People / group
Arma people
The Arma are the descendants of the Moroccan soldiers who conquered the Songhai Empire in 1591 and of the local women they married. From about 1612 they formed a ruling caste in the Niger bend, electing the pashas of Timbuktu from their own ranks and governing Timbuktu, Djenne and Gao with growing independence from Morocco. Their power declined in the 18th century under Tuareg and Fulani pressure, but they remain a distinct community in Mali.
Mentioned in 3 profiles
Mentioned in 2 state histories
See also
Cite this entry
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Arma people. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/arma-people
- MLA
- “Arma people.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/arma-people. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Arma people.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/arma-people.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Arma people’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/arma-people (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