Tiramakhan Traore (variations : ''Tiramakhan Traoré'' or Tirimakhan Trawally) was a 13th-century general in the

Mali Empire The Mali Empire (Manding: ''Mandé''Ki-Zerbo, Joseph: ''UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. IV, Abridged Edition: Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century'', p. 57. University of California Press, 1997. or Manden; ar, مالي, Māl� ...

who served under Sundiata Keita. Traore expanded the power of Mali westward and set up the

Kabu Empire The Kaabu Empire (1537–1867), also written Gabu, Ngabou, and N'Gabu, was an empire in the Senegambia region centered within modern northeastern Guinea-Bissau, larger parts of today's Gambia; extending into Koussanar, Koumpentoum, regio ...

. Oliver, Roland, "The Cambridge History of Africa, Volume 3", p 456, Cambridge University Press (1977),

(Retrieved : 21 August 2012) In his conquest of the region, he is reported to have defeated the Bainuk people, Bainuk king Kikikor and annexed his state. The

Guelowar Guelowar, also spelled Gelwar, Guelwar, Guelware, Gueleware or Gueloware, was a maternal dynasty in the pre-colonial Serer kingdoms of Sine and Saloum (in the Senegambia, but mainly in the western area of present-day Senegal). They were from th ...

royal family, including the royal family of Kaabu prior to their defeat at the

Battle of Kansala The Battle of Kansala or ''Final Battle'' (Mandinka: ''Turban Keloo'') or ''Siege of Kansala'' was a military engagement between forces of the Kaabu Empire and the Imamate of Futa Jallon. The battle ended Mandinka hegemony over Africa’s Atlant ...

, claimed descent from Tiramakhan Traore.

Conquest of Senegambia

Oral histories hold that around 1235CE Traore led a group of 75,000 people, including 40,000 free men and woman as well as 35,000 slaves and numerous artisans, west from the traditional Manding lands. Sundiata also sent his son Mansa Wali with Traore to learn from him and as a sign of trust. The column moved slowly, taking a year to reach Wuli in what is now the eastern end of

The Gambia The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...

, growing crops along the way. They established the village of Kabakama, now a neighborhood of

Basse Santa Su Basse Santa Su, usually known as Basse, is a town in the Gambia, lying on the south bank of the River Gambia. The easternmost major town in the nation, it known for its important market. Basse is the capital of the Upper River Division, which is c ...

. A few years later, Traore marched on Mampating and defeated Kikikor, the king of the Bainuk. He founded many new

Mandinka Mandinka, Mandika, Mandinkha, Mandinko, or Mandingo may refer to: Media * ''Mandingo'' (novel), a bestselling novel published in 1957 * ''Mandingo'' (film), a 1975 film based on the eponymous 1957 novel * ''Mandingo (play)'', a play by Jack Kir ...

towns, and ultimately died in Mampating and was buried in Basse. A tree survived into the 19th century that supposedly marked Tiramakhan Traore's tomb.Niane, 26.

Conquest of Senegambia

References

Further reading