The Berlin Conference: France's Conquest of the Western Sudan

While the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 carved up Africa on paper, the real conquest happened on the ground. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore France's brutal campaign to seize the Western Sudan—a vast region stretching from the Senegal River to Lake Chad. They focus on the key figure of Colonel Louis Archinard, who led French forces against the Tukulor Empire of Ahmadou Sekou and the Bambara kingdom of Segou. The episode covers the fall of Segou in 1890, the strategic use of the Niger River, and the role of the tirailleurs sénégalais—African soldiers recruited into French colonial units. They also discuss the controversial 'Archinard system' of direct military rule, which bypassed civilian administrators and set a precedent for harsh colonial governance. Along the way, they touch on the legacy of El Hadj Umar Tall, the Tukulor founder, and the resistance of figures like Babemba Traoré. Specific details include the capture of the Kasso fort, the burning of Sikasso, and the eventual French victory at the Battle of Togbao. A fresh angle that moves beyond the coastal partitions to the inland empires. #BerlinConference #ScrambleForAfrica #WesternSudan #LouisArchinard #TukulorEmpire #AhmadouSekou #Bambara #Segou #ElHadjUmarTall #TirailleursSenegalais #FrenchColonialEmpire #NigerRiver #Sikasso #BabembaTraore #History #FexingoHistory #Colonialism #MilitaryHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo