Mahmadu Lamine
Encyclopedia
al-Hajj Mahmadu Lamine was a nineteenth-century Senegal
ese marabout
who led an unsuccessful rebellion against the French
colonial
government.
After the 1864 death of Umar Tall
, Lamine attempted to claim succession to Umar's Toucouleur Empire
, but was instead imprisoned in Ségou
by Umar's son Ahmadu
.
Released not long after, Lamine traveled to Upper Senegal
and began to gather followers using the prestige gained from his hajj
and his subsequent role in the Toucouleur
jihad
. In February 1866, Lamine led his forces in armed rebellion against the French. By the end of the month, they had taken Bondu
and Guoy, and vastly outnumbered the local French garrison at Medina Fort
.
When French reinforcements to Kayes
were delayed, Lamine began a siege of Fort Bakel. However, the siege was soon broken, and Lamine's forces retreated toward the Gambian border, attacking villages in their path. Lt. Col. Joseph Galliéni
, the new French military commander for the region, sent more forces in pursuit. On Christmas Day
, 1886, the French entered Lamine's capital at Diana, though Lamine himself escaped.
Following this defeat, Lamine took several months to regroup, launching his next attack at the Ouli province in July 1887. Galliéni again sent his troops in pursuit, seizing Lamine's stronghold at Toubakouta on December 8, 1887. This time, Lamine was captured, and was executed by French forces on the following day.
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...
ese marabout
Marabout
A marabout is a Muslim religious leader and teacher in West Africa, and in the Maghreb. The marabout is often a scholar of the Qur'an, or religious teacher. Others may be wandering holy men who survive on alms, Sufi Murshids , or leaders of religious communities...
who led an unsuccessful rebellion against the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
government.
After the 1864 death of Umar Tall
Umar Tall
El Hadj Umar ibn Sa'id Tall , , born in what is now actual Senegal was a West African political leader, Islamic scholar, and Toucouleur military commander who founded a brief empire encompassing much of what is now Guinea, Senegal, and Mali.-Name:Umar Tall's name is spelled variously: in...
, Lamine attempted to claim succession to Umar's Toucouleur Empire
Toucouleur Empire
The Toucouleur Empire was founded in the nineteenth century by El Hadj Umar Tall of the Toucouleur people, in part of present-day Mali....
, but was instead imprisoned in Ségou
Ségou
Ségou is a city in south-central Mali, lying northeast of Bamako on the River Niger, in the region of Ségou. It was founded by the Bozo people, on a site about from the present town...
by Umar's son Ahmadu
Ahmadu Tall
Ahmadu Seku Tall was a Toucouleur ruler of the Toucouleur Empire and of Ségou from 1864-1884 . Ahmadu Seku's father, El Hadj Umar Tall, conquered Ségou on March 10, 1861...
.
Released not long after, Lamine traveled to Upper Senegal
Upper Senegal and Niger
Upper Senegal and Niger was a colony in French West Africa created in 1904 from Senegambia and Niger. Niger became a separate military district in 1911 and a separate colony in 1922, Upper Volta was split off in 1919, and the remainder reorganized as French Sudan in 1920...
and began to gather followers using the prestige gained from his hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
and his subsequent role in the Toucouleur
Toucouleur
The Toucouleurs are a Fula agricultural people who live primarily in West Africa: the north of Senegal in the Senegal River valley, Mauritania, and Mali.-History:...
jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
. In February 1866, Lamine led his forces in armed rebellion against the French. By the end of the month, they had taken Bondu
Bondu
Bondu was a state in West Africa, later a French protectorate dependent on the colony of Senegal. It lay between the Faleme River and the upper course of the Gambia River, that is between 13 and 15 N., and 12 and 13 W.-Description:...
and Guoy, and vastly outnumbered the local French garrison at Medina Fort
Siege of Medina Fort
The Siege of the Fort du Médine took place in 1857 at Médine near Kayes modern-day Mali, when the Toucouleur forces of al-Hājj Umar Taal unsuccessfully besieged French colonial troops under General Louis Faidherbe, governor of Senegal.-Origin:...
.
When French reinforcements to Kayes
Kayes
Kayes is a city in western Mali on the Sénégal River, with a population of roughly 100,000 people. Kayes is the capital of the administrative region of the same name. The name "Kayes" comes from the Soninké word "karré", which describes a low humid place that floods in rainy season...
were delayed, Lamine began a siege of Fort Bakel. However, the siege was soon broken, and Lamine's forces retreated toward the Gambian border, attacking villages in their path. Lt. Col. Joseph Galliéni
Joseph Gallieni
Joseph Simon Gallieni was a French soldier, most active as a military commander and administrator in the French colonies and finished his career during the First World War. He was made Marshal of France posthumously in 1921...
, the new French military commander for the region, sent more forces in pursuit. On Christmas Day
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, 1886, the French entered Lamine's capital at Diana, though Lamine himself escaped.
Following this defeat, Lamine took several months to regroup, launching his next attack at the Ouli province in July 1887. Galliéni again sent his troops in pursuit, seizing Lamine's stronghold at Toubakouta on December 8, 1887. This time, Lamine was captured, and was executed by French forces on the following day.