History of Sudan

Ancient Sudan

to the XXI E

First kingdom of Kerma or old Kerma; under this denomination one intends to gather the whole of the nilotic cultures of the average Sudan which gathered by chefferies around a powerful monarch who had his capital with Kerma, site of the middle price of the the Nile Sudanese. The population of this time indeed consists of a whole of tribes different more marked by the influence from the south of the Sudan. Development of the metallurgy (bronzes) and arts: cabinet work, ivory, ceramics, which one found many testimonys in the burials of the time which acquire their final form then. Circular pit containing the late one buried in contracted position and the head with the East, with its funerary material, the unit being covered with a tumulus around whose the food offerings are deposited and funerary sacrifices operated. In the north of this area the Nubie was dominated by tribes which one gathers under the term of Groupe C and which drastiquement prohibited the access to the south by controlling the trade even by plundering the convoys which returned in Egypt or left there. With the Ancient Empire this situation became critical for the Egyptians who needed this access to obtain invaluable and rare goods coming from central Africa. With time the Group C seems little by little to have maintained the peaceful relations with the Egyptian neighbor going until providing mercenaries to the troops of Pharaon. In return the Egypt guaranteed a relative safety as well to him at the military level as economic in particular mitigating the periods of famines by the sending of grain to the people of the area. The outlets on the gold mines of the Eastern desert were there certainly already for something. On the other hand the distance kingdom of Kerma always represented a danger to commercial forwardings which entered then undoubtedly in competition with the young kingdom whose influence grew. Two groups of distinct population and culture thus occupied all the valley of the the Nile Sudanese to the surroundings of the fifth cataract and then formed two powerful proto-urban civilizations which it was necessary to take into account. One attends indeed on all along the valley with the progressive sedentarisation of the people and the establishment of villages which little by little become large villages. Kerma was then already a wide city.

to the XVIII E

Second kingdom of Kerma or average Kerma. Development of the kingdom and its culture in particular of the funerary practices; the late ones are always buried in fetal position the head in the east with a funerary movable rich person. One can follow through the evolution of these practices and the development of the tumuli an increasingly marked hierarchisation of the company. A true aristocratic class is born thus and precedes the power of the kingdom at the following period. Rare direct contacts take place with the neighbors of north but the trade is flourishing and attests stability of the area. One finds traces of his sales network on the grounds of Chillouk in the south of the valley of the Nile and until in the mountains of Tibesti. In the north of the country, the Group C always dominates the valley until the Pharaons of the Moyen Egyptian Empire annex literally the area until Batn el-Haggar. One then witnesses a reaction of the kingdom of Kerma which will protect its cities derrières from the ramparts and, sign of times, the late masculines will then be buried with their weapons in a systematic way.

to the XV E

Third kingdom of Kerma or traditional Kerma; new a Royaume of Koush extends its territory of the first cataract, around Assouan, until the fourth cataract following the alliance of the Nubian people (Groupe C) and of the kingdom of Kerma which becomes the capital then about it. The relations with the neighbor of north are at the beginning peaceful and the trade is flourishing with all the valley of the Nile and central Africa. One witnesses a jump of agriculture and urbanization of the area. Great constructions in the capital and colossal necropoles royal with tumuli (some exceed the 100 meters in diameter). At the cultural level one attends a maintenance of the habits and local traditions although certain elements architectural or decorative are borrowed from the Egyptian culture which remains rather present on the north of the kingdom. Diplomatic relations between Kerma and the dynastes Hyksôs of the Delta of the Nile are proven and attest that the two powers sought to pass alliance in order to counter the rise to power of a rival dynasty located at Thèbes. One of these sovereigns, Kamosis will then take again the advantage on the kingdom of Kerma pushing back its border in the south of Elephantine. His/her son Ahmosis will continue this conquest of the territories of the Sudan.

to the XII E

Egyptian domination to the 4th cataract. Destruction of the kingdom of Kerma by Ahmosis then Amenhotep {{Ier}} (); control trade route and gold mines of the Eastern desert. Construction of the sites and monuments of Beit el-Ouali, Gerf Hussein, Kouban, Ouadi be-Séboua, Amada, Aniba, Derr, El-Lessiya, Qasr Ibrim, Abou Simbel (Nubie Egyptian woman), Faras, Aksha, Bouhen, Semna, Ouronarti, Koumma, Amara (Nubie Sudanese woman), Saï, Sédeinga, Djebel Dosha, Soleb, Sésébi, Pnoubs, Argo, Kaoua, Napata (Djebel Barkal), Kourgous. Installation of a Vice King for this area which undergoes a posted egyptianisation. Capital with Aniba.

