Background
Samory Touré was born in 1830 in the Milo Valley of the western Sudan. His family owned cattle and traded, but their once strong ties to Islam had been loosened for over a century.
Samory Touré was born in 1830 in the Milo Valley of the western Sudan. His family owned cattle and traded, but their once strong ties to Islam had been loosened for over a century.
Traveling widely over western Africa in 1846-1851, Samory came into contact with Islam and was reconverted to the faith. From 1870 to 1875 Samory succeeded in creating a large empire through military victories. Influenced by the example of African empire builders like al-Hajj Omar, in 1880 he began a new jihad (holy war) to convert the pagans and push out the Europeans if necessary. His first armed conflict with the French occurred in February 1882. As the result of a series of battles lasting until 1885, Samory negotiated a treaty ending hostilities. He agreed to send his son to France as a hostage. In addition, Samory agreed not to cross the Niger River in search of further conquests. In 1891 war broke out again between Samory and colonialists, and this time hostilities continued bitterly for 7 years until the fall in 1898 of Sikasso, a great walled city of 40, 000 inhabitants. Samory, captured alive, was exiled to Gabon, where he died on June 2, 1900.