Thilas (or tjilas, Djilas Tilas, etc.) was an ancient title of nobility used in the Serer pre-colonial Kingdoms of Sine,

Saloum The Kingdom of Saloum (Serer language: ''Saluum'' or ''Saalum'') was a Serer/ Wolof kingdom in present-day Senegal. Its kings may have been of Mandinka/Kaabu origin. The capital of Saloum was the city of Kahone. It was a sister kingdom of Si ...

and previously the

Kingdom of Baol The Kingdom of Baol or Bawol in central Senegal was one of the kingdoms that arose from the split-up of the Empire of Jolof (Diolof) in 1555. The ruler ( Teigne or Teen) reigned from a capital in Diourbel. The Kingdom encompassed a strip of l ...

, which are all now part of modern-day

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

. The ''Thilas'' was the second in the order of succession to the throne after the '' Buumi'' Diouf, Niokhobaye, « ''Chronique du royaume du Sine''. Suivie de notes sur les traditions orales et les sources écrites concernant le royaume du Sine par Charles Becker et Victor Martin », ''Bulletin de l'Institut fondamental d'Afrique noire'', tome 34, série B, numéro 4, 1972, p. 777 who was the

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

. Only members of the royal family could hold this title. When a

Maad a Sinig Maad a Sinig (variations : Mad a Sinig, 'Maad Sine, Maat Sine, Bour Sine, Bur Sine, etc.) means king of Sine. The ancient Kingdom of Sine, now part of Senegal, was a pre-colonial Serer kingdom . Their kings were titled ''Maad'' or ''Maad'' (also ...

(King of Sine) dies without a ''Buumi'', the Thilas could ascend the throne at the discretion of the Great Jaraff and his Noble Council of Electors responsible for electing the kings from the royal family. In the history of Sine to its 20th century history, such an incident is only known to have occurred once, at the succession of

Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene Fa Ndeb Joof Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene Fa Ndeb Joof, also known as Kumba Ndoffene Joof II or ''Bour Sine Coumba Ndoffène Fandepp Diouf'', was a King of Sine (in present-day Senegal). Maad a Sinig (also: ''Mad a Sinig'' or ''Maad Sine'') translates as "Kin ...

(reigned c.. 1898 to 1924) whose predecessor died without a Buumi. Before the abolition of the Serer monarchies in 1969,1969 was the year both the King of Sine and Saloum ( Maad a Sinig Mahecor Joof and Maad Saloum Fode N'Goye Joof respectively) died. See Klein, p xv, see also

Serer history (medieval era to present) The medieval history of the Serer people of Senegambia is partly characterised by resisting Islamization from perhaps the 11th century during the Almoravid movement (which would later result in the Serers of Takrur migration to the south), to the ...

the Thilas always took residence at Djilas in the Sine.

Notes

Bibliography

*Diouf, Niokhobaye, « ''Chronique du royaume du Sine''. Suivie de notes sur les traditions orales et les sources écrites concernant le royaume du Sine par Charles Becker et Victor Martin », ''Bulletin de l'IFAN'', tome 34, série B, n° 4, 1972 *Klein, Martin A. ''Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847–1914'', Edinburgh University Press, 1968 {{Serer topics, state=collapsed Serer royalty Serer history

See also

Notes

Bibliography