The Kingdom of Niani

14th century – 1888 · Koumpentoum (Niani)

Niani is a Mandinka kingdom on the north bank of the Gambia River, in present-day Gambia and Senegal, from the 14th century to the end of the 19th century. According to oral traditions, in the 14th century many members of the Kamara clan left the city of Niani, in the Mali Empire, after a failed rebellion against the mansa. Two brothers, Cansia and Mansaly Kamara, founded separate branches: Cansia set up his capital at Koumpentoum. The rulers bore the title of mansa and the Kamara family governed the kingdom throughout its history. The capital later moved to Diambour, then to Ndougousine in the 19th century. The peak came in the 15th century, with the arrival of the Europeans, which stimulated the gold trade. In the 19th century, Upper Niani and Lower Niani were governed by different Kamara branches. In 1888 the kingdom signed a protectorate treaty with France, which ended its independence.

Sources

• Persée — Djibril Tamsir Niane, Histoire des Mandingues de l’Ouest. Le royaume du Gabou (compte rendu, Cahiers d’études africaines, 1988)
• Cairn — Djibril Tamsir Niane, Histoire des Mandingues de l’Ouest (Karthala)
• Oxford Academic — Ch. A. Quinn, Mandingo Kingdoms of the Senegambia (compte rendu, American Historical Review, 1973)
• Wikipédia — Royaume de Niani

Kingdom fact sheet : Le royaume du Niani.

Previous story : Kingdom of Sine — the Serer heartland · Next story : Arrival of the Portuguese