XI E

End of the Egyptian domination on the Sudan following the bursting of the Egypt in several rival kingdoms. Nubie becomes independent around the Vice King de Koush whose last attested representative is Panéhésy (reign of Ramsès {{XI}}) and thus allows the development again chefferies and principalities in Sudan which seem to coexist peacefully in particular in the south of the country.

X E

Constitution of a principality around a local dynasty with Napata (Djebel Barkal). This dynasty would then find its origins in remote the Méroé still simple commercial place. Little by little the influence of the principality extends on the unit from the kingdoms from Sudan and constitutes a powerful kingdom in the middle of Western and central Africa. Reign of six unknown sovereigns. To the IX E, following a civil war which plunges the thébaïde in chaos, part of the clergy of Karnak takes refuge with Napata under the protection of princes de Koush.

VIII E

Reign of the prince Alara then reign of the king Kashta Koushite; conquest of Low Nubie then of the High-Egypt. Apogee of the kingdom of Napata whose dynasty claims the heritage of the Egypt. In front of the anarchy which reigns there Piyé (Piânkhy) then after him its successors intervene and go up on the melting throne of Egypt. Their kingdom extends then from the 6th cataract around Khartoum to the Mediterranean.

Reign of the kings: Piyé, Chabaqa, Chabataqa, Taharqa, Tanouetamani. All will reign on the kingdom of Koush and Egypt.

Construction of the temples napatéens of Nubie and of Sudan. This empire will end with second half of the VII E with the conquest of the Egypt by the Assyrian S. the kingdom which preserves Napata as capital finds its original borders then. Towards -591, the Pharaon Psammétique {{II}} sends a forwarding against the kingdom of Koush, reducing to nothing the ambitions of the kings of Napata on the Egypt.

Destruction of the Holy Cities of Kaoua, Pnoubs, Napata and destruction of the royal statues of.

to the IV E

Second kingdom of Napata; following the loss of their suzerainty in Egypt, the sovereigns of Koush will develop their kingdom and their culture in an increasingly autonomous way. Development of the age of iron with Méroé and trade route with the heart of Africa and the Red Sea (sea route of the India). Resumption of the influence to the first cataract around Philae. Restoration of the large sanctuaries of the kingdom. Necropoles and Pyramid S of Nouri and El-Kourrou.

End of the ancient period

IV E at the 4th century of our era

Kingdom of Méroé; transfer of the necropolis royal and the capital of Napata to Méroé. Development of the meroitic culture in all the valley of the Nile and close commercial relations with the kingdom lagide of Egypt. Conflicts burst between the two powers and will find their paroxism at the time of the Roman conquest with I er.

In -24, conquest of Philae and Aswan by the Candace Amanishakhéto. Conquest of Nubie by the Romans who will be stopped by the queen. Peace treaty between Rome and Méroé in -21, known as Treaty of Samos. The border is fixed at Maharraqa and from this time the two empires will maintain the flourishing commercial relations.

With second half of the 4th century of our era, repeated incursions of the kingdom of Axoum start the kingdom of Méroé. It is at that time that one traditionally locates his fall under the blows of the kings Ella-Amida and Ezana of Ethiopia. Construction of the sites and monuments of Dakka, Qasr Ibrim, Tabo, Méroé, Musawarat be-Sofra, Naga, Bog manganese-Ben-Naga, Basa, El-Hassa, Hosh-Ben-Naga, Djebel Qeili, Soba and Khartoum. Development of the worships of the Sudanese gods: Dédoun " the first of Nubie" , Apédémak " the large god of Sud" , Arsénouphis and Mandoulis. Necropolis of royal pyramids with Méroé; last meroitic royal burial around 350 of our era.

4th century at the 6th century

Kingdoms post-meroitic. In 450, alliance of the Nobas and Blemmyes against Rome for the defense of their places of worships whose island of Philae was the principal sanctuary. In 453 signature of a peace treaty enters the belligerents authorizing the Sudaneses to practice their worship of Isis freely. Royal burials of El-Hobagi and necropoles of Qoustoul and Ballana.

Christian period

6th century at the 14th century

In 543 permanent closure of the temple of Isis to post-meroitic Philae and progressive christianization of the kingdoms of the Blemmyes (towards 550), of the Nobades (towards 570) and of the Nobas (towards 580). After the decline of Méroé, three Christian kingdoms were formed at the 6th century: those of Makuria and Nobatia, which were linked then to form the kingdom of Dongola, and that of Aloa (or Alodia), more in the south. Construction of churches and monasteries and bringing together of the Sudanese Church and the Church copte of Egypt. Towards 640, the conquest arabo-Moslem woman of the Egypt isolates these kingdoms from the Christian rest of the world. The Christian kingdoms will crumble between 14th and the 16th century. The Arabs then baptized the grounds located at the south of Egypt Bilad-Al Sudan , the country of the Blacks.

