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RABAH ZOBEIR (d. 'goo)

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Originally appearing in Volume V22, Page 766 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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RABAH ZOBEIR (d. 'goo) , the conqueror of See also:

Bornu (an See also:ancient sultanate on the western shores of See also:Lake See also:Chad, included since 1890 in See also:British See also:Nigeria), was a See also:half-Arab, halfnegro chieftain. He was originally a slave or follower of Zobeir See also:Pasha (q.v.), and is said to have formed one of the party which served as escort to See also:Miss Tinne (q.v.) in her journeys in the See also:Bahr-el-Ghazal in 1862-64. In 1879, Zobeir being in See also:Egypt, his son See also:Suleiman and Rabah were in command of Zobeir's forces in the Bahr-el-Ghazal. They persisted in slave-raiding, and denied the See also:khedive's authority, and See also:Colonel C. G. See also:Gordon sent against them Romolo Gessi Pasha. Gessi captured Suleiman and routed Rabah, who in See also:July 1879 fled See also:west-See also:ward with some seven See also:hundred Bazingirs (See also:black slave soldiers). He made himself See also:master of Kreich and See also:Dar See also:Banda, countries to the See also:south and south-west of See also:Wadai. In 1884-85 he was invited by Mahommed Ahmed (the See also:mandi) to join him at See also:Omdurman, but did not do so. According to one See also:account he learnt that the mandi intended, had he gone to Omdurman, to put him to See also:death. In 1891 See also:Paul Crampel, a See also:French explorer, was killed in Dar Banda by a chieftain tributary to Rabah, and Crampel's stores, including 300 rifles, were sent to Rabah.

With this reinforcement of arms he marched towards Wadai, but being stoutly opposed by the See also:

people of that See also:country he turned west and established himself in See also:Bagirmi, a See also:state south-See also:east of Lake Chad. In 1893 Rabah over-threw the See also:sultan of Bornu. In his See also:administration of the country he showed considerable ability and a sense of public needs. To the British, represented by the Royal See also:Niger See also:Company, Rabah gave comparatively little trouble. During 1894-95 he continually (but unavailingly) asked the company's representatives at See also:Yola and Ibi to See also:supply him with See also:gunpowder. Rabah then tried threats, and in 1896 all communication between him and the company ceased. See also:Early in 1897 he began an advance in the direction of See also:Kano, the most important See also:city in the See also:Fula See also:empire. The See also:news of the crushing defeat by See also:Sir See also:George See also:Goldie of the Fula at See also:Bida, and of the See also:capture of See also:Illorin, induced Rabah to return to Bornu. He gave the British no further l trouble, but turned his See also:attention to the French. Emile Gentil had in this same See also:year (1897) reached Lake Chad, via the See also:Congo and Bagirmi, and had installed a French See also:resident with the sultan of Bagirmi. As soon as Gentil had withdrawn, Rabah again See also:fell upon Bagirmi, and forced sultan and resident to flee. In 1899 the French sent an expeditipn to reconquer the country, but at first they were unsuccessful.

In the summer of 1899 Rabah attacked and routed the French advanced See also:

post, held by See also:Naval-See also:Lieutenant Bretonnet, and the latter was killed. In See also:October following another See also:battle was fought, in which the French, under See also:Captain Robillot, completely defeated Rabah, who retreated See also:north-east towards Wadai. Gathering a fresh See also:army, he returned to Bagirmi and joined issue with the French a third See also:time. In a battle fought on tha 22nd of See also:April 1900 Rabah was slain and his See also:host defeated. The chieftain's See also:head was cut off and taken to the French See also:camp. In this engagement See also:Major Lamy, the French commandant, also lost his See also:life. The French continued the See also:campaign against Rabah's sons,• two of whom were killed. Rabah had See also:left instructions that if his army was finally defeated by the French, his successor should return to Bornu and make See also:friends with the British. Rabah's third son, Fader-See also:Allah, accordingly threw himself entirely upon British See also:protection. He made a favourable impression, and it was contemplated to recognize him as sultan of Bornu. However, in the later See also:part of 1901 Fader-Allah, who had 2500 riflemen, again made aggressive movements against the French. In See also:retaliation, Captain Dangeville pursued him into British territory.

A battle was fought at Gujba, Fader-Allah being defeated. He fled mortally wounded, and died the same See also:

night, being buried in the See also:bed of a small See also:river, the course of which had been diverted for the purpose. Connected accounts of Rabah's career are contained in E. Gentil's La Chute de l'empire de Rabah (See also:Paris, 1902) and in M. von See also:Oppenheim's Rabeh and das Tschadseegebiet (See also:Berlin, 1902). (F. R.

End of Article: RABAH ZOBEIR (d. 'goo)

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