French military administration over the Chad basin, decreed 5 September 1900 after the Battle of Kousseri (22 April 1900) broke Rabih az-Zubayr's state and opened the way to subduing Bagirmi and Wadai; placed under the High Commissioner of French Congo/French Equatorial Africa.
Converted to ordinary civil colony status (Colonie du Tchad) on 17 March 1920, ending direct military rule; remained a constituent territory of French Equatorial Africa until Chadian independence in 1960.
National history of Chad covering the Rabih war, French military conquest of Bagirmi/Wadai, and the 1900-1920 military-territory era before civil administration.
Broad context for the French conquest of the Chad basin.