Diabe Cissé

Diabe Cissé
Kaya Maghan, Ghana
PredecessorDinga
DynastyCisse dynasty
FatherDinga
MotherKatana Boro

Diabe Cissé was the possibly legendary first ruler of the Soninke empire of Wagadou, also known as the Ghana Empire.

According to legend, he tricked his dying father into giving him the birthright of his elder brother Xiine Sukuna in a manner similar to the biblical story of Jacob and Esau. He fled into the bush, where he received a magic drum and was led to a place called Kumbi. There he concluded a pact with Bida the python god to sacrifice a virgin every year in exchange for plentiful rains and gold.

References

  1. ↑ Conrad, David C. (1984), "Oral sources on links between great states: Sumanguru, Servile Lineage, the Jariso, and Kaniaga", History in Africa, 11: 35–55, doi:10.2307/3171626, JSTOR 3171626, S2CID 161226607
  2. ↑ Bathily, Abdoulaye. Les Portes de L'Or. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  3. ↑ Lange, Dierk (1996). "The Almoravid Expansion and the Downfall of Ghana" (PDF). Der Islam. 73 (2). doi:10.1515/islm.1996.73.2.313. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  4. ↑ Levtzion, Nehemia (1980). Ancient Ghana and Mali (2nd ed.). New York: Africana Publishing Company. p. 16.