Overview

Dubbed the ""Dead Heart of Africa,"" Chad is a land of profound paradoxes, a nation whose history is as vast and challenging as the Saharan landscape that defines it. This comprehensive history embarks on a journey through millennia, beginning at the very dawn of humanity with the discovery of ""Toumaï,"" one of the oldest known human ancestors. It chronicles the forgotten world of a ""Green Sahara,"" brought to life through stunning prehistoric rock art, before tracing the rise of sophisticated societies that laid the groundwork for the great empires to come. For over a thousand years, the Lake Chad basin was the seat of legendary powers like the Kanem-Bornu, Baguirmi, and Ouaddai empires. This work delves into the epic reigns of their rulers, the complex web of trade, diplomacy, and warfare that connected them to North Africa and the Middle East, and the grim commerce in enslaved people that fueled their economies. The narrative then pivots to the dramatic rupture of the late 19th century, detailing the violent conquest by the warlord Rabih az-Zubayr and the subsequent arrival of the French, whose colonial rule was marked by neglect, exploitation, and policies that deepened the very regional and ethnic fissures that would plague the nation for the next century. The post-independence era unfolds as a gripping, often tragic saga of conflict and authoritarian rule. From the presidency of François Tombalbaye and the onset of a seemingly endless civil war, the book navigates the bewildering succession of leaders, rebellions, and foreign interventions that turned Chad into a geopolitical chessboard for powers like Libya and France. It provides a stark account of the brutal dictatorship of Hissène Habré, the dramatic Chadian-Libyan ""Toyota War,"" and the subsequent seizure of power by Idriss Déby, whose thirty-year reign brought a fragile stability at the cost of democracy. Bringing the story to the present day, this history examines the complex legacy of the Déby era. It explores the impact of the oil boom, which promised prosperity but instead fueled militarization, and the nation's paradoxical emergence as a crucial regional power broker in the fight against Sahelian jihadism. The narrative culminates with the shocking death of Idriss Déby on the battlefield in 2021, the military takeover by his son Mahamat, and the turbulent transition that has led to the establishment of a new dynasty. This is the definitive story of a resilient people's struggle to forge a nation in one of the world's most challenging environments.

Full Product Details

9798277965054

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Tab Content 6

Countries Available