A kingdom with several names such as Gabu, Ngabou and N’Gabu, Kaabunké was an ancient territory located in the Senegambia region. It covered the present territories of modern Guinea-Bissau, a greater part of present-day Gambia and part of Senegal.
Birth of the empire
The Kaabu at its origin, was a former military province of the great empire of Mali. Indeed, it was around 1200 that the Mandingos conquered the region, thus making Kaabu one of the western provinces of Mali. General Tirmakhan Traoré was the great architect of this conquest. The kingdom is under the control of Farim Kaabu who officiates as a commander, when the Empire of Mali begins its fall. The 16th century marks the end of the Mali Empire. Its former colonies are organized into small independent empires. The most successful and enduring of these was Kaabu, which became independent in 1537. Sami Koli, who served there as governor for Mali, was enthroned as the first king of the Kingdom of Kaabu. He was a descendant of Tirmakhan Traoré.
Kaabu heyday
Kaabu’s past as a military province makes its government a militaristic one. An element that contributed to the power of the new kingdom. Its military strength enabled the annexation of several surrounding territories. Kaabu also had a flourishing agriculture. Livestock breeding was one of their strengths due to the heritage from the Fulbe nomadic herders.
The greatest asset of the kingdom was however, trade. Through the Dioulas, the kingdom establishes trade relations with European traders. The latter built trading posts ran by the Mansas of Kaabu. The main product of this transatlantic trade was slaves. It is important to note that this trade was the source of the immense wealth of the kingdom.
Decline of the kingdom
After 807 years of prosperity, the Kingdom of Kaabu began to show signs of weakness. Militant Islamic leaders among the Fulani people, with the help of some Soninke and Mandinka leaders, rallied against non-Muslim states in the region, no longer supporting the humiliations and exploitation of the Mansa. This is how Alpha Alpha Bakary formed an alliance with Fouta-Djallon and they organized a jihad in 1865. This war, known as the Battle of Kansala, was a blow to the kingdom of Kaabu, with houses being gunned down. These houses then exploded causing fires that decimated the Mandinka defenders and many attackers. This is how the kingdom of Fouladou, led by the Fulani, replaced the kingdom of Kaabu.
