The Kingdom of Mali was an African hub of wealth, trade and education for over 225 years. Mali is an Arab version of the Mandinka word that means, “Where the king dwells”, and was vitally important in spreading trade, education, religion and culture along the Niger River. The rise of Mali into an Empire occurred in the early 13th century, when Sundiata defeated his enemies and won control of the West African gold mines. In 1312 Mansa Musa became ruler of Mali. During his reign which was known as Mali’s, “Golden Age”, he introduced Islamic beliefs to many communities along the Niger and enhanced education after his historic pilgrimage to Mecca. Mali’s rise was attributed to the Trans-Saharan Trade routes leading to and from Western and Eastern Africa. These trade routes contributed to the rise and fall of powerful African Kingdoms for hundreds of years, but for 250 years, Mali was the crown jewel of Africa. STORIES AND TRADITIONS The fall of Ghana left a power vacuum that in 1050, the Almoravids, Muslims of North Africa tried to fill, but were ultimately taken over by the rising Kingdom of Mali. The man, who laid the foundations for the Mali Empire, was Sundiata, who belonged to the Keita Clan of the Malinke people in the Kingdom of Kangaba. Sundiata had 12 royal brothers who were heirs to the throne, but Sumanguru, the ruler of the neighboring state of Kaniaga, overran the Kingdom of Kangaba. Sumanguru had every one of Sundiata’s brothers murdered, but spared Sundiata due to his sickly appearance. This was a huge mistake by Sumanguru, as Sundiata would grow strong and eventually assemble an army that would challenge him and Kaniaga. In 1235, Sundiata would have his revenge, defeating Sumanguru at the Battle of Kir... ... middle of paper ... ...ifferent shapes and materials were used by ethnic groups to match their beliefs and culture. In the major cities of Timbuktu, Gao and Djenne, mosques built in the 13th century displayed the emergence of Islam through Musa and others. These were made from rice husks, earth and water and lasted for hundreds of years. CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH By the late 14th century, and early into the 15th century, disputes over territories and succession began to weaken Mali. In 1460, Gao, one of the great trading cities within the Kingdom of Mali, became the capital of the West African Kingdom of Songhai. For 200 years, the Kingdom of Mali was the center of wealth in North Africa, its governing style allowing for growth, peace and prosperity. Sundiata and Mansa Musa were rulers who were made great strides in society and education, but like all Empires, they rise and fall.
African society used bodies of water such as the Nile, the Red Sea, and many more to transport goods across the continent and generate profit. For example, the city of “Aksum reached its height between 325-360. Aksum’s location made it an important international trading center.” After analyzing the map of trade routes in Document 1, it is clear Aksum was strategically built to have ties to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. These two bodies of water give the city the freedom to import and export goods. Additionally, this work of trade did not come without reward. Cities who succeeded in the business became overly wealthy and had surpluses of gold and other riches. A king, Mansa Mansa, who expanded the Mali kingdom to be twice the size of Ghana, was not afraid to show his wealth as he showered other cities in riches out of generosity. In Cairo, Egypt, “there was no person, officer of the court, or holder of any office of the Sultanate who did not receive a sum of gold from him.” This is just one of the many examples of wealth in african cities and empires. What is impressive is the fact that before European trade became an influence, African people had already created a successful and very profitable system of
The battle between Sundiata and Soumaoro was the physical representation of the conflict between Islam and the indigenous belief system, a conflict which Islam won. Sundiata discovered that Soumaoro’s most powerful magic came from his ancestors in the form of a Tana(page 58). The Tana could be destroyed and the power of the his ancestors broken by striking Soumaoro with the spur of a cock. Sundiata did just that and instantly Soumaoro was powerless and he retreated and his army scattered(page
The Mughal Empire was ruled by Pakistan and India. The mughal Empire brought many differences changes to India. They brought art and culture also a style of architecture.They led a style of education for the kids around ( The Mughal Empire). The empire was founded by a Chagatai Turkic (Mughal Dynasty).The Mali Empire was one of the greatest Empires in South Africa during the 1500’s. It was one of the most important trading center at this time. It was very wealthy ( African Kingdoms, Mali Empire). The Mali Empire government emerged in with the grasslands of the savannah. This began their trading which was very successful. They were right near the Niger river floodplain. Mansa Musa ruled the Mali Empire, He was there for 25 years and he made a impact on the empire. They were very wealthy at this time. The leader of the Mali Emporer would take care of
In the mid-1800’s Africa south of the Sahara contained more than seven hundred different ethnic groups. Most were organized into communities based on ties of tradition and family. Occasionally, a powerful group formed a state that was strong enough to conquer neighboring groups and form an empire. Europeans had already moved into North Africa. The once-powerful Ottoman Empire had become too weak to prevent local rulers from taking control in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt. These countries were no match for the Europeans bent on conquest.
