Mansong_Diarra
Mansong Diarra
Faama
Mansong Diarra (c. 1790–1808), also rendered Monzon Jara,[1] was the faama of the Bambara Empire.[2] Son of king Ngolo Diarra, he the throne of Ségou following his father's death in battle.[3] He earned renown as a great warrior, with defeats against several other groups, including Kaarta, Massina, Dogon, and Mossi.[1]
Mungo Park, passing through the Bambara capital of Ségou in 1797 recorded a testament to the Empire's prosperity under Mansong:
The view of this extensive city, the numerous canoes on the river, the crowded population, and the cultivated state of the surrounding countryside, formed altogether a prospect of civilization and magnificence that I little expected to find in the bosom of Africa.[4][5]
Mansong himself provided Park with a gift of 5000 cowries to help him on his travels.[6]