Mansong Diarra (c. 1790–1808), also rendered Monzon Jara,[1] was the faama of the Bambara Empire.
[2] Son of king Ngolo Diarra, he the throne of Ségou following his father's death in battle.
[3] He earned renown as a great warrior, with defeats against several other groups, including Kaarta, Massina, Dogon, and Mossi.
[1] Mungo Park, passing through the Bambara capital of Ségou in 1797 recorded a testament to the Empire's prosperity under Mansong: The view of this extensive city, the numerous canoes on the river, the crowded population, and the cultivated state of the surrounding countryside, formed altogether a prospect of civilization and magnificence that I little expected to find in the bosom of Africa.
[4][5]Mansong himself provided Park with a gift of 5000 cowries to help him on his travels.