Cayor

The Kingdom of Cayor (1549-1879) was the largest and most powerful kingdom that split off from the Empire of Jolof (Diolof), in what is now Senegal. Cayor was located in north and central Senegal, southeast of Waalo, west of the kingdom of Jolof and north of Baol and the Kingdom of Sine.

In 1549, the king, or "Damel", Detie Fu Ndiogu, became independent from Jolof (Djolof). The capital was at Mboul. After the French conquered Waalo, governor Louis Faidherbe annexed Cayor in 1868, but Cayor got its independence restored in 1871. It was defeated and annexed again in 1879 and ceased to be a sovereign state. The kingdom was extinguished in its entirety October 6, 1886.

In addition to Cayor, the Damels also ruled over the Lebou area at Cap-Vert (where modern Dakar is), and they became the "Teignes" (rulers) of the neighboring kingdom of Baol.

Traditionally the Damel himself was not purely hereditary, but was designated by a 4-member council consisting of: