mara Leichtman. New perspectives on Islam in Senegal: conversion, migration, wealth, power, and femininity. Published by: Palgrave Macmillan. 2009. the University of Michigan. ISBN 0230606482
- ^ Mamadou Diouf. History of Senegal: Islamo-Wolof model and its outskirts. Maisonneuve & Larose. 2001. ISBN 2706815035
- ^ Roland Anthony Oliver, J. D. Fage. Journal of African History. Volume 10. Published by: Cambridge University Press. 1969
- ^ The African archaeological review, Volumes 17-18. Published by: Plenum Press, 2000
- ^ Martin A. Klein. Islam and imperialism in Senegal: Sine-Saloum, 1847-1914. Page 7.
- ^ Oumar Ndiaye Leyti. “Le Djoloff et ses Bourba.” Nouvelles Editions Africaines, 1981. ISBN: 2723608174
- ^ Lucie Gallistel Colvin. Historical Dictionary of Senegal. Scarecrow Press/ Metuchen. NJ - London (1981) ISBN 081081885x
- ^ Oumar Ndiaye Leyti. “Le Djoloff et ses Bourba.” Nouvelles Editions Africaines, 1981. ISBN: 2723608174
References
- Takrur — webPulaaku.
- J. F. Ade Ajayi, Michael Crowder (eds.). History of West Africa. Columbia University (1972) ISBN 0231036280
- J. Hunwick. "Takrur", Encyclopaedia of Islam, Leiden 2000, X, 142-3.
- Mary Antin, Nehemia Levtzion. Medieval West Africa Before 1400: Ghana, Takrur, Gao (Songhay) and Mali. Translated by Nehemia Levtzion. J. F. Hopkins: Contributor. Markus Wiener Publishing, New Jersey (1998). ISBN 1558761659
- J. D. Fage (ed.). The Cambridge History of Africa, vol. II, Cambridge University Press (1978), 675-7.
- H. T. Norris. "The Wind of Change in the Western Sahara". The Geographical Journal, Vol. 130, No. 1 (Mar., 1964), pp. 1-14
- D.W. Phillipson. African Archaeology, Cambridge University Press (Revised Edition 2005). ISBN 9780521832366