Mossi Kingdoms

The Mossi Kingdoms were a collection of powerful states in West Africa. They dominated the region near the upper Volta river for many centuries. Most of these lands are located in modern-day Burkina Faso. The largest and most influential of these was the kingdom of Ouagadougou. Its ruler held the title of Mogho Naaba, which means King of All the World. This leader served as the Emperor for all the Mossi people.

Oral traditions provide a unique history of how these kingdoms began. These stories suggest the royal line started with a woman named Yennenga. She was a princess from the Great Naa Gbewaa kingdom. Yennenga left her home after a dispute with her father. She escaped while dressed as a man and met a Mandé elephant hunter named Rialé. Their son was named Ouédraogo after the horse Yennenga used to escape. Ouédraogo eventually used horsemen to conquer local people and build the city of Tenkodogo. This established the foundation for many future Mossi rulers.

As the population grew, the Mossi political structure became more complex. Ouédraogo's descendants founded several different kingdoms. His oldest son, Diaba Lompo, founded the city of Fada N'gourma. His second son, Rawa, ruled the Zondoma Province. The third son, Zoungrana, ruled Tenkodogo. Later, a ruler named Oubri expanded the territory by conquering the Kibissi and Gurunsi peoples. Oubri ruled from approximately 1050 to 1090 CE. He is widely considered the founder of the Ouagadougou dynasty. This dynasty would rule from the capital of Ouagadougou for a long time.

Centralization helped the Mossi kingdoms manage their growing power. Under the fifth ruler, Komdimie, new kingdoms like Yatenga and Rizim were established around 1170 CE. Komdimie used a system where he appointed his sons as Dimas of separate provinces. These Dimas had autonomy but still recognized the sovereignty of the Ouagadougou dynasty. This method of appointing family members helped maintain control over new territories. The Mossi also became famous for their cavalry. These expert horsemen were capable of raiding deep into enemy territory. They even challenged massive regional powers like the Mali Empire.

Conflict with large Islamic empires shaped Mossi history. In the 15th century, the Mossi took control of Timbuktu and sacked Walata. Later, in 1497, the leader of the Songhai Empire, Askia Mohammad I, waged a holy war against them. Although the Mossi were defeated in this specific war, they successfully resisted the imposition of Islam. They continued to practice their traditional religious and ritual customs. Even as trade with the Fula kingdoms and the Mali Empire increased, the Mossi maintained their unique identity. They developed a mixed religious system that allowed for some Islamic influence while protecting indigenous practices.

European arrival in the late 19th century brought sudden changes. A British expedition led by George Ekem Ferguson convinced Mossi leaders to sign a protection treaty in 1894. However, the French arrived in 1896 and ignored this agreement. They conquered the Mossi kingdoms and formed the French Upper Volta colony. The last king of Ouagadougou, Wobgo, fought the French forces before fleeing. His brother, Kouka, later allied with the French to try and capture him. Eventually, Wobgo retired to the Gold Coast, where he died in 1904. Despite this conquest, the French kept much of the Mossi administrative structure to help govern the colony.

Society within the kingdoms was organized through a balance of power. The Mossi distinguished between two main groups: the nakombse and the tengbiise. The nakombse were the ruling class who claimed lineage from the founders. They held the power of naam, or the divine right to rule. The tengbiise were people who had been assimilated into the kingdoms. While they could not hold the power of naam, they held tenga, which gave them authority over land issues. This created a system where the rulers' power was balanced by the local control of land. Today, several Mossi kingdoms still exist as part of Burkina Faso. While they no longer hold total sovereignty, leaders like Naba Baongo II still hold significant cultural influence.