Massina Empire: Map & History
The Caliphate of Hamdullahi was an early 19th-century Sunni Muslim caliphate in West Africa centered in the Inner Niger Delta of what is now the Mopti and Ségou Regions of Mali.
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The Caliphate of Hamdullahi was an early 19th-century Sunni Muslim caliphate in West Africa centered in the Inner Niger Delta of what is now the Mopti and Ségou Regions of Mali. It was founded by Seku Amadu in 1818 during the Fulani jihads after defeating the Bambara Empire and its allies at the Battle of Noukouma. By 1853, the empire had fallen into decline and was ultimately destroyed by Omar Saidou Tall of Toucouleur and his successors.
Modern Countries Once Part of Massina Empire
At its mapped extent, Massina Empire covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Massina Empire's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Massina Empire in Depth
History
The Sultanate of Massina was founded in c. 1400 by a group of Fulani originally coming from the Termess, south of Hodh. For centuries after their arrival, the inhabitants were vassals of larger states, including the Mali Empire (14th century), the Songhai Empire (15th-16th centuries), the Arma (Moroccan) pashas of Tomboctou (17th century), and the Bambara Empire at Ségou (18th century).
In the early 1800s, inspired by the recent Muslim uprisings of Usman dan Fodio in nearby Hausaland, preacher and social reformer Seku Amadu Lobbo began efforts at increasing religious revivals in his homeland, intending to restore genuine Islam rather than the contemporaneous infusion of Islam with traditional beliefs.
Government
The Massina Empire contained one of the most sophisticated governments in Africa at the time, with a system of checks and balances and a well-established tax system. It was organized as an Islamic state with strong democratic tendencies that created great stability within the empire. There were also agents who would audit government officials.
The Massina Empire was governed by a 40-member Grand Council appointed by the Almami for their wisdom and creativity and 60 judges who were prominent marabouts. Two scholars were selected to consider state business before presenting it to the council. The Grand Council acted as the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the empire and could make their own decisions based on strict observance of the Maliki interpretation of Sharia law.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Caliphate of Hamdullahi (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Massina Empire: Key Facts
| Founded | 1819 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 1862 |
Preceded by
- Gobir
Succeeded by
- Empire Peul
Facts from Wikidata Q635394 (CC0).
Massina Empire Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Massina Empire appears, with the other states of the time.
Massina Empire: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Massina Empire exist?
The Massina Empire is dated to 1820 CE – 1861 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of the Massina Empire?
The capital of the Massina Empire was Hamdullahi.
How large was the Massina Empire at its peak?
At its peak in 1861 the Massina Empire covered about 104,716 km².
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