Last King de Nubie was called Abdelaziz Zubair Al Malik Al Diab, each first name represents in the order the first name of the last King, then his/her father and so on, it is when English decided to colonize Sudan that this King was deposed of his capacities, it reigned then since the capital of then named Kouka. This kingdom lasted 800 years, approximately of 1130 to 1930. Heirs without capacities, it is all that it remains of this kingdom today. In the same way, the deposed King, Abdelaziz had remained King for his people, but it did not have to be able any more as from the years 1930. It was indeed the last kingdom of Nubie known to date in the historical books of Sudan. One of the applicants to the throne of the province lives today in France, under the name of Elie-Omer Mohamed Ahmed Salama. Indeed, Ahmed Salama was Afendi in the Sudanese army, and he married Hassona Abdelaziz, one of the girls of King Abdelaziz. Prince Arabic Elie or Ilyass is regarded in the town of Kouka as a true Prince until today, and of the honors are made to him. It should be noted that the more one moves back in time and the wider this kingdom was.

Islamic period

14th century at the XIXe century

1317 : Forced conversion of the kingdom of Dongola to the Islam.

1484 : Foundation of the kingdom foundj of Sennar (or Sinnar) by Amara Dounkas, which will annex the kingdom of Alodia in 1504 (or 1505).

1820 : Méhémet-Ali, viceroy of Egypt, undertakes the conquest of the Sudan.

1821 : Annexation of Sennar and Kordofan.

1823 : Foundation of Khartoum.

1874 : Annexation of Darfur.

1881 : Mohammed Ahmed proclaims Mahdi and takes the head of a rising against the Egyptians in Sudan.

1885 : Gordon Pasha is killed at the time of the catch of Khartoum by the mahdists. Its adversary, Mohammed Ahmed, die in her turn a few months later.

British period

1896 : Beginning of the reconquest of Sudan: the task force anglo-Egyptian of the Kitchener general seizes Dongola.

1898 : Kitchener crushes the mahdists with Omdurman, close to Khartoum. Died of the caliph Abdullah, successor of Mahdi. Franco-British incident of Fachoda.

1899 : Establishment of the condominium anglo-Egyptian on Sudan.

1916 : Defeat and died of Ali Dinar, last sultan of the Darfur.

1951 : The king Farouk takes the title of king d' Égypte and Sudan.

1953 : Treaty anglo-Egyptian recognizing the right of Sudan to self-determination.

Republic

1955 : Official proclamation of the independence of Sudan, which will become effective on January 1st, 1956. Appearance of the first movements of rebellion in the southernmost provinces.

1958 : Coup d'etat of the general Ibrahim Abboud, who will be maintained with the capacity until 1964.

1969: Coup d'etat of the general Gaafar el-Nimeiry, who will be maintained with the capacity until 1985.

1972 : Signature of the agreements of Addis-Abeba, which grant autonomy to the three southernmost provinces.

1983 : Introduction of the charia (Islamic law) in Sudan. The southernmost provinces are raised again under the direction of John Garang, chief of the popular Army for the release of Sudan (APLS or SPLA).

1989 : The general Omar to el-Béchir seizes the capacity following a coup d'etat which receives the downstream of the Islamic National front (FNI), directed by Hassan el-Tourabi.

1998 : Following the attacks of Nairobi and Dar be-Salaam, the United States Air Force bombards the pharmaceutical factory of El Shifa, close to Khartoum.

2003 : The civil war bursts with the Darfur, where the Liberation movement of Sudan (MLS or SLM) and the Movement for justice and equality (MJE or JEM) are posed as guards civil populations vis-a-vis the exactions of the “Janjawid S” (Arab expression which means the devils with horse, militia supported by the government of Khartoum).

2004 : The African Union sends troops to Darfur to take care of the respect of the cease-fire and to ensure the protection of the civil populations.

2005 : Signature in Nairobi of an peace agreement between the government of Khartoum and the APLS. John Garang finds death in an accident of helicopter, a few weeks after his nomination as vice-president of Sudan.

2006 : The government of Khartoum rejects a resolution of the Safety advice of the United Nations, which envisages the deployment of “blue helmets” in Darfur. In addition, of the rebellious forces based in Sudan multiply the incursions with the Chad and in Central Africa, two countries French-speaking whose governments profit from the military support of Paris, which leads certain observers to evoke the possibility of a war between France and Sudan.

2007 : The government of Khartoum accepts the principle of a “hybrid force” associating UNO and the African Union, but this one should not be spread in Darfur before the end of the year.

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