Jolof Empire
Senegal, 1350–1549. Draft, not yet reviewed
The Jolof Empire was a Wolof state in modern-day Senegal, that ruled portions of Mauritania and Gambia from the mid-14th century (or possibly earlier) until 1549. Following the battle of Danki, its vassal states were fully or de facto independent, and in this period it is known as the Jolof Kingdom. The empire consisted mostly of Wolof, Serer and Fula from north of the Senegal River.
Seat of power: Linguère
No rulers documented for this era yet.
Culture
- Traditional accounts among the Wolof agree that the founder of the state was the possibly mythical Ndiadiane Ndiaye.
- Jolof was a vassal of the Mali Empire for much of its early history.
- Beginning in the 1440s, Portuguese ships began to visit the coast, initially looking to capture slaves but soon shifting their focus to trade. The Jolof expansion may have been assisted by the purchase of horses from these traders.
Picture
Great Jolof, or the Wolof Empire, was a Wolof state in modern-day Senegal.
Image: Cheikh Khadim Rassoul D., CC0, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.