Ngolo Diarra
Encyclopedia
Ngolo Diarra was the king of the Bambara Empire
from 1766 to 1795.
Following the 1755 death of empire founder Bitòn Coulibaly
, his descendants (the Bitonsi) proved unable to maintain control, the kingdom fell briefly into anarchy. Ngolo Diarra, a freed slave
, seized the throne in 1766 and soon restored order. Mungo Park
, passing through the Bambara capital of Ségou
two years after Diarra's 1795 death, recorded a testament to the Empire's prosperity under his reign:
Ngolo Diarra died in a campaign against the Mossi
and was succeeded by his son Mansong Diarra
. His descendants, the Ngolosi, continued to rule the Empire until its fall to Toucouleur
conqueror El Hadj Umar Tall
in 1861.
Bambara Empire
The Bamana Empire was a large pre-colonial West African state based at Ségou, now in Mali. It was ruled by the Kulubali or Coulibaly dynasty established circa 1640 by Kaladian Coulibaly also known as Fa Sine or Biton-si-u...
from 1766 to 1795.
Following the 1755 death of empire founder Bitòn Coulibaly
Bitòn Coulibaly
Bitòn Coulibaly founded the Bambara Empire in what is now Mali's Ségou Region and Mopti Region....
, his descendants (the Bitonsi) proved unable to maintain control, the kingdom fell briefly into anarchy. Ngolo Diarra, a freed slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, seized the throne in 1766 and soon restored order. Mungo Park
Mungo Park (explorer)
Mungo Park was a Scottish explorer of the African continent. He was credited as being the first Westerner to encounter the Niger River.-Early life:...
, passing through the Bambara capital of Ségou
Ségou
Ségou is a city in south-central Mali, lying northeast of Bamako on the River Niger, in the region of Ségou. It was founded by the Bozo people, on a site about from the present town...
two years after Diarra's 1795 death, recorded a testament to the Empire's prosperity under his reign:
- "The view of this extensive city, the numerous canoes on the river, the crowded population, and the cultivated state of the surrounding countryside, formed altogether a prospect of civilization and magnificence that I little expected to find in the bosom of Africa."1
Ngolo Diarra died in a campaign against the Mossi
Mossi Kingdoms
The Mossi Kingdoms, sometimes mistakenly referred to as the Mossi Empire, were a trio of powerful states in modern-day Burkina Faso. Each state possessed similar customs and government, but were ruled independently of each other...
and was succeeded by his son Mansong Diarra
Mansong Diarra
Mansong Diarra was ruler of the Bambara Empire from 1795 to 1808. Son of king Ngolo Diarra, Mansong assumed the throne of Ségou following his father's death. Mansong is remembered as a great warrior; among his notable accomplishments is the taking of Tomboctou . His son Da Diarra succeeded...
. His descendants, the Ngolosi, continued to rule the Empire until its fall to 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:...
conqueror El Hadj 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...
in 1861.