When I was finished reading both Sundiata and God’s Bits of Wood I had a better understanding of the strong relationship between the African people and their leaders. Even though Sundiata and Ihamim Bakayoko became leaders by different means, they displayed a lot of similarities. Sundiata was a king, so the people had to obey him because of his status. However his subjects did not follow him for that reason, they listened to Sundiata because he was a good leader. As a wise African leader, Sundiata ruled in consultation. Sundiata’s number one consultant was his griot, Balla Fasseke. As D.T. Niane said griots know the history of kings and their kingdoms, which is why they are the best advisors of kings because whoever knows the history of a country can read its future. This could be seen when Sundiata and his family were preparing to leave Mali in exile. Sundiata’s mother who, also served as a consultant, had warned him that the queen mother was preparing to harm his family and that it would be in their best interest to leave the kingdom and return at a later time. Balla Fasseke counseled Sundiata by preparing for his departure in detail and informing him of his destiny. Balla Fasseke’s influence could be seen again on the eve of Krina before Sundiata went into battle with Soumaoro. That evening Balla Fasseke sat down with Sundiata and discussed everything with him from the history of the Mali to his role as a leader. Finally Sundiata’s dedication to consultation was obvious when the fighting finally ceased. Instead of keeping all the land he acquired for himself, Sundiata returned it to the leaders. He also set a system up whereby all the leaders would get together and discuss their problems.
Samori Ture was one of the most influential leaders in Africa, especially in his revolutionary work against European colonization. He lived in the Malinke lands of West Africa, an area that includes modern-day countries of Mali, Ghana, and Guinea. Throughout his youth, he worked in the trading industry alongside his parents. When he was 20 years old, his mother was captured in a slave raid, and he offered to serve in the army of her captor in exchange for the release of his mother. Samori joined the army as a low-level soldier, but he quickly climbed the ranks and became a captain due to his incredible military skill. He had gained a vast knowledge of weaponry and warfare by the time he and his mother were released.
The history of Africa would contain a lot about religion, natural goods, and trade routes and trade. Mansa Musa was a man who was known as a leader and often thought as kind. He was a dedicated Muslim and a very important role for the kingdom of Mali. He was a great trader and was in an area where there was a lot of gold and salt. He was also known for having a good reputation. Mansa Musa had a social impact on Africa. In medieval Africa, Mansa Musa had a social impact on Africa because he impacted on the roles that people played and how many thought of him. He also was known for having a great and caring heart.
...ral and written methods. The important part is what can be learned from these sources. Though Americans might not be accustomed to hearing great details of their history recited to them as their only means of learning it, it certainly does not mean that other means produce false information. The griots of ancient Africa are sincere in their efforts to consistently pass down their countries' histories, and much of what they say should at least be taken into consideration, this includes the words of Mamadou Kouyate, the griot who tells of Sundiata and ancient Mali. The things learned from his wisdom, including how Sundiata came to power, are important not only to the people of Mali, but also to the world as Sundiata proved to be one of the greatest rulers of the ancient world (Niane 1-84).
Moroccan traveler, Ibn Battuta, is well-known for being one of the greatest travelers of his time. Battuta’s descriptive account of his travels to East and West Africa in the fourteenth century provides important insight into African Islamic life at that point in time. Although Battuta and the peoples in black Africa shared the same religion, he comes to realize that sharing a religion is not enough to completely relate to a different group of people. The story of Ibn Battuta in Black Africa illustrates the difficulties he faced in relating to these peoples due to the non-traditional role of women, different religious customs, and frequent misinterpretation of situations.
