Baol
Encyclopedia
The Kingdom of Baol or Bawol in central Senegal
was one of the ancient kingdoms of the Serer people
pre-the Jolof Empire
, an Empire it would later join voluntarily just like the other States. However it gained prominence after the split-up of the Empire in 1555. The ruler ("Teigne" or "Teen") reigned from a capital in Diourbel
.
The Kingdom encompassed a strip of land extending east from the ocean to the capital city and included the cities of Touba
and MBacke. It was directly south of the Kingdom of Cayor
and north of the Kingdom of Sine
.
Baol was famous for its horses. It has special breeds, which were faster and stronger than most of the horses on the plain. Baol citizens are good riders.
Baol was ethnically a Serer
Kingdom ruled by the Joof
(or Diouf
or "Juuf") and other paternal dynasties of the Serer people
over a thousand years ago, who married the royal princesses from the Ghana Empire
whose maternal lineage is referred to as "Wagadou". A King called "Boury Joof" of the Serer ethnic group is one of the earliest recorded Kings of Baol who ruled around the 11th century. He was of the same family of Buur Ndaah Njemeh Joof (a king of Lâ
in Baol in the 12 - 13th cenutry who also ruled as Teign following his victory over the reigning Teign in battle. He is the ancestor of the Joof paternal dynasties that ruled the Kingdom of Sine
and the Kingdom of Saloum.
The Njie (or Ndiaye
) family also (originally members of the Serer ethnic group before they became Wolofized due to the fact that they were ruling over the Wolof people
and assimilated) ruled centuries later. It was not until the mid 16th century when the Faal (or Fall) paternal dynasty came to the throne following the Battle of Danki 1549 against the King of Jolof Lele Fuli Fak Njie. Although the Wolof people
were present also in Baol, they have never ruled it. Baol was a Serer Kingdom ruled by the Serers and after the fall of the Serer paternal dynasties e.g. Joof
(or Diouf
) and Njie (or Ndiaye
), etc., it was ruled by the Faal who were originally Black Moors but they had Wagadou and some Serer ancestry hence the reason why they were able to succeed the Serer paternal dynasties. Nevertheless the Serer paternal clans became members of the royal family and held the prominent positions such as Prime Ministers. Lat Dior Diop was one of the last Kings of Baol. He was not a Wolof either, he was Lebou. The surname "Diop" or "Jobe" is Lebou in origin not Wolof. The Lebou people were Wolofized but they are a totally distinct from the Wolof. Both the Wolof and Lebou people trace their descent to Serer people and are all related.
Baol's social and political systems were basically the same as those of Cayor
. In fact, the kingdoms merged from time to time for mutual defense.
The French conquest of Baol began in 1859. Most of Baol was conquered by the French in 1874, however complete control of the former kingdom was not gained by France until 1895. It was one of many campaigns of Governor Louis Faidherbe
who oversaw the conquest of Cayor
in 1886.
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
was one of the ancient kingdoms of the Serer people
Serer people
The Serer people along with the Jola people are acknowledged to be the oldest inhabitants of The Senegambia....
pre-the Jolof Empire
Jolof Empire
The Jolof Empire was a West African state that ruled parts of Senegal from 1360 to 1890.-Origins:Traditional accounts among the Wolof agree that the founder of the state and later empire was Ndiadiane Ndiaye who lived in the 13th century...
, an Empire it would later join voluntarily just like the other States. However it gained prominence after the split-up of the Empire in 1555. The ruler ("Teigne" or "Teen") reigned from a capital in Diourbel
Diourbel
Diourbel is a town in Senegal lying east of Thiès. It is known for its mosque and local groundnut industry. It is the capital of the Diourbel Region. Estimated population 2007: 100,445- Transport :...
.
The Kingdom encompassed a strip of land extending east from the ocean to the capital city and included the cities of Touba
Touba, Senegal
Touba is a city in central Senegal. It is the holy city of Mouridism and the burial place of its founder, Shaikh Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke...
and MBacke. It was directly south of the Kingdom of Cayor
Cayor
The Kingdom of Cayor was the largest and most powerful kingdom that split off from the Empire of Jolof , in what is now Senegal. Cayor was located in north and central Senegal, southeast of Waalo, west of the kingdom of Jolof and north of Baol and the Kingdom of Sine.In 1549, the king, or...
and north of the Kingdom of Sine
Kingdom of Sine
The Kingdom of Sine was a pre-colonial Serer kingdom along the north bank of the Saloum River delta in modern Senegal. Much of the kingdom's population was and still is Serer.-History:...
.
Baol was famous for its horses. It has special breeds, which were faster and stronger than most of the horses on the plain. Baol citizens are good riders.
Baol was ethnically a Serer
Serer people
The Serer people along with the Jola people are acknowledged to be the oldest inhabitants of The Senegambia....
Kingdom ruled by the Joof
Joof
Joof, English spelling in The Gambia or Diouf - French spelling in Senegal is a typical Gambian and Senegalese patronym of the Serer people. They are the same people but because the French colonised Senegal and the British colonised The Gambia, they are spelt differently but pronounced the same way...
