Empire of Great Fulo

Former Pulaar kingdom of Senegal

The Empire of Great Fulo, also known as the Denanke Kingdom or Denianke Kingdom, was a Pulaar kingdom of Senegal, which dominated the Futa Toro region from the early 16th century to 1776. Tenguella, a Fula chief in Futa Toro, led an emigration in the 1450s to establish the Futa Kingi state. His actions disrupted trade, which threatened Mali's communication lines, and led to conflict with Songhai. In 1512, Amar Konjago of the Songhai defeated Tenguella, ending his state. Tenguella's son, Koli, led further migrations, and redirected military efforts against the Jolof Empire, hastening its collapse. After Koli's reign, the Denianke dynasty ruled a large empire but later on succession struggles, foreign intervention, and instability followed. In 1776, Sulayman Bal led a revolution, overthrowing the dynasty and establishing the Imamate of Futa Toro.

The Deniaankobe were the clan of Koli Tenguella. There are a variety of theories for the origin of the name either citing illustrious ancestors named Denia or Deeny or, more likely, Dena, the place where Koli's forces had settled in Futa Jallon before conquering Futa Toro. Great Fulo is the term given to the kingdom and its leader by the Portuguese.

Tenguella was a Fula silatigi, a religious leader and political chief, in Futa Toro. Pushed by an expansionist Jolof Empire, in the 1450s he led an emigration eastwards, establishing a state known as Futa Kingi in the lands of the Kingdom of Diarra. From this base, Tenguella militarily intervened in a number of neighboring areas and disrupted trade. His son Koli went to Futa Jallon to organize the Fula there against Mande domination. By 1490 Tenguella's actions in the upper Gambia river basin were threatening the communication lines between the Mali Empire and their western provinces of Kaabu as well as the Bambuk gold fields. In 1511, after years of mounting tensions, Tenguella invaded the Kingdom of Diarra, the rulers of which called for help from the Songhai. Amar Konjago, a brother of Askia Mohammad I, in 1512 defeated and killed Tenguella in battle and destroyed his young state.

Koli Tenguella led another armed migration north from his base in Futa Jallon, attacking many small states on his path. After re establishing his family's rule in Futa Toro, he redirected the fledgling state's military away from Songhai towards the Jolof Empire with great success. The growth of the Denianke empire would hasten the breakup of the Jolof state into several warring kingdoms. He established a fixed capital in Tumbere Jiinde in what is today Senegal's Futa Toro region and reconquered Kingi. Koli died in 1537 during a war against the kingdom of Bussa.

Koli was succeeded by his brother Labba Tenguella, beginning the Denianke dynasty (or Denyanke). After the 1549 collapse of the Jolof Empire at the Battle of Danki, the Denianke received tribute from over a dozen vassal kingdoms. These included, at least for part of the period, the Kingdom of Jolof, Waalo, Cayor, Gajaaga, Diarra and Wagadu, among others. They reached the apex of their power in the early 17th century under Satigi Samba Lamu, when they controlled both the mouth of the Senegal and many of the trans Saharan trade routes.

The Denianke ruled animist monarchs over an increasingly Islamic populace. The Torodbe became increasingly influential, opposing Denianke leadership and calling for jihads against neighboring animist Mandinka states. The reign of Silatigi Siree Sawa Laamu (r.1669 1702) saw the outbreak of the Char Bouba war, an Islamist uprising against traditionalist monarchies in the Senegal river valley that sparked a civil war among the Deniankes. Futa Toro had no clear rules on the succession of the satigi, leading to regular power struggles and civil wars. The French in Saint Louis attempted the same, and instability and foreign intervention became endemic in Futa Toro and much of the Senegal river valley. The well known ceddo war chief Samba Gelaajo Jeegi took power with the backing of both major powers in 1725, but was unable to break free of their influence and was driven out in 1731. Satigis succeeded each other with bewildering speed for the next few decades with the Moors holding the real power. Palm products and beeswax were also important early trade goods. In the 17th century French, English, and Dutch traders entered the market looking to purchase gold and ivory as well as slaves.