the Battle of Noukouma in 1818, Bambara forces met and were defeated by Fula Muslim fighters rallied by the jihad of Cheikou Amadu (or Seku Amadu) of Massina. The Bamana Empire survived but was irreversibly weakened. Seku Amadu's forces decisively defeated the Bambara, taking Djenné and much of the territory around Mopti and forming into a Massina Empire. Timbuktu would fall as well in 1845. The end of the weakened empire came at the hands of El Hadj Umar Tall, a Toucouleur conqueror who swept across West Africa from Dinguiraye. Umar Tall's mujahideen readily defeated the Bambara, seizing Ségou itself on March 10, 1861, and declaring an end to the Bamana Empire (which effectively became part of the Toucouleur Empire). Economy and structure The Bamana Empire was structured around traditional Bambara institutions, including the kòmò, a body to resolve theological concerns. The kòmò often consulted religious sculptures in their decisions, particularly the four state boliw, large altars designed to aid the acquisition of political power. The economy of the Bamana Empire flourished through trade, especially that of the slaves captured in their many wars. The demand for slaves then led to further fighting, leaving the Bambara in a perpetual state of war with their neighbors. Mungo Park, passing through the Bambara capital of Ségou two years after Diarra's 1795 death, recorded a testament to the Empire's prosperity: See also Bambara language: a Mande language, spoken by 6 million people in Mali. Bambara people: an ethnic group who represent 40% of Mali's population. Kaarta, another Bambara kingdom of the same epoch References Further reading External links Segu Kingdom rulers, from Host Kingdoms Mali traditional states from World Statesman Epics about the Segou Kingdom States and territories established in the 1640s 1640s establishments in Africa 1712 establishments in Africa 1861 disestablishments in Africa Sahelian kingdoms Former empires