Trarza, founded in the midst of the final wars between the local Berber Bedouins and the Arab conquerors of the Maghreb, was organized as a semi-nomadic state led by a Muslim prince, or emir. Trarza was one of three powerful … See more

In the 17th century, the French had established a trading post at the island Saint-Louis in the mouth of the Senegal River. The … See more

In the 1840s and 1850s, the French in Saint-Louis implemented expansion along the Senegal river valley by building fortified trading … See more

With the death of Coppolani, the tide turned in favor of Shaykh Ma al Aynin, who rallied many of the Maures with promises of Moroccan help. The French government … See more

The Arab conquests had resulted in a society divided according to ethnicity and caste. The "warrior" lineages or clans, the Hassane, supposed descendants of the Beni Hassan Arab conquerors (cf. Oulad Delim) maintained supremacy and comprised the See more

As the Atlantic Slave Trade was banned by Great Britain and the United States in 1808, Trarza and its neighbors collected taxes on trade, especially acacia gum (Gum Arabic), which … See more

In 1901, French administrator Xavier Coppolani began a plan of "peaceful penetration" into the territories of Trarza and its fellow … See more