page_title: Kong Empire
section_title: Under Seku
hierarchical_section_title: Kong Empire / Under Seku
caption_attribution_description: Afrikaans: 'n Pragtige voorbeeld van Anthony Finley se invloedryke kaart van Afrika, wat deur Young en Delleker gegraveer is vir die 1827-uitgawe van Finley se General Atlas. Die titel en skaal is links onder. Hierdie uitsonderlike kaart het die sterk eskalasie in verkenning van Afrika tydens die mid-19de eeu voorafgegaan, en die binneland van Afrika bly hier grotendeels onbekend. Die Ptolemaïese Berge van die Maan word aangedui as 'n bergreeks wat wes na oos oor die sentrale deel van die kontinent strek, met die suggestie dat verskeie takke van die Nyl hier ontspring. Verskeie spekulatiewe lope van die Nigerrivier word aangedui, met een wat by die Nyl aansluit, 'n ander wat suid van die Berge van die Maan die Kongo binnevloei, en nog 'n ander wat korrek getoon word met 'n kromming na 'n monding in die Golf van Bonny / Biafra. Regdeur word etlike etniese groepe aangedui, waaronder die Pomba, Jaga, Timboektoe, Toeareg, Tibboe, Bambara en ander. Ook word 'n land van kannibale in Mosambiek onderskei. English: A beautiful example of Finley's important 1827 map of Africa. This uncommon map predates the explosion of African exploration that occurred in the mid 19th century. Much of the interior remains unknown. The Ptolemaic Mountains of the Moon are drawn stretching across the central part of the continent with the suggestions that they are the source of several branches of the Nile. Several speculative courses are drawn for the Niger River, one of which joins it to the Nile, another of which flows south of the Mountains of the Moon into the Congo, and yet another of which, correctly, bends southwards to empty into the Bight of Biafra. It identifies numerous African tribes throughout, including the Pomba, Jaga, Timbuctoo, Tuareg, Tibboos, Bambara, and others. It also identifies a land of cannibals in Mozambique. Title and scale in lower left quadrant. Engraved by Young and Delleker for the 1827 edition of Anthony Finley's General Atlas.
context_page_description: The Kong Empire, also known as the Wattara Empire or Ouattara Empire for its founder, was a pre-colonial African Muslim state centered in north eastern Ivory Coast that also encompassed much of present-day Burkina Faso. It was founded by Dyula immigrants from the declining Mali Empire. It established a largely decentralized commercial empire based upon linkages by merchant houses protecting trade routes throughout the region. Kong rose to prominence in the 1800s as a key commercial center and center of Islamic studies. In 1898, Samori Ture attacked the city and burnt it down. Although the city was rebuilt, the Kong empire had dissipated and the French took control over the area.
context_section_description: The Kong Empire under Seku lasted from around 1710 until 1740 (with the death of his brother Famaga).  After establishing control over Kong, forces under Seku and allied leaders with their own war houses, took over towns and settlements throughout the region mainly focused on control of trade routes.  They took over the region around the Black Volta to the north early during Seku's reign and to the south to Boule.  In the south, the forces of the Kong Empire ran into the growing Ashanti Empire about control over Gyaaman leading to a significant series of battles ending in Ashanti control over Gyaaman, but recognition of the authority of the Kong Empire.  To establish stable control, Seku appointed each of his twelve sons as chiefs of crucial settlements throughout the region.
  Seku died in 1735 and the empire largely fell into disarray.  His son, Kere-Mori, asserted authority but Seku's brother Famaga refused to recognize his claim and so took control over large parts of the northern settlements and operated out of Bobo-Dioulasso.  Although there was a significant internal rivalry between the force of Kere-Mori and Famaga they were allied for external purposes.  This was most crucial in the 1730 expeditions north of the Black Volta toward the Niger River. In November 1739, the combined forces took over a number of important cities including the trade post of Sofara.  The forces reached the important city of Djenné-Djenno, on the banks of the Niger River before they were pushed back by forces of Bitòn Coulibaly.
caption: The Finley Map of African States 1827.  Kong is in Yellow in West Africa
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