Battle of Kansala
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Kansala or ‘’’Final Battle’’’ (Mandinka: Tourban Kello) or Siege of Kansla was a military engagement between forces of the Kaabu Empire and the Futa Jallon Kingdom. The battle resulted in the end of the Mandinka
hegemony began by the Mali Empire
on Africa’s Atlantic coast.
in what is now Guinea-Bissau
had imposed Mandinka rule through military and economic dominance over much of Upper Guinea
. In 1537, Kaabu broke completely away from the Mali Empire under its own line of rulers called the Mansaba (“great king”). They expanded aggressively into neighboring Wolof
, Serer
and Fula territory. By 1705, Kaabu was the uncontested power in the region. It had made smart use of the slave-hungry Portuguese
traders along Kaabu’s coast as well as the adventurous and warlike spirit of its own Nyancho aristocracy to feed that hunger. As time passed, Kaabu grew more and more decadent in their treatment of non-Mandinka subjects, especially the Fula. Tired of their oppression by pagan overlords, the Muslim
Fula rallied under the banner of the Fouta Jallon Kingdom to end Kaabu’s dominance. Fula attacks based out of Futa Jallon became routine after 1790. One such assault resulted in the death of Mansaba Yangi Sayon in 1849.
Around this time, the Fula inside Kaabu finally rose up against the Mandinka along with a hosts of Mandinka Mori (Muslim Mandinka) and marched on Kansala a general from Futa Jallon, Alfa Molo Balde at their head.
When Alfa Molo arrived at the (wooden) city walls, Janke Waali could only muster some two to five thousand defenders. He would not have been able to bring his cavalry to bear in a siege situation, and the muskets in his possession were inaccurate at all but close range. Mansaba Janke Waali knew the attack was coming and gathered a defense force from his remaining loyal provinces of Pacana, Jimara, Tumana, Kantora and Sankolla. He had an immense amount of gunpowder in Kansala and plethora of warriors raised in the Nyancho ethos that dying in battle was the only acceptable death. As characterized in the Mandinka Epic of Kelefa Sane, a legendary nyancho warrior…
. In September 1865 the Turban Kelo or Kansala War broke out. Futa Jallon found common cause with its brethren in Kaabu against both the enslavement of Fula and their abuse by traditionalist Mandinka rulers. The kingdom of Fouta Jallon contributed around twenty-five thousand soldiers to Alfa Molo’s army. This was augmented by warriors from Bundu and some of the Muslim Mandinka states on Kaabu’s periphery. After two years of campaigning, Alfa Molo arrived at the gates of Kansala with approximately 12,000 troops.
from Timbo
, told Alfa Yaya that whichever side fired first would lose the battle. Within the Mandinka ranks, a resident marabout named Foday Barika Drammeh told Mansaba Waali the same. The nyancho were infuriated by the mere presence of the Fula and believed to not attack was cowardice. On May 13, someone (reportedly on the Mandinka side) fired the fateful shot that started the battled. The story is likely apocryphal and meant to highlight the hubris and arrogance associated with Nyancho aristocrats.
. It became more or less autonomous of Fouta Jallon while maintaining close ties to Timbo. Both his realm and a severely weakened Fouta Jallon would fall to French rule after the Battle of Pore-Daka in 1896.
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
hegemony began by the Mali Empire
Mali Empire
The Mali Empire or Mandingo Empire or Manden Kurufa was a West African empire of the Mandinka from c. 1230 to c. 1600. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa I...
on Africa’s Atlantic coast.
Background
The Kaabu Empire, which began as an outpost of the Mali EmpireMali Empire
The Mali Empire or Mandingo Empire or Manden Kurufa was a West African empire of the Mandinka from c. 1230 to c. 1600. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa I...
in what is now Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
had imposed Mandinka rule through military and economic dominance over much of Upper Guinea
Upper Guinea
Upper Guinea or la Haute-Guinée is a large plain covering eastern Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and extending into north western Côte d'Ivoire. Mostly forming the upper watershed of the River Niger, it is sparsely populated and is home to the Haut Niger National Park.Upper Guinea can also refer to...
. In 1537, Kaabu broke completely away from the Mali Empire under its own line of rulers called the Mansaba (“great king”). They expanded aggressively into neighboring Wolof
Wolof
Wolof may refer to:* Wolof Empire, a medieval West African state* Wolof language, a language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania* Wolof people, an ethnic group found in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania...
, Serer
Serer
The Cangin languages are spoken by 200,000 people in a small area east of Dakar. They are the languages spoken by the Serer people who do not speak the Serer language . Because the people are ethnically Serer, the Cangin languages are commonly thought to be dialects of the Serer language...
and Fula territory. By 1705, Kaabu was the uncontested power in the region. It had made smart use of the slave-hungry 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...
traders along Kaabu’s coast as well as the adventurous and warlike spirit of its own Nyancho aristocracy to feed that hunger. As time passed, Kaabu grew more and more decadent in their treatment of non-Mandinka subjects, especially the Fula. Tired of their oppression by pagan overlords, the 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...
Fula rallied under the banner of the Fouta Jallon Kingdom to end Kaabu’s dominance. Fula attacks based out of Futa Jallon became routine after 1790. One such assault resulted in the death of Mansaba Yangi Sayon in 1849.
Around this time, the Fula inside Kaabu finally rose up against the Mandinka along with a hosts of Mandinka Mori (Muslim Mandinka) and marched on Kansala a general from Futa Jallon, Alfa Molo Balde at their head.
