The Kingdom of Tekrour is an ancient African territory located in the western part of the continent. It was reputed to be the main competitor of the Ghana Empire when it came to gold trade. The name Tekrour comes from Arabic texts to refer sometimes of a sovereign, sometimes to a city, sometimes to a state from Podor to Gao. Etymologically it is the pooling of the names of the two oldest provinces of Fuuta. These are Law and Toor, which results in Takroor with Tak as the varied form of Law.
Birth of the Kingdom
Oral traditions trace the foundation of the Tekrour kingdom in the year 800. According to them, black peoples were established in the North. With neighbors, the Moroccan Atlas, coming from Cyrenaica around the 2nd century, to reach the Hohd around the 7th century, before taking refuge in the Tekrour one or two centuries later.
The first dynasty recognized as the founder of Tekrur was the Fulani dynasty of Dia Ogo or Diao, settled in Tekrur in the 9th century. It ruled for almost 130 years. Initially, its inhabitants are under the vassalage of the Empire of Ghana. But after becoming aware of its potential, it claims its independence. After Dia Ogo, power passes into the hands of the Djabi dynasty, which will proceed to the Islamization of the kingdom.
Heyday of the Kingdom
It is in the trans-Saharan trade that the Tekrour acquired all its notoriety. The kingdom actively participates in Sudanese-Mediterranean exchanges. The city of Tékrour is described by El Idrissi, a well-known geographer of the medieval Muslim West, as being, in 1054, larger than Silla, and more commercial. The main tradeable commodity of the kingdom is gold. Moreover, it is nicknamed the land of gold. It is exchanged at equal weight for salt, glass and lead!
But besides, the kingdom also markets cereals from the Sahel while practicing the slave trade. Tracks are traced, known and practiced, passing through Kukdam, located 10 km east of Atar. Thanks to its trade power, the kingdom will compete fiercely with the Empire of Ghana.
Decline of the Kingdom
Conversion to Islam seems to be one of the causes of the fall of the kingdom. After this Islamization, the Arabic texts state that it was War Diabi, one of the sovereigns of Tekrour who imposed Islam. The Serer populations, following this reconversion, undertook their exodus. The latter headed towards the Djolof then towards the Sine. The Soninké dynasty of Manna would have reigned over Tekrour from the 11th to the 12th centuries before a major disturbance caused by the invasions of the Empire of Mali. From 1400 to 1450, Tekrour was ruled by the Lam terms. Following a Fulani and Soninke invasion, Tekrour is divided, which marked the end of this kingdom.
