Cayor ( wo, Kajoor; ar, كاجور) was the largest and most powerful kingdom (1549–1879) that split off from the

Jolof Empire Jolof (french: Djolof or ') may refer to either of * Jolof Empire, a West African successor state to the Mali Empire in modern Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السن� ...

in what is now

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...

. Cayor was located in northern and central Senegal, southeast of

Walo WALO (1240 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish variety format. Licensed to Humacao, Puerto Rico Humacao () is a city and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the eastern coast of the island, north of Yabucoa; south of Naguabo; ...

, west of the kingdom of Jolof, and north of Baol and the

Kingdom of Sine The Kingdom of Sine (also: ''Sin, Siine'' or Siin in the Serer-Sine language) was a post-classical Serer kingdom along the north bank of the Saloum River delta in modern Senegal. The inhabitants are called ''Siin-Siin'' or ''Sine-Sine'' (a Se ...

History

In 1549, the

damel Damel was the title of the ruler (or king) of the Wolof kingdom of Cayor in what is now northwest Senegal, West Africa. The most well-known ''damel'' is probably Lat Dior Diop (1842–1886) who died in battle during the final French drive to capt ...

(''dammeel'' in Wolof, often translated into European languages as "king") Dece Fu Njogu became independent from Jolof and set Cayor's capital at Mboul. The French, under governor Louis Faidherbe, annexed Cayor in 1868; Cayor re-established independence in 1871. France invaded again and annexed Cayor again in 1879, when it ceased to be a sovereign state. The kingdom was extinguished in its entirety October 6, 1886. In addition to Cayor, the damels also ruled over the

Lebou The Lebu (Lebou, ''Lébou'') are an ethnic group of Senegal, West Africa, living on the peninsula of Cap-Vert. The Lebu are primarily a fishing community, but they have a substantial business in construction supplies and real estate.Keese, Alexa ...

area of

Cap-Vert Cap-Vert, or the Cape Verde Peninsula, is a peninsula in Senegal and the westernmost point of the continent of Africa and of the Afro-Eurasia mainland. Portuguese explorers called it Cabo Verde or "Green Cape". The Cape Verde islands, further ...

(where modern

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from :wo:daqaar, daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar ...

is), and they became the " Teignes" (rulers) of the neighboring kingdom of Baol. Traditionally the damel himself was not purely hereditary, but was designated by a 4-member council consisting of: * the Jaudin Bul (''Diawdine-Boul''), hereditary chief of the Jambur ("free men"; French ''Diambour'') * the Calau (''Tchialaw''), chief of the canton of Jambanyan (''Diambagnane'') * the Botal (''Bôtale''), chief of the canton of Jop (''Diop''), and * the Baje (''Badgié''), chief of the canton of Gateny (''Gatègne''). A great hero in Senegal history, for his defiance and battles against the French, was Lat Jor. He was defeated at the battle of Dekheule, and was deposed twice, in 1869 and 1879. He converted to Islam around 1861. The 30th and last damel of Cayor was Samba Laube Fal (1858–1886), killed at

Tivaouane Tivaouane or Tivawan ( wo, Tiwaawan; french: Tivaouane) is a city located in the Thiès Region of Senegal. History Tivaouane was part of the Wolof kingdom of Cayor, and was at one time its capital. It was first described to Europeans in the 15th ...

, Senegal.

Culture

Cayor society was highly stratified. The damel and nobles (Garmi) were at the top of the hierarchy followed by free men (including villagers and

marabouts A marabout ( ar, مُرابِط, murābiṭ, lit=one who is attached/garrisoned) is a Muslim religious leader and teacher who historically had the function of a chaplain serving as a part of an Islamic army, notably in North Africa and the Saha ...

) who were known as Jambur. Below the Jambur were the Nyenoo, members of hereditary and endogamous castes that were metalworkers, tailors,

griots A griot (; ; Manding: jali or jeli (in N'Ko: , ''djeli'' or ''djéli'' in French spelling); Serer: kevel or kewel / okawul; Wolof: gewel) is a West African historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet, and/or musician. The griot is a repos ...

, woodcarvers, etc. The lowest group of the hierarchy consisted of Dyaam, or slaves. Slaves were generally treated well and those that were owned by the kingdom often exercised military and political power. Since the 16th century, traces of Islamic influence were felt in the kingdom and in certain rituals among the nobility. Literate marabouts settled in the area from

Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mal ...

or Fouta. With the conversion of Lat Jor to Islam, the inhabitants began to quickly adopt the religion as well.

List of rulers

Names and dates taken from John Stewart's ''African States and Rulers'' (1989). # Detye Fu-N'diogu (1549) # Amari Fall (1549-1593) # Samba Fall(1593-1600) # Khuredya Fall (1600-1610) # Biram Manga Fall (1610-1640) # Dauda Demba Fall (1640-1647) # Dyor Fall (1647-1664) # Birayma Yaasin-Bubu Fall (1664-1681) # Detye Maram N'Galgu Fall (1681-1683) # Faly Fall (1683-1684) # Khuredya Kumba Fall (1684-1691) # Birayma Mbenda-Tyilor Fall (1691-1693) # Dyakhere Fall (1693) # Dethialaw Fall (1693-1697) # Lat Sukaabe Fall (1697-1719) # Isa-Tende Fall (1719-1748) # Isa Bige N'Gone Fall (1758-1759) (First Reign) # Birayma Yamb Fall (1759-1760) # Isa Bige N'Gone Fall (1760-1763) (Second Reign) # Dyor Yaasin Isa Fall (1763-1766) # Kodu Kumba Fall (1766-1777) # Birayama Faatim-Penda Fall (1777-1790) # Amari Fall (1790-1809) # Birayama Fatma Fall (1809-1832) # Isa Ten-Dyor Fall (1832-1855) # Birayama-Fall (1855-1859) # Ma-Kodu Fall (1859-May 1861) # Ma-Dyodyo Fall (May 1861-December 1861) (First Reign) # Lat-Dyor Diop (1862-December 1863) (First Reign) # Ma-Dyodyo Fall (January 1864 – 1868) (Second Reign) # Lat-Dyor Diop (1868-December 1872) (Second Reign) # Amari Fall (January 1883-August 1883) # Samba Fall (1883-1886)

References

{{Coord missing, Senegal Kingdoms of Senegal Former monarchies of Africa Countries in precolonial Africa French West Africa History of Senegal States and territories established in 1549 1879 disestablishments 1549 establishments in Africa

History

Culture

List of rulers

See also

References