Dankaran Touman ( Manding languages: ''Dànkàràn Túmá'') was the first son of Naré Maghann Konaté (father of

Sundiata Keita Sundiata Keita ( Mandinka, Malinke: ; 1217 – c. 1255) (also known as Manding Diara, Lion of Mali, Sogolon Djata, son of Sogolon, Nare Maghan and Sogo Sogo Simbon Salaba) was a prince and founder of the Mali Empire. He is also the great-uncle ...

, founder and first Emperor of 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 ...

in the 13th century) in the Malian epic of Sundiata. He was also the King of Manden prior to the establishment of the Mali Empire.

History

In the story, Dankaran persecuted his paternal half-brother Mansa

.Niane, DjiBril Tamsir, Unesco. International Scientific Committee for the Drafting of a General History of Africa, "Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century", University of California Press (1984), p 131,

(Retrieved : 20 July 2012) After Naré's death, Dankaran and his mother

Sassouma Bereté Sassouma Bereté (or ''Berete'') was the first wife of the 13th century King of Mali: Maghan Kon Fatta, the father of Sundiata Keita. Information Source Everything that is known about Sassouma came from the Epic of Sundiata Keita (the first Empe ...

plotted to kill Sundiata Keita because they feared that Sundiata would take the throne. To protect her children, Sogolon Conde (mother of Sundiata) abandoned the country with her children and lived in exile.

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 ...

oral tradition suggest that it was foretold that Sundiata would be a great king long before he was born. Sogolon lived in exile with her children for several years. During their time in exile, the Sosso king Soumaoro Kanté invaded their country ( Niani). Fearing for his life, Dankaran abandoned his subjects and left the country.Belcher, Stephen Paterson, "Epic Traditions of Africa", Indiana University Press, (1999), p 101,

(Retrieved : 20 July 2012) Messengers were sent by the Mandinka elders to go and look for Sundiata so that he could come back and help liberate the Mandinka people, Mandinkah people and their country from the Sosso King. Ki-Zerbo, Joseph, '' UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. IV, Abridged Edition: Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century'', (editors : Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Djibril Tamsir Niane), University of California Press, 1998, pp 54 -55, ''"Mali's Boy-King: A Thirteenth-Century African Epic Becomes Digital"'', By Ronica Roth (in NEH) : Humanities, July/August 1998, Volume 19/Number 4

/ref> His victory at the

Battle of Kirina The Battle of Kirina, also known as the Battle of Krina or Siege of Karina ( c. 1235), was a confrontation between Sosso king Sumanguru Kanté and Mandinka prince Sundiata Keita. Sundiata Keita's forces roundly defeated those of Sumanguru Kant ...

led to the foundation of the

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dankaran Touman History of Mali Mali Empire Keita family Year of birth missing Year of death missing