kingdom · West Africa

Kingdom of Kasa

1400 CE – 1700 CE (approx.)

Bainuk kingdom of the lower Casamance river, whose king's title, Kasa Mansa, gave the region its name.

Origins

Known mainly from Portuguese sources. When Portuguese traders reached the Casamance in the 15th century, they found a kingdom of the Bainuk (Banyun) people on the south bank of the river, whose ruler was called the Kasa Mansa, 'king of Kasa', a title shaped by Mandinka usage.

Rule and society

Kasa traded rice, wax, cotton cloth and slaves with Portuguese and Luso-African traders who settled at riverside ports. Its rulers dealt with merchants through local intermediaries, and the kingdom sat on the margins of the Kaabu Empire's sphere of influence.

Decline and legacy

Kasa declined in the 17th century as Mandinka, Balanta and Jola expansion and the slave trade reshaped the region. Its name survives in the Casamance river and region of southern Senegal.

Few sources survive for this state; details are uncertain.

Connections (1)

  • Kingdom of Kasa paid tribute to Mali Empire1400 CE – 1550 CE

More states of West Africa →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kingdom of Kasa. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-kasa
MLA
“Kingdom of Kasa.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-kasa. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Kingdom of Kasa.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-kasa.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kingdom of Kasa’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-kasa (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