16th century
Timbuktu, Tendirma, Gao, and western Songhay
The Songhay civil war of 1588 was a struggle between the eastern royal court and the western provinces led by Balma Sadiq. It began with the killing of the Kabara-farma Alu at Timbuktu’s river port and widened into a confrontation involving royal princes, officials, scholars, merchants, Tuareg leadership, and rival claimants to the askiya throne. Balma Sadiq’s defeat devastated the western provinces and the imperial army.
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The Story
The crisis began at Kabara, the river port of Timbuktu, where the Kabara-farma controlled port tolls and the balma commanded Songhay troops in the western provinces. In March 1588, Kabara-farma Alu flogged and jailed a slave belonging to Balma Muhammad Sadiq, a son of Askiya Dawud. Balma Sadiq responded by killing the eunuch and then sought military support from his brother, Kurmina-fari Salih.
The conflict quickly became a struggle over the throne. Balma Sadiq and his allies agreed that Askiya Muhammad Bani should be deposed and that Salih should become askiya, but mutual suspicion led to Salih’s death. Balma Sadiq then won the support of Timbuktu’s scholars, merchants, officials, artisans, the Tuareg chief, and the chiefs of the western provinces, while Gao and the eastern provinces remained loyal to the reigning court.
After Muhammad Bani died as the army left Gao, Ishaq was made askiya in the east and Balma Sadiq was declared askiya by his army. Their forces fought a fierce battle a week later. Balma Sadiq was defeated and killed; the western chiefs were imprisoned, Tendirma was destroyed, and Songhay lost about half its army, leaving the empire gravely weakened before the Moroccan invasion.
16th century
Timbuktu, Tendirma, Gao, and western Songhay
The Songhay civil war of 1588 was a struggle between the eastern royal court and the western provinces led by Balma Sadiq. It began with the killing of the Kabara-farma Alu at Timbuktu’s river port and widened into a confrontation involving royal princes, officials, scholars, merchants, Tuareg leadership, and rival claimants to the askiya throne. Balma Sadiq’s defeat devastated the western provinces and the imperial army.
Continue exploring
The Story
The crisis began at Kabara, the river port of Timbuktu, where the Kabara-farma controlled port tolls and the balma commanded Songhay troops in the western provinces. In March 1588, Kabara-farma Alu flogged and jailed a slave belonging to Balma Muhammad Sadiq, a son of Askiya Dawud. Balma Sadiq responded by killing the eunuch and then sought military support from his brother, Kurmina-fari Salih.
The conflict quickly became a struggle over the throne. Balma Sadiq and his allies agreed that Askiya Muhammad Bani should be deposed and that Salih should become askiya, but mutual suspicion led to Salih’s death. Balma Sadiq then won the support of Timbuktu’s scholars, merchants, officials, artisans, the Tuareg chief, and the chiefs of the western provinces, while Gao and the eastern provinces remained loyal to the reigning court.
After Muhammad Bani died as the army left Gao, Ishaq was made askiya in the east and Balma Sadiq was declared askiya by his army. Their forces fought a fierce battle a week later. Balma Sadiq was defeated and killed; the western chiefs were imprisoned, Tendirma was destroyed, and Songhay lost about half its army, leaving the empire gravely weakened before the Moroccan invasion.
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