Mansong Diarra (–1808), also rendered Monzon Jara, was the faama of the Segou Empire. Son of king Ngolo Diarra, he ascended to the throne of Ségou following his father's death in battle.
Reign Mansong's reign was the high point of Segou's power. He built over 300 new villages, welcomed immigrants of various ethnicities, and waged numerous successful campaigns.Sauvageot Serge. Le testament politique de Monzon. Texte bambara. In: 2000 ans d’histoire africaine. Le sol, la parole et l’écrit. Mélanges en hommage à Raymond Mauny. Tome I. Paris : Société française d'histoire d'outre-mer, 1981. pp. 289-295. (Bibliothèque d'histoire d'outre-mer. Études, 5-6-1) www.persee.fr/doc/sfhom_1768-7144_1981_mel_5_1_939 He earned renown as a great warrior, with defeats against several other groups, including Kaarta, Massina, Dogon, and Mossi.
Mungo Park Mungo Park, passing through the Bambara capital of Ségou in 1797 recorded a testament to the Empire's prosperity under Mansong:
Mansong himself provided Park with a gift of 5000 cowries to help him on his travels.
Personal life Mansong was, according to oral histories, a calm, hardworking man, with an astute political mind capable of both great cruelty and mercy. His son Da Mansong Diarra would succeed him after his death.
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