Battle of Jenné: Difference between revisions

Mansa Mahmud IV retired to Niani and died by 1610. His three sons tore the remnants of the country apart, and Mali became a scattering of loosely allied chiefdoms.<ref name="Shillington, page 922"/> These were swallowed up by the [[Bamana Empire]],<ref name="Ki-Zerbo & Niane, page 75" /> which even the pashalik of Timbuktu would eventually have to pay tribute to.<ref>Holt, page 15</ref> Still, none of the emergent powers would come close to the hegemony of Mali or Songhai. West Africa transitioned to a region ruled by smaller and less centralized states until the 19th century.<ref>Gray, page 143</ref>

 

The defeat of Mahmud IV at Jenné has been attributed to several causes. Details are sparse on the nature of both armies. The overarching theme in why the battle turned out the way it did revolves around the ability of each side to rally its forces. In few other instances are the effects of imperial collapse in the face of a changing political and military environment so well demonstrated. The Mali which faced off against the pashalik forces and its native allies was not the grand military of [[Mansa Musa]]. In fact, it had reversed back to its pre-imperial structure just at the time when leaps forward in technology and organization were essential to the empire's survival.

 

One of the most highlighted is the mansa's betrayal by Hammad Amina, the chief of the Fulbe at Masina.<ref name="Thornton, page xix"/> Previously, Amina had promised support in taking Jenné, but went over to the Moroccans with whom he already had a king-vassal type relationship.<ref>Hunwick, page 236</ref> He advised the Moroccans on what to expect from the Mandinka-Bamana force and kept his own forces from joining the battle.<ref name="Ki-Zerbo & Niane, page 75" /> The Fulbe are not mentioned as lending military aid to Jenné's defenders, but their absence from the battlefield may have had a great effect on the final outcome. The pashalik of Timbuktu would also regret putting faith in Hammad Amina. The Fulbe would eventually thrown off their nominal vassalage to the pashalik and hand the Moroccans their first major defeat in the Sahel.<ref>De Villiers & Hirtle, page 222</ref>