In both Cairo and Kairouan Mansa Musa purchased a multitude of Islamic texts and brought them back to Mali. In hopes to extend the Islamic religion to the rural citizens Mansa Musa built great universities in Walata, Gao and Timbuktu. Mansa Musa furthered his Islamic reform by building mosques with the help of Ishaq El Teudjin . Teudjin was an Islamic architect who had come back with Mansa Musa from his pilgrimage . Teugjin introduced a number of advanced building techniques and is responsible for building two very famous mosques : the Goa mosque and the still standing Djinqueerker in Timbuktu. Alongside the constructions and islamic reform Mansa Musa began solidifying ties in North Africa and Egypt, causing many heavily islamic populated countries to look at Mali. With all of the Islamic reforms many Islamic leaders took noticed increasing commerce , trade and scholars in Mali. It wasn’t only islamic countries that took notice of Mali. Spain, Italy and Germany all began to take notice of the growing Islamic Mali. For about two centuries after Mansa Mali’s pilgrimage cartographers from Spain, Italy and Germany traveled to Mali producing maps that depicted Mansa Mali and his pilgrimage,. Mansa Mali had succeeded in bringing global attention to Mali by turning it into the mecca of Islamic culture and
With the booming spread of the Islam religion from Mecca to Africa, through trade of ideas and goods, many Africans began converting to the new, growing religion (Department of Arts Africa 1). At first, the Sudanese merchants were the first Africans to convert. Later on, the African royalty began to convert to Islam but most of the citizens of Africa did not convert to Islam until later on (1). Among these Muslim leaders was Mansa Musa, an African king who ruled the kingdom of Mali from 1307 to 1337 (Knight 230). Musa became the first widely known African ruler due to his wealth, power, and devotion to the Islam religion (229). Overall, Mansa Musa was an important figure in history because he spread the Islam religion across Africa, he shared his wealth across Mali, and he maintained and strengthened the Mali kingdom.
Sundiata developed into a great leader of Mali through hardships, religion, and core/tributary/periphery relationships of states. The djeli who transmitted this information to the translators, is also a manifestation of an institution important in Sundiata’s epic, because without djelis these stories would be lost forever. Sundiata learned about the formation, running and maintenance of African states through interactions with the communities he was introduced to.
There was also a Kingdom called Mali that broke off from the Ghana Empire. At this time they had embraced the religion of Islam and had been under the great rule of Mansa Musa. This empire had the job of protecting the caravans or shipments carrying the goods, so that they can trade. They helped towards the function of trade so that both the importer and exporter gained something. In document 3 it explains how their wealth was great because of their trade. The document also talks about the fact that they had exhibited the characteristics of an advanced divination like sufficient food to feed its people, a strong army equipped with advanced weapons and income derived from taxes. Even though the Mali Empire had wealth there was very little corruption if there was with the ruler. He did not go mad with power but he was generous. In document four it states they there was no person who did not receive a sum of gold from him.
Islam is presented in the Epic of Sundiata in a way that encourages listeners to embrace Islam over their indigenous belief systems. The epic accomplishes this by incorporating elements and practices of the indigenous beliefs into Islamic tradition; and by adapting certain Islamic mythology — such as the Jinn — to the existing West African culture. It also asserts the superior power and strength of those who derive their power from Allah and the Jinn, to those whose power is based in ancestral worship and fetishes. Through conflict, adaptation, and tolerance, the Epic of Sundiata presents an accessible version of Islam to the people of the Mali Empire; and promotes the acceptance of this new faith over the indigenous beliefs of the area.
The spread of Islam in Africa had taken course from a number of factors, including external and internal forces. After my analyzing of the spread of Islam in Africa, I have gather three main themes that stuck out during the expansion of Islam: Islam and trade, the conversion conditions of Islam, and the economics/political development involving Islam. These three themes provide great insight on how Islam started to spread through out Africa. Through trade the culture and religion of Islam was spread to many different areas. This correlates to the conversion of different people, which helped spread Islam. By these conversions Islam was able to establish Islamic states, which played a factor in the development of strong economic and political