African Warlord

The Rise and Fall of the
Empire of Rabih Fadl Allah

Part One: Azande Warfare

by Ian Croxall

Lacking no overall organization, the Azande did posses military structured units within their own kingdoms. The larger kingdoms had subject provinces whose governors would provide warriors for the king. Their traditional weapons were the basketwork shields, made of reed, capable of deflecting spears, but useless against firearms. The spear, three or four of which were carried in battle were employed throw rather than as stabbing weapons. After a missile discharge, the Azande would close to melee with knives and sickle shaped blades. Traditional warfare consisted of ambushes close to traveled paths where spears could be employed at close range. Against Rabih and other Khartoumers, this was a necessary tactic, as it was imperative that they entered hand to hand combat before the slavers could discharge too many rounds from their firearms. Relying on their firearms, the Slavers did not prefer hand to hand combat when ever it could be avoided. In the mid 19th century, the Azande had little contact with firearms but by the 1870’s, small numbers were trickling into their hands, either through alliance with slaver bands against other Azande tribes or as a result of capture from defeated raiding Khartoumers. Azande units even began emulating the dress of the Khartoum slavers and dressing units in the white jibbehs common in the upper Sudan.

African Warlord: Central Sudan, 1874 – 1911 The Rise and Fall of the Empire of Rabih Fadl Allah

African Warlord: Central Sudan, 1884 – 1911 Part 2

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