Battle of Kirina

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Battle of Kirina
date Spring 1235
place Kirina , near Koulikoro
output Victory of the Mande
consequences Ghana empire is finally falling apart
Parties to the conflict

So

Mande

Commander

Sumanguru Kanté

Sundiata Keïta

losses

Leader liked

heavy losses

The Battle of Kirina is a military clash of troops of a king of the Sosso , Sumanguru Kanté , with an army of the prince of the Mandinka , Sundiata Keïta , in the year 1235 in Kirina , in the region of Koulikoro (in today's Mali ). The victory of the Keita clan over the Kanté established the new Mali empire , which stretched across West Africa .

prehistory

Towards the end of the 12th century, the formerly dominant empire of Ghana fell apart after an invasion by the Almoravids in the 11th century. This collapse led to a power vacuum that both the Sosso people, from Tekrur , and the Mandinka people, from the region of the upper reaches of the Niger , wanted to fill. This battle is considered to be the beginning of the Mali Empire.

The battle

Sundiata Keita mobilized a coalition with troops from several Mande minor kingdoms to curtail the influence of the Sosso as they grew in power. The troops faced each other in a classic configuration (cavalry on the flanks, infantry in the center) and were almost equally strong. The battle was decided when Soundjata Keita managed to kill Sumanguru Kanté with an arrow. According to legend, the arrowhead was the spur of a white rooster, as this was the only way to break the magic of the Kanté, but it can be assumed that a common poisoned arrow was used.

literature