The riches of Timbuktu excited the cupidity of El Mansur, sultan of Morocco, who, in 159o, sent an army across the Sahara under an "Andalusian" Moor (that is, a Moor descended from those expelled from Spain), which captured Timbuktu 0590 and completely broke up the Songhoi empire. For about 20 years after the conquest the pasha who ruled at Timbuktu was nomi nated from Morocco, but the distance of the Niger countries from Marrakesh enabled this vast viceroyalty to throw off all allegiance to the sultan of Morocco. The Niger Moors, known as Rumas after El Mansur's musketeers, quarrelled continually among themselves, and oppressed the negro tribes. By the end of the 18th century two hundred years of oppression had reduced Timbuktu to comparative desolation and poverty. By this time the whole country was in a state of anarchy, and in 1800 the Tuareg swooped down from the desert and captured the place. They were in turn (1813) dispossessed by the Fula, who in 1840 gave place to the Tukulor. (See SENEGAL, History.) At this period European interest in the region had revived. Maj. Gordon Laing, who had reached Timbuktu from Tripoli in 1826, had been murdered by order of the Fula; but Rene Caillie, coming from the south, had been in the city in 1828 and had returned in safety. Heinrich Barth, an officially accredited repre sentative of the British Government, reached Timbuktu from the Central Sahara in 1853 and some effort was then made to bring the place under British influence. El Backay (Bakhai), the sheikh who received Barth, gave him letters professing much friendship for the British, and in a letter to El Backay, dated April 15, 1859, Lord Clarendon, secretary of State for foreign affairs, said that "the friendship binding us shall not diminish through the centuries" and "as our Government is very powerful we will protect your people who turn to us." A nephew of El Backay's went to Tripoli, saw the British consul and was told that a British steamer was ascending the Niger and that the Government had recommended those on board "to make every effort" to reach Timbuktu. But no one from the lower Niger reached El Backay, whose influence appears to have declined after Barth's visit ; and no further attempt appears to have been made by the British to keep in touch with Timbuktu. Indeed, between Barth's visit and the French occupation only one white man, Oskar Lenz, in 188o, reached Timbuktu and he crossed the desert from Morocco. It was in the following year, 1881, that the French, thrusting forward from Senegal, began the conquest of the countries of the Niger bend. When they reached Timbuktu
in December 1893 they found that the town had again fallen beneath the rule of the Tuareg. The townsfolk, indeed, from the time of the decay of the Ruma power being at the mercy of all corners, were content to pay tribute to each in turn and some times to more than one simultaneously, for which they indemni fied themselves by peaceful intervals of trade whenever the land routes were open and the Niger clear of pirates. But at times even the short tract separating the town from Kabara was so beset with marauders that it bore the ominous name of "Ur-immandess," that is, "He (God) hears not." Little wonder then that the townsfolk freely opened their gates to the French as soon as Lieut. Boiteux reached Kabara in command of a small flotilla.
The occupation of the town, against orders, was a daring exploit of a handful of marines. The force which "garrisoned" Timbuktu consisted of seven Europeans and twelve Senegalese. The some what larger body left with the gunboats was attacked by the Tuareg (Dec. 28) and suffered severely. Col. T. P. E. Bonnier, who was at Mopti, 200M. to the south-west, marched to the relief of Boiteux and entered Timbuktu without opposition on Jan. 10, 1894. He then set out with about 1 oo men to chastise the nomads. In the night of Jan. 14-15 his camp was surprised and the colonel and nearly all his men perished. The enemy did not follow up their victory, and within a short period French rule was firmly established in Timbuktu. In 1903 the French authori ties placed commemorative tablets on the houses occupied by the four travellers, Laing, Barth, Caillie and Lenz, during their stay in Timbuktu. Under French rule the town has regained a measure of importance.
Afrique occid. Fran., vol. xxii. (1922). (F. R. C.)