(or Diouf
Diouf
Diouf is a typical patronym of Senegalese Serer origin carried by several personalities:* Abdou Diouf , second president of Senegal, current Secretary-General of La Francophonie* El Hadji Diouf , Senegalese footballer...
or "Juuf") and other paternal dynasties of the Serer people
Serer people
The Serer people along with the Jola people are acknowledged to be the oldest inhabitants of The Senegambia....
over a thousand years ago, who married the royal princesses from the Ghana Empire
Ghana Empire
The Ghana Empire or Wagadou Empire was located in what is now southeastern Mauritania, and Western Mali. Complex societies had existed in the region since about 1500 BCE, and around Ghana's core region since about 300 CE...
whose maternal lineage is referred to as "Wagadou". A King called "Boury Joof" of the Serer ethnic group is one of the earliest recorded Kings of Baol who ruled around the 11th century. He was of the same family of Buur Ndaah Njemeh Joof (a king of Lâ
Lâ
Lâ is a town in the Sourgou Department of Boulkiemdé Province in central western Burkina Faso. It has a population of 2180.-External links:*...
in Baol in the 12 - 13th cenutry who also ruled as Teign following his victory over the reigning Teign in battle. He is the ancestor of the Joof paternal dynasties that ruled the Kingdom of Sine
Kingdom of Sine
The Kingdom of Sine was a pre-colonial Serer kingdom along the north bank of the Saloum River delta in modern Senegal. Much of the kingdom's population was and still is Serer.-History:...
and the Kingdom of Saloum.
The Njie (or Ndiaye
Ndiaye
Ndiaye may refer to:* Aminata Mbebgue Ndiaye, member of the Pan-African Parliament* Awa Dioum-Ndiaye , Senegalese track and field athlete* Fatou Ndiaye Sow , Senegalese poet, teacher and children's writer...
) family also (originally members of the Serer ethnic group before they became Wolofized due to the fact that they were ruling over the Wolof people
Wolof people
The Wolof are an ethnic group found in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania.In Senegal, the Wolof form an ethnic plurality with about 43.3% of the population are Wolofs...
and assimilated) ruled centuries later. It was not until the mid 16th century when the Faal (or Fall) paternal dynasty came to the throne following the Battle of Danki 1549 against the King of Jolof Lele Fuli Fak Njie. Although the Wolof people
Wolof people
The Wolof are an ethnic group found in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania.In Senegal, the Wolof form an ethnic plurality with about 43.3% of the population are Wolofs...
were present also in Baol, they have never ruled it. Baol was a Serer Kingdom ruled by the Serers and after the fall of the Serer paternal dynasties e.g. Joof
Joof
Joof, English spelling in The Gambia or Diouf - French spelling in Senegal is a typical Gambian and Senegalese patronym of the Serer people. They are the same people but because the French colonised Senegal and the British colonised The Gambia, they are spelt differently but pronounced the same way...
(or Diouf
Diouf
Diouf is a typical patronym of Senegalese Serer origin carried by several personalities:* Abdou Diouf , second president of Senegal, current Secretary-General of La Francophonie* El Hadji Diouf , Senegalese footballer...
) and Njie (or Ndiaye
Ndiaye
Ndiaye may refer to:* Aminata Mbebgue Ndiaye, member of the Pan-African Parliament* Awa Dioum-Ndiaye , Senegalese track and field athlete* Fatou Ndiaye Sow , Senegalese poet, teacher and children's writer...
), etc., it was ruled by the Faal who were originally Black Moors but they had Wagadou and some Serer ancestry hence the reason why they were able to succeed the Serer paternal dynasties. Nevertheless the Serer paternal clans became members of the royal family and held the prominent positions such as Prime Ministers. Lat Dior Diop was one of the last Kings of Baol. He was not a Wolof either, he was Lebou. The surname "Diop" or "Jobe" is Lebou in origin not Wolof. The Lebou people were Wolofized but they are a totally distinct from the Wolof. Both the Wolof and Lebou people trace their descent to Serer people and are all related.
Baol's social and political systems were basically the same as those of Cayor
Cayor
The Kingdom of Cayor was the largest and most powerful kingdom that split off from the Empire of Jolof , in what is now Senegal. Cayor was located in north and central Senegal, southeast of Waalo, west of the kingdom of Jolof and north of Baol and the Kingdom of Sine.In 1549, the king, or...
. In fact, the kingdoms merged from time to time for mutual defense.
The French conquest of Baol began in 1859. Most of Baol was conquered by the French in 1874, however complete control of the former kingdom was not gained by France until 1895. It was one of many campaigns of Governor Louis Faidherbe
Louis Faidherbe
Louis Léon César Faidherbe was a French general and colonial administrator. He created the Senegalese Tirailleurs when he was governor of Senegal.- Background :...
who oversaw the conquest of Cayor
Cayor
The Kingdom of Cayor was the largest and most powerful kingdom that split off from the Empire of Jolof , in what is now Senegal. Cayor was located in north and central Senegal, southeast of Waalo, west of the kingdom of Jolof and north of Baol and the Kingdom of Sine.In 1549, the king, or...
in 1886.
See also
- Serer peopleSerer peopleThe Serer people along with the Jola people are acknowledged to be the oldest inhabitants of The Senegambia....
- Kingdom of SineKingdom of SineThe Kingdom of Sine was a pre-colonial Serer kingdom along the north bank of the Saloum River delta in modern Senegal. Much of the kingdom's population was and still is Serer.-History:...
- Kingdom of Saloum
- Serer ReligionSerer religionThe Serer religion, Fat Rog is the original religious beliefs, practices and teachings of the Serer people. The Serer people believe in a universal Supreme Deity called "Rog. "The Serer people are found throughout the Senegambia Region...
- Wolof peopleWolof peopleThe Wolof are an ethnic group found in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania.In Senegal, the Wolof form an ethnic plurality with about 43.3% of the population are Wolofs...