Lingeer Ndoye Demba facts for kids

Lingeer Ndoye Demba Joos Fadiou, often called Ndoye Demba, was a powerful princess from the Serer kingdom of Sine. This kingdom is now part of modern-day Senegal. She lived from the late 1300s into the 1400s.

The royal title "Lingeer" means Queen or Royal Princess. Ndoye Demba married the Brak (King) of Waalo, named Caaka Mbaar Mbooj. The name Mbooj is spelled differently depending on whether you are in The Gambia (English spelling) or Senegal (French spelling). This is because of their colonial past.

Brak Caaka Mbaar was the second king from the Mbooj family line. He ruled Waalo around 1367. Lingeer Ndoye Demba founded the Serer Joos Maternal Dynasty in Waalo. A "maternal dynasty" means that power and important family connections are passed down through the mother's side. In the Wolof Kingdom of Waalo, Lingeer Ndoye Demba is seen as the main mother of the Joos maternal clan. In the Serer Kingdom of Sine, her grandmother, Lingeer Fatim Beye, is considered the founder of this family line.

Marriage and Royal Challenges

Lingeer Ndoye Demba married Brak Caaka Mbaar in her home country, the Kingdom of Sine. The King of Waalo visited Sine, and that is where their marriage took place. After the wedding, she traveled with her husband to the Kingdom of Waalo.

However, life in Waalo was not easy for her. Two other powerful maternal clans, the Tedyek Maternal Dynasty and the Loggar Maternal Dynasty, did not welcome her. The king's mother was from the Loggar family, and his first wife was from the Tedyek family. These three maternal clans, along with the Mbooj paternal family, shared power in Waalo.

For almost 600 years, these three maternal clans often fought each other for control. A famous battle, the Battle of Nder, started because of these family rivalries. In this battle, the Joos Maternal Dynasty, which came from Lingeer Ndoye Demba, fought fiercely against the Tedyek family.

Important Rulers from Her Family

Many kings of Waalo came from the Joos Maternal Dynasty, founded by Lingeer Ndoye Demba. This continued from the 1300s until Waalo was dissolved in 1855. Here are some of the notable kings from her family:

• Brak Yerim Mbanyik Ndoye Demba Mbooj: He was the son of Lingeer Ndoye Demba. Some families tried to remove him from power, but he defeated them. They were forced to leave Waalo and seek safety in Futa Toro.

• Brak Mö Mbôdy Kumba Khedy Mbooj: He ruled around 1734–1735. He led the Joos army in the Battle of Nder, also known as "Talaata-i Ndeer" (meaning "Tuesday of Ndeer"). After this battle, he became king, taking the throne from Brak Yerim Ndateh Bubou.

• Brak Amar Fatim Borso Mbooj: He was the father of two very influential queens, Lingeer Ndateh Yalla Mbooj and Lingeer Njombeutt Mbooj. These sisters played a big role in Waalo's politics in the 1800s. Brak Amar Fatim Borso Mbooj ruled from about 1812 to 1825 or 1826. He was involved in a conflict over religion with the Almamy of Futa Toro. He famously said, "Brak du tuub muk" (meaning "a Brak should never convert" to Islam, in Wolof).