Bamana Empire | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1712–1861 | |||||||||
Capital | Ségou | ||||||||
Common languages | Bambara | ||||||||
Religion | Animism, Islam | ||||||||
Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
Faama | |||||||||
• 1712-1755 | Mamary Coulibaly | ||||||||
• 1766-1790 | Ngolo Diarra | ||||||||
Historical era | Early modern period | ||||||||
• Kaladian establishes dynasty | c.1640 | ||||||||
• Mamari (Biton) Coulibaly takes power | 1712 | ||||||||
• Ngolo Diarra takes power | 1766 | ||||||||
• Conquest by the Toucouleur Empire | 1861 | ||||||||
Currency | cowries, mithqal | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Today part of | Mali |
The Bamana Empire (also Bambara Empire or Ségou Empire, Bambara: ߓߊ߲ߓߊߙߊ߲߫ ߝߊ߯ߡߟߊ, romanized: Banbaran Fāmala) was one of the largest states of West Africa in the 18th century.[1]: 408 Along with Kaarta it was one of the most important successors of the Songhai Empire. Based on an earlier kingdom established in 1640, it grew into a powerful empire in the early 18th century under Bitòn Coulibaly. The empire existed as a centralized state from 1712 until the 1861 invasion by the Toucouleur conqueror El Hadj Umar Tall.