3. HOW WAS SAMOURE TOUREABLE TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN THE MANDlKA EMPIRE UPTO 1898?

Approach
• Identify and explain factors that made Samoure Toure able to establish and maintain the empire up to 1898.
• The question has two parts
How he established the empire
1. Capture and murder of his mother made him join Sisse army,
2. He developed the idea of building the Mandika Empire. This prompted him to establish an army
3. By tactical use of the army he expanded the empire by conquering and annexing Youron, Konia, Kankan, Wosulanke.
4. Personal ambition and courage of building an empire made him prepare army.
5. The urge to revive the once great Mali empire, he got the support of the believers in that empire
6. Use of religion (Islam) he decided to create an empire based on Islam, he got the support of the Muslims.
7. The preaching of AI-Hajji Umar to his followers of the Tijanniyah to which Samoure belonged. Umar's preaching paved way for establishment of Samoure’s empire.
8. Samoure emphasized dignity and equality which the Mandika believed in.
9. Sarnoure was a commoner and he got the support of commoners whom he appealed to join his army and the empire.
10. He also exploited the trade advantage by trading with the Diula traders, he appealed to them and they gave him the support and money which he used to buy the arms.
11. He made use of the educated scholars and teachers.
How did he maintain the Mandinka Empire
I. He instituted effective administrative machinery in the empire, he div ided it into small units i.e. districts or cantons each containing 20 villages.
2. He used military commanders to rule cartons and appointed chiefs to rule the villages.
3. He discouraged tribalism to provide unity.
4. He made marriage alliances with his neighbours to promote unity
5. He also used diplomacy as in the Bisandugu treaty.
6. He played the French against the British
7. He had a sound economy based on agriculture to feed the nation
8. He encouraged and participated in trade which provided revenue needed buy arms
9. He improved on trade with other states and he put it under his control.
10. He established a well trained and equipped army which maintained law and order contained succession and resisted the French for long
II. He made use of defensive tactics like the scotched earth policy, guerilla wars, and surprise attacks among others.
12. He divided the army into divisions
13. He manufactured arms to supplement the ones he imported
14. He established a strong spying system.
15. He transferred his capital from Bisandugu to Dakabala.
16. He used the scotched earth policy which delayed the movement of the French to his empire.