African Kingdoms

Taganit (Mauritanian Tribal State) (Africa)
c.AD 1580 - 1948?

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The continent of Africa forms a vast collection of varying communities and cultures. North Africa is very different to sub-Saharan Africa, but Mauritania sits across the two boundaries. Located at the western end of the Sahara, it has absorbed a great deal of North African influence whilst also being deeply connected with West Africa by being situated at the north-western corner of this geographical divide.

The Mauritania region was converted to Islam in the ninth century, probably through contact with the powerful Aghlabids of Ifriqiyya, but the various tribes here were rarely united or powerful. An interlude of about a century in the typical in-fighting was the result of the rise of the native Almoravid empire. This united the entire north-western corner of Africa from AD 1061 onwards but it was overwhelmed by the rival Almohads in the mid-twelfth century.

The Taganit or Tagant were a tribal confederation in what is now Mauritania. The Taganit tribal state was founded before about AD 1580 by the Idaw 'Ish dynasty. The Freeman-Greville African atlas of 1991 shows Taganit in the eleventh century being located to the south-east of Adrar and to the north-west of Ghana and its recently-emerged Akan people. Contemporary states included Brakna and Trarza.

The state's paramount chiefs were classed as emirs, meaning 'princes' in the Islamic empire's ranking categories of local rulers. Information about actual rulers are minimal and not especially detailed. Little is known about the division in power from 1820 or the lengths of rule of each of the emirs.

This state emerged into a north-western corner of West Africa which had experienced regional boom and bust under the Almoravids between 1061-1147, but which had since lapsed into regional obscurity following the Almoravid eclipse by the Almohads after 1147.

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(Information by Peter Kessler and the John De Cleene Archive, from The Cambridge Ancient History, John Boardman, N G L Hammond, D M Lewis, & M Ostwald (Eds), from The History of Islam (Vol 2), Akbar Shah Najeebabadi (Revised Edition), from The New Atlas of African History, G S P Freeman-Grenville (Rex Collins, London, 1991), from Times Atlas of World History (Maplewood, 1979), from Urban Africa; Histories in the Making (Africa's Urban Past), David M Anderson & Richard Rathbone (Eds), and from External Links: Saharan and trans-Saharan contacts and trade in the Roman era, Dr Caitlin R Green, and Encyclopaedia Britannica, and Mauritania (Rulers.org).)

? - 1785

Emir of Taganit?

1785 - 1820

Son. Emir of Taganit.

1820

Upon the death of Muhammad al Bakr ibn Muhammad Shayn, the Idaw 'Ish dynasty divides into Abakak and Shratit lineages. These manage to share governance of Taganit for at least the next century.

The only surviving part of Almoravid Marrakech aside from the Bab Doukkalaa gate is this small fragment of the sultan's palace of AD 1110

1820 - 1831

Abakak emir of Taganit.

1820s - ?

Son of al Bakr. Shratit emir of Taganit.

1831 - 1836

Abakak emir of Taganit.

1836 - 1905

Son of Suwaydi. Abakak emir of Taganit (to Apr 1905).

1800s

Shratit emir of Taganit.

at least 1860

Shratit emir of Taganit.

1905

The regional tribal confederations of Adrar and Trarza come under French control from 1900-1920 while the Taganit tribal confederation may also be French-dominated from 1905. Mauritania has already become a French civil territory (in 1904), part of French West Africa.

Despite the loss of Commandant Lamy, in 1900 the French managed to join up all of their West African possessions at the Battle of Kousséri, which took place on the banks of the River Chari, dividing modern Chad and Cameroon

1905

Son of Bakkar. Abakak emir of Taganit (Apr 1905 on).

1905 - 1918

The position of ruler of Taganit is vacant during this period. The likelihood is that the French colonial authorities suppress the state or refuse to allow a successor to be selected, at least until the end of the First World War forces changes to be made. Sidi Ahmad of Adrar quickly suffers the same fate.

1918 - 1948?

Brother. Emir of Taganit until at least 1948.

1948?

The fate of 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn Bakkar is unknown, as is that of Adrar and Taganit. Mauritania has already become a French colony in 1920, switching to a French overseas territory on 27 October 1946.

The post-Second World War era is a time of reforms within the French colonial system, leading to increasing internal autonomy and a move away from direct rule. This particular region remains an overseas territory until modern Mauritania achieves full independence in 1960.

Mauritania in 1979 signed an agreement with the so-called 'Polisario Front' regarding its terminated presence in Western Sahara