Home Region: West Africa (Africa)

Segou Kingdom

1650 CE 1712 CE

D G SC WF

EQ 2020 ml_segou_k / MlSegou

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[suspected unknown; suspected unknown] [unknown] Update here

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

1712 CE 1861 CE Bamana kingdom (ml_bamana_k) [continuity]

General Description

Almost nothing is known about the Segu (or Segou) Kingdom, the name we have chosen to use for the polity occupying the Niger Inland Delta from the mid-17th century CE to the foundation of the more well-known Bamana Kingdom in 1712. Neither oral traditions nor regional histories compiled in Timbuktu suggest the existence of a Bamana ’king’ prior to the 17th century. However, in around 1650, a hunter and warrior called Kaladian Kulibali (or Coulibaly) drew on the indigenous male age-grade associations known as tòn to become the ruler of the first Bamana state, ^[1] which briefly included Timbuktu. ^[2]
Population and Political Organization
The Bamana before the mid-17th century were probably a ’stateless society’ — specifically, they may have been divided into independent villages who only banded together in response to a threat. ^[3] After a brief period of integration under Kaladian Kulibali, centralized power weakened after his death and an oligarchy of regional rulership by his sons and their successors held sway for some time. ^[3] By the time Biton Kulibali rose against the status quo and founded his own Bamana Kingdom in 1712, it seems that the Bamana region was divided into small communities, each ruled by a gerontocracy. ^[4] However, details are hazy, and mostly derived from oral traditions, so the relationship between Kaladian’s successors’ loose oligarchy and the gerontocracies of the early eighteenth century is not very clear. We are not certain, for example, whether the former gave way to the latter, or whether the latter existed within the context of the former. No population estimates for the Segu Kingdom could be found in the literature.

[1]: (Bortolot 2003) Alexander Ives Bortolot. 2003. ’The Bamana Ségou State’. Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bama_1/hd_bama_1.htm. Accessed 23 February 2017.

[2]: (MacDonald 2014, 129) Kevin C. MacDonald. 2014. ’"A chacun son Bambara", encore une fois: History, Archaeology and Bambara Origins’. In Ethnic Ambiguity and the African Past: Materiality, History, and the Shaping of Cultural Identities, edited by Francois G. Richard and Kevin C. MacDonald, 119-44. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press.

[3]: (MacDonald 2014, 129) Kevin C. MacDonald. 2014. ’"A Chacoun son Bambara, encore une fois": History, Archaeology and Bambara Origins’ in "Ethnic Ambiguity and the African Past: Materiality, History, and the Shaping of Cultural Identities", edited by Francois G. Richard and Kevin C. MacDonald. Walnut Creek, California: Left Coast Press.

[4]: (Izard and Ki-Zerbo 1992, 332-33) Michel Izard and Joseph Ki-Zerbo. 1992. ’From the Niger to the Volta’, in General History of Africa, vol. 5: Africa from the Sixteenth to the Eighteenth Centuries edited by Bethwell Allan Ogot, 327-67. London: Heinemann.

General Variables

Identity and Location

2 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

2 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

Transport Infrastructure

Special-purpose Sites

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

Information / Postal System

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k) was in:
(1640 CE 1711 CE)	Niger Inland Delta

Home NGA: Niger Inland Delta

General Variables

Identity and Location Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	30 P	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Utm Zone	30 Q	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Original Name	Segou Kingdom	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Capital	Segou	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Alternative Name	Coulibaly Dynasty	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Temporal Bounds Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[1650 CE ➜ 1680 CE]
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Duration	[1650 CE ➜ 1712 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Succeeding Entity	Bamana Empire	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	suspected unknown	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Preceding Entity	suspected unknown; suspected unknown [unknown] Update here Suspected
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Succeeding Entity 1712 CE 1861 CE	Bamana kingdom (ml_bamana_k) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	loose	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Language Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Mande	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Language	Bambara	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Religion Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Polity Territory	[200,000 to 300,000] km²	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Polity Population	[1,500,000 to 2,500,000] people	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	4	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Religious Level	1	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Military Level	3	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Administrative Level	2	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Professions Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Absent	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Absent	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Merit Promotion	Absent	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Absent	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Examination System	Absent	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Law Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Judge	Absent	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Court	Absent	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Special-purpose Sites Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Information / Writing System Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Script	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Sacred Text	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Religious Literature	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Practical Literature	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Philosophy	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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History	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Fiction	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Calendar	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Information / Money Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Information / Postal System Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Information / Measurement System Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Moat	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Fortified Camp	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Earth Rampart	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Ditch	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Military use of Metals Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Iron	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Copper	Present	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Bronze	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Projectiles Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Sling	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Self Bow	Present	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Javelin	Present	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Crossbow	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Composite Bow	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Atlatl	Absent	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Handheld weapons Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Sword	Present	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Spear	Present	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Polearm	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Dagger	Present	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Battle Axe	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Animals used in warfare Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Elephant	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Donkey	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Dog	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Camel	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Armor Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Shield	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Scaled Armor	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Plate Armor	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Limb Protection	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Laminar Armor	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Helmet	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Chainmail	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Naval technology Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present Inferred	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	1650 CE 1712 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Human Sacrifice Segou Kingdom (ml_segou_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More