The Cayor Kingdom (; ) was from 1549 to 1876 the largest and most powerful kingdom that split off from the Jolof Empire in what is now Senegal. The Cayor Kingdom was located in northern and central Senegal, southeast of Waalo, west of the kingdom of Jolof, and north of Baol and the Kingdom of Sine.

Etymology

Cayor (also spelled Kayor, Kadior, Cadior, Kadjoor, Nkadyur, Kadyoor, Encalhor, among others) comes from the Wolof endonym for the inhabitants "Waadyor" meaning "people of the joor", a fertile soil found in northern Cayor.

Independence and Amary Ngone

In 1549, the damel (dammeel in Wolof, often translated into European languages as "king") Dece Fu Njogu, having failed to send tribute to the Buurba Léléfoulifak for several years, sent his son Amary Ngone Sobel Fall to do so. Amary, aided by his uncle the Teigne of Baol, led an army to a lake called Danki, and left them there to go to the Buurbas court with a small escort. Poorly received by Léléfoulifak, he announced that his country had no need of a leader such as that. The Jolof-Jolof pursued them back to Danki, where the Cayor forces routed them and killed Léléfoulifak. During the 1750s and 60s, Cayor was repeatedly involved in wars against Waalo and Jolof, with the Buurba ruling as Damel 1759-60. The forces of the Trarza Emirate helped Maissa Bigué Ngoné Fall regain the throne, in return for yearly tribute and permission to raid in Cayor one month a year. He treated him well, as a respected religious leader, then sent him home laden with gifts after the Torodbe had elected a new almamy. By 1871 the French accepted his restoration to the position of damel. Amadou Ba's meddling in Cayor, however, soon ended their partnership. Over the next few years Lat Jor tried to exert his authority over Baol and helped the French defeat and kill Amadou in 1875.

This alliance was broken in 1881 when Lat Jor began a rebellion to resist the construction of the Dakar to Saint-Louis railway across Cayor. Dior is reported to have told the French Governor Servatius:

"As long as I live, be assured, I shall oppose, with all my might the construction of this railway."

In 1883, Lat Jor attempted to depose the powerful Farba Demba War Sall, the very uncle who had enthroned him years earlier. Demba War defected to Samba Laobe Fall, Lat Jor’s nephew and rival claimant to the throne.[1]: 36  With French support, Samba soon took control of Cayor. He ruled for three years before clashing with Alboury Ndiaye, Bourba of Jolof. Despite a treaty requiring him to notify the French before making war, Samba invaded Jolof. Alboury Ndiaye attacked while Samba’s exhausted troops were setting up camp, routing the Waadjor forces and wounding Samba. The French pressured the damel to pay reparations, but he refused. At the ensuing negotiations in Tivaouane on October 6, 1886, a fight broke out, and Samba was killed by a French lieutenant.[1]: 37–8  Lat Jor died in battle soon afterward, and the kingdom of Cayor ceased to exist as an independent, united state. However, rather than falling entirely under external rule, it was divided into provinces, with power ultimately remaining in the hands of Demba War Sall and his family, who continued to govern the region.[20]

Culture

Cayor society was highly stratified. The damel and nobles (Garmi) were at the top of the hierarchy followed by free men (including villagers and marabouts) who were known as Jambur. Below the Jambur were the Nyenoo, members of hereditary and endogamous castes such as metalworkers, tailors, griots, woodcarvers, etc. The lowest group of the hierarchy consisted of Dyaam, or slaves. Slaves were generally treated well and those that were owned by the kingdom often exercised military and political power.

The Tyeddo class were warriors generally recruited among the slaves of the damel. Fiercely opposed to the strict practice of Islam advocated by the marabouts, they were renowned drinkers, brave fighters, and inveterate raiders, including within Cayor. Their depredations went a long way to creating unrest and promoting Islam among the population. Cayor peasants tended to deliberately produce less food than they could, as wealth was an invitation to raiders; when colonial rule ended the raiding, food production and exports rose dramatically.

Government

In addition to Cayor, the damel also ruled over the Lebou area of Cap-Vert (where modern Dakar is), and they often ruled as the "Teignes" (rulers) of the neighboring kingdom of Baol. In 1445, Venetian traveler Alvise Cadamosto reported that the king's entourage included Berber and Arab clerics. The Khali advised the king and was the official representation of the clerical class at the court. She controlled her own army of slave soldiers and clients, and received the tax income of a province. This has led to debate among scholars, some of whom characterize the nobility of Cayor and other Senegambian kingdoms as 'pagan' (despite their self-identification as Muslims) in opposition to a more stringently Muslim marabout class. Islam was the official religion of the state and of the entire population. When Christian missionaries asked the damel for permission to prosyletize in 1848, he refused, saying that as Muslims the Wajoor already knew God; he sent them to convert the Serer instead.

  1. Detye Fu-N'diogu (1549)
  2. Amari Fall (1549-1593)
  3. Samba Fall(1593-1600)
  4. Khuredya Fall (1600-1610)
  5. Biram Manga Fall (1610-1640)
  6. Dauda Demba Fall (1640-1647)
  7. Dyor Fall (1647-1664)
  8. Birayma Yaasin-Bubu Fall (1664–1681)
  9. Detye Maram N'Galgu Fall (1681–1683)
  10. Faly Fall (1683–1684)
  11. Khuredya Kumba Fall (1684–1691)
  12. Birayma Mbenda-Tyilor Fall (1691–1693)
  13. Dyakhere Fall (1693)
  14. Dethialaw Fall (1693–1697)
  15. Lat Sukaabe Fall (1697–1719)
  16. Isa-Tende Fall (1719–1748)
  17. Isa Bige N'Gone Fall (1758–1759) (First Reign)
  18. Birayma Yamb Fall (1759–1760)
  19. Isa Bige N'Gone Fall (1760–1763) (Second Reign)
  20. Dyor Yaasin Isa Fall (1763–1766)
  21. Kodu Kumba Fall (1766–1777)
  22. Birayama Faatim-Penda Fall (1777–1790)
  23. Amari Fall (1790–1809)
  24. Birayama Fatma Fall (1809–1832)
  25. Isa Ten-Dyor Fall (1832–1855)
  26. Birayama-Fall (1855–1859)
  27. Ma-Kodu Fall (1859 – May 1861)
  28. Ma-Dyodyo Fall (May 1861 – December 1861) (First Reign)
  29. Lat-Dyor Diop (1862 – December 1863) (First Reign)
  30. Ma-Dyodyo Fall (January 1864 – 1868) (Second Reign)
  31. Lat-Dyor Diop (1868 – December 1872) (Second Reign)
  32. Amari Fall (January 1883 – August 1883)
  33. Samba Fall (1883–1886)
  34. Demba War Sall (1886-1902)

See also

  • Jolof Empire
  • History of Senegal
  • Lingeer Ngoné Dièye

References

Sources