Kaabu Forces
The army of Kaabu was usually more than a match for any of its neighbors. It had a strong cavalry culture inherited from the Mali Empire. It also utilized guns bought from coastal traders in return for slaves, which Kaabu never had a short supply of. The spear, sword, shield, bow and arrows were never fully replaced, however. Kaabu’s greatest disadvantage was a lack of reliable manpower due to a recent civil war between three contenders for the throne. Mansaba Janke Waali of the Saane won this contest with no small amount of bloodshed. There was still dissension within Kaabu, and those warriors whom had not perished against Mansaba Janke Waali were loath to heed his call now that the Fula were marching on Kansala. According to legend, Janke Waali made three predictions: (1)a war would break out between Kaabu and the Fula, (2) the fortress at Kansala would be renamed Turban Hecatombe – “End of life in Kansala” and (3) he would be the last king of Kaabu.When Alfa Molo arrived at the (wooden) city walls, Janke Waali could only muster some two to five thousand defenders. He would not have been able to bring his cavalry to bear in a siege situation, and the muskets in his possession were inaccurate at all but close range. Mansaba Janke Waali knew the attack was coming and gathered a defense force from his remaining loyal provinces of Pacana, Jimara, Tumana, Kantora and Sankolla. He had an immense amount of gunpowder in Kansala and plethora of warriors raised in the Nyancho ethos that dying in battle was the only acceptable death. As characterized in the Mandinka Epic of Kelefa Sane, a legendary nyancho warrior…
“The nyancho hold three things in horror: wealth, feebleness, and to die old."
Fouta Jallon Forces
The kingdom of Fouta Jallon was a Muslim theocratic Fula-dominated state similar to the Kingdom of Futa Toro in what is today SenegalSenegal
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...
. In September 1865 the Turban Kelo or Kansala War broke out. Futa Jallon found common cause with its brethren in Kaabu against both the enslavement of Fula and their abuse by traditionalist Mandinka rulers. The kingdom of Fouta Jallon contributed around twenty-five thousand soldiers to Alfa Molo’s army. This was augmented by warriors from Bundu and some of the Muslim Mandinka states on Kaabu’s periphery. After two years of campaigning, Alfa Molo arrived at the gates of Kansala with approximately 12,000 troops.
The Siege
Alfa Molo’s forces surrounded Kansala’s fortress for a month or three months, depending on the source. Neither side would fire a shot (both sides were armed with muskets at this point). According to legend, Abdu Khudus, a prominent maraboutMarabout
A marabout is a Muslim religious leader and teacher in West Africa, and in the Maghreb. The marabout is often a scholar of the Qur'an, or religious teacher. Others may be wandering holy men who survive on alms, Sufi Murshids , or leaders of religious communities...
from 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...
, told Alfa Yaya that whichever side fired first would lose the battle. Within the Mandinka ranks, a resident marabout named Foday Barika Drammeh told Mansaba Waali the same. The nyancho were infuriated by the mere presence of the Fula and believed to not attack was cowardice. On May 13, someone (reportedly on the Mandinka side) fired the fateful shot that started the battled. The story is likely apocryphal and meant to highlight the hubris and arrogance associated with Nyancho aristocrats.
The Battle
For eleven days, the Fula, who could not bring their cavalry to bear against the fortress walls, were kept at bay. In fact, the only cavalry casualty of the battle may have been a Mandinka named Faramba (General) Tamba of Kapentu whom marched out of Kansala with only his walking stick to drive the “haughty” Fula away. He was trampled to death by a Fula horseman. The Mandinka accounts are of the opinion that Fula took many casualties with hundreds of their infantry being decapitated as they tried to scale the wall with ladders. They didn’t succeed at entering the city until Mansaba Waali, convinced that the sheer number of enemies was insurmountable, ordered the gates open. At this point, Mandinka women began committing suicide by jumping down wells to avoid slavery. Mansaba Waali ordered his sons to set fire to Kansala’s seven gunpowder stores once the city was full of the enemy. Six were successfully ignited, killing all the Mandinka defenders and around 8,000 of the Alfa Yaya’s army.Aftermath
The fall of Kansala marked the end of the Kaabu Empire. The Fula army had surrounded Kansala so thoroughly that the neighboring towns could not be warned of the invasion. They were only made aware by the sound of Kansala’s gunpowder stores exploding. Kaabu’s territory was divided up into two tributaries owing allegiance to Fouta Djallon. Alfa Molo’s victory is considered pyrrhic in that most of his army died on the walls of Kansala or in its explosion. All in all, only 4,000 troops returned from Kaabu. Alfa Molo went on to govern the region he had conquered and made his capital at LabéLabé
Labé is the main city and administrative capital of the Fouta Djallon region of Guinea. It has a population of about 58,649 . It is the second largest city in the country after the capital Conakry...
. It became more or less autonomous of Fouta Jallon while maintaining close ties to Timbo. Both his realm and a severely weakened Fouta Jallon would fall to French rule after the Battle of Pore-Daka in 1896.
See also
- Kaabu Empire
- Kingdom of Fouta DjallonKingdom of Fouta DjallonThe Kingdom of Fouta Djallon was a pre-colonial West African state based in the Fouta Djallon highlands of modern Guinea.-Origin:...
- Alfa Molo Balde
- History of Guinea-BissauHistory of Guinea-BissauThe history of Guinea-Bissau was dominated by Portugal from the 1450s to the 1970s; since independence, the country has been primarily controlled by a single-party system.-Portuguese rule:...