The Kingdom of Shilluk was a monarchy established along the banks of the White Nile. This territory corresponded to the current South Sudan. The political and religious system in force in this country conferred on the sovereign almost divine powers derived from the very first monarch. It is after studying this organization that the anthropologist Seligman qualifies it as a Sacred Royalty.
Birth of the empire
We trace the birth of the kingdom of Shilluk to the middle of the 15th century. The founder of the Kingdom, Nyikang settled on the banks of the White Nile following two migrations. Originally from a distant land, he comes into conflict with his brother Duwadh, designated as heir to the throne by their deceased father Okwa. He therefore decides to leave the territory and is followed by some of his brothers and several servants.
He makes a first stopover in Tura. Here, he marries the daughter of the magician-king Dim. With the latter he will give birth to a son named Dak. Once again, he comes into conflict with his stepfather and is forced to begin a new migration. This last migration will lead him to the banks of the White Nile where he settled permanently and decided to create his own empire, the Shilluk kingdom.
Heyday of the kingdom
After the foundation of the kingdom, Nyikang undertook its extension. He embarked on a series of conquests. Thus, the kingdoms that bordered the White Nile were besieged and plundered by the Shilluk. The kingdom militarily controls the northern part of the river. With the advantages that the savannah offers, the kingdom also controls this area as well as the trade on the White Nile. The Dinka people begin to invade territories surrounding the Shilluk threatening the hegemony of the kingdom. Odak Ochollo, king of Shilluk at this time, forged alliances with the Funj and pushed back the Dinka militarily. Following this alliance, several others will follow to guarantee the economic dependence of the kingdom. Business partners are Funj, Arabs, European merchants and Mahdists.
Under the rule of Shilluk Dhokoth, the highly diverse people develop a sense of national unity. In 1684, the kingdom organized the looting of the Arab territories of the North. In the 18th century, the Sennar kingdom disappeared, which considerably increased the political power of the Shilluk in the sub-region. The kingdom controls the caravans and sets up a shuttle system for merchants wishing to cross the Nile.
Decline of the Kingdom
After the decline of the Sennar empire, the king of Egypt decides to conquer Sudan. The Sultanate of Funj, a great military ally of the Shilluk, also falls under the arms of Egyptian troops, supported by the Turks and led by Ismail Pasha. Having no more ramparts, the Shilluk were forced to face the Ottoman warriors. In 1826, the populations of the North of the kingdom undergo the first attacks. The Dinka and the Nuer combine and cross the Sobat River. The consequence will have been the loss of control of the Nile by the Shilluk. The year 1865 marks the final end of this political entity as a kingdom. Nowadays, this great power is relegated to the simple rank of a village in South Sudan and its political authority is no more than a traditionnal chief.
