16th century
Jenne and the Middle Niger
The 1599 siege of Jenne was a failed attempt by Mahmud, king of Mali, and his allies to capture the town from Moroccan-backed forces. Moroccan troops traveled up the Niger by boat, broke through the encirclement, and joined Jenne’s governor in a surprise counterattack. Mahmud’s coalition was defeated, marking a further decline of Mali’s influence.
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The Story
Mahmud’s forces advanced toward Jenne with a small coalition of local allies, including chiefs from Oma and Fadaku or Faraku and the exiled Fulbe leader Hamadi Amina of Massina. The town’s governor appealed to the Moroccan pasha in Timbuktu for assistance. The response consisted of two military commanders, or qāʾids, whose troops were transported in boats up the Niger.
When the Moroccan troops reached Jenne, they found the town surrounded and its waterway blocked. Although inferior in number, they charged with artillery support and broke through into the besieged town. The fighting took place on the last day of Ramadan 1007, identified as the end of April 1599.
Jenne’s governor then abandoned the protection of the walls and attacked Mahmud’s forces on the same day, apparently following the advice of the Kala-Shāʿa. Caught by surprise, the king of Mali and his allies were soon defeated. Mahmud fled, while the political authority represented by Mali suffered another decisive setback on the Middle Niger.
16th century
Jenne and the Middle Niger
The 1599 siege of Jenne was a failed attempt by Mahmud, king of Mali, and his allies to capture the town from Moroccan-backed forces. Moroccan troops traveled up the Niger by boat, broke through the encirclement, and joined Jenne’s governor in a surprise counterattack. Mahmud’s coalition was defeated, marking a further decline of Mali’s influence.
Continue exploring
The Story
Mahmud’s forces advanced toward Jenne with a small coalition of local allies, including chiefs from Oma and Fadaku or Faraku and the exiled Fulbe leader Hamadi Amina of Massina. The town’s governor appealed to the Moroccan pasha in Timbuktu for assistance. The response consisted of two military commanders, or qāʾids, whose troops were transported in boats up the Niger.
When the Moroccan troops reached Jenne, they found the town surrounded and its waterway blocked. Although inferior in number, they charged with artillery support and broke through into the besieged town. The fighting took place on the last day of Ramadan 1007, identified as the end of April 1599.
Jenne’s governor then abandoned the protection of the walls and attacked Mahmud’s forces on the same day, apparently following the advice of the Kala-Shāʿa. Caught by surprise, the king of Mali and his allies were soon defeated. Mahmud fled, while the political authority represented by Mali suffered another decisive setback on the Middle Niger.
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