Kaabu Empire Kaabu | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1537–1867 | |||||||||||||
 Kaabu Empire circa 1625 (in purple) | |||||||||||||
| Capital | Kansala | ||||||||||||
| Common languages | Mandinka | ||||||||||||
| Religion | Traditional African Religion | ||||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||||
| Kaabu Mansaba | |||||||||||||
• 13th century | Sama Koli (first) | ||||||||||||
• 1867 | Janke Waali (last) | ||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||
• Kaabu Tinkuru Founded | 1230s | ||||||||||||
• Independence from the Mali Empire | 1537 | ||||||||||||
| 1867 | |||||||||||||
| Currency | iron bars, cloth | ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Kaabu (1537–1867), also written Gabu, Ngabou, and N'Gabu, was a federation of Mandinka kingdoms in the Senegambia region centered within modern northeastern Guinea-Bissau, large parts of today's Gambia, and extending into Koussanar, Koumpentoum, and the Casamance in Senegal.
It rose to prominence as an imperial military province of the Mali Empire. After the decline of the Mali Empire, Kaabu became independent. Kansala, the imperial capital, was captured by Fula forces from the Futa Jallon during the 19th century Fula jihads. However, Kaabu's successor states across Senegambia continued to thrive even after the fall of Kansala; this lasted until total incorporation of the remaining kingdoms into the British, Portuguese and French spheres of influence during the Scramble for Africa.