Leader Shehu Ahmadu led a holy war between 1810 and 1815 on the upper Niger against Pagan Bambara and created the Islamic state of Masina, reaching down the river to Timbuktu. His achievement was a part of the Fulani religious wars which first broke out in Bondu in 1680 and culminated in the creation of an Islamic state there, the second war which began in 1776, established an Islamic theocracy in Futa Toro and the third holy war of the Fulanis led by Usman dan Fodio in 1804 resulted in the formation of the Sultanate of Sokoto in Hausa.