15th century – 15th century
Central Mossi territory
Rawatenga was a short-lived Mossi political formation founded by Naaba Rawa. It briefly brought much of present-day Mossi territory under a single authority and incorporated a network of local commands in the central region. Its cohesion proved temporary, and the main durable polity to emerge from it during Rawa's lifetime was Zondoma.
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The Story
Naaba Rawa founded Rawatenga, the only Mossi political foundation that the passage says merited the name of an empire. Its authority temporarily united a large part of present-day Mossi territory and incorporated a network of local commands in the central zone, including Nyu, Nanoro, Sao, Dapelego, Mage and Yubu.
Rawatenga's expansion reached the plain of Gondo, where Dogon populations lived. Naaba Rawa drove them from Yatenga toward the Bandiagara cliff and established numerous northern commands entrusted to sons, younger brothers and lieutenants. The political and military reach of the formation was therefore considerable, even though the submission of local populations remained partial.
The unity of Rawatenga did not endure. Its size, the remoteness of some territories and the still-low density of Mossi commands made sustained integration difficult. Zondoma, whose name came from one of Rawa's three residences in present-day Yatenga, became the only coherent political formation to emerge from Rawatenga during its founder's lifetime.
15th century – 15th century
Central Mossi territory
Rawatenga was a short-lived Mossi political formation founded by Naaba Rawa. It briefly brought much of present-day Mossi territory under a single authority and incorporated a network of local commands in the central region. Its cohesion proved temporary, and the main durable polity to emerge from it during Rawa's lifetime was Zondoma.
Continue exploring
The Story
Naaba Rawa founded Rawatenga, the only Mossi political foundation that the passage says merited the name of an empire. Its authority temporarily united a large part of present-day Mossi territory and incorporated a network of local commands in the central zone, including Nyu, Nanoro, Sao, Dapelego, Mage and Yubu.
Rawatenga's expansion reached the plain of Gondo, where Dogon populations lived. Naaba Rawa drove them from Yatenga toward the Bandiagara cliff and established numerous northern commands entrusted to sons, younger brothers and lieutenants. The political and military reach of the formation was therefore considerable, even though the submission of local populations remained partial.
The unity of Rawatenga did not endure. Its size, the remoteness of some territories and the still-low density of Mossi commands made sustained integration difficult. Zondoma, whose name came from one of Rawa's three residences in present-day Yatenga, became the only coherent political formation to emerge from Rawatenga during its founder's lifetime.
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