The Kaabu Empire

~16th century – 1867 · Casamance

Kaabu was a powerful Mandinka empire stretching across Casamance, Upper Gambia and present-day Guinea-Bissau. Heir to the political tradition of the Mali Empire, it lasted several centuries, leaving a deep mark on the culture and life of the region. It collapsed in 1867 at the Battle of Kansala.

Sources

• Persée — compte-rendu de Djibril Tamsir Niane, « Histoire des Mandingues de l'Ouest, le royaume de Gabou » (Outre-Mers, 1991)
• Kassataya — la chute du dernier empire animiste d'Afrique de l'Ouest

Kingdom fact sheet : Le Kaabu (Gabou).

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