The King of Sikasso Who Died in His Fortress

In 1887 a nine-kilometre earthen wall held for fifteen months against Samory's army. Three years later France made the king of Sikasso its ally, and one of its officers left with a hundred and forty slaves, some of them gifts from the king and his brother. In April 1898 that brother, Babemba, watched eight French guns open fire on his wall. He died inside his fortress without being taken alive, and four thousand people were herded onto the square to be shared out.

Colonial historyAnticolonial resistanceMemory and redressEmpires and kingdomsMaliBTBabemba TraoréTTTiéba TraoréRené Audéoud