Background
Born in 1830, Rahma came from the Gemaab section of the Ja'Alin, an Arab tribe from Northern Sudan.
He began his large-scale business in 1856, when he left Khartoum with a small army, to set up a network of trading forts known as zaribas, focusing his efforts on slave trading and ivory sales.
In 1871, at the height of his power, Rahma was visited by Georg Schweinfurth, who described the slavetrader's court as "little less than princely". Two years later, he was granted the title of Governor over Bahr el Ghazal in return for an annual tribute of ivory.
Eventually Rahma controlled 30 zaribas, and earned the titles of bey and Pasha, after allying himself, and his lieutenant Rabih az-Zubayr, with the khedive Ismail Pasha briefly during the invasion of Darfur, where he led the southern forces. He was referred to as "the Black Pasha", and ultimately wished to become Governor General.
Read more about this topic: Al-Zubayr Rahma Mansur
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