Finally, the Mali Empire succeeded in gaining and maintaining power through the influence of culture. One important way culture affects the power in the empire is, how Mansa Musa went on the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage is a very important piece in the culture, so when Mansa Musa decided to take the long trip, many were amazed and honored the empire even more (Sheet 3, Source 4). Seeing how culture was respected in the Mali empire, many people were inclined to visit the empire. Not only that, but the people already in the Mali Empire continued to support the empire, for they were able to live with their own culture without rules. Not only did Mansa Musa take the pilgrimage, he also gave numerous gifts of gold to people such as merchants along
Accordingly, he describes the sultan as “miserly” (Gibb, et al. 957). The. In contrast, however, he appreciated the devoutness of those Malians who were Muslim (Levtzion and Pouwels 67), and generally praised the region’s wealth and gold reserves (which had, under Musa I, literally placed the region on the Catalan map). The importance of Ibn Battuta’s journey to Mali was limited. But his journeys, especially this one – to an Islamisized African nation with diverse cultural beliefs, brought home to Morocco and the rest of the Arab world where the Rihla was circulated a view of the wider world, stretching out upon a vast east-west axis and incorporating a diverse array of native cultures fused with the mighty force of Islam, for better or worse.
Mansa Musa, fourteenth century sovereign of the Mali Empire, is the medieval African ruler most known to the world outside Africa. His intricate journey to the Muslim heavenly city of Mecca in 1324 acquainted him with rulers in the Middle East and in Europe. His authority of Mali, a state which extended crosswise over two thousand miles from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Chad and which incorporated all or parts of the cutting edge countries of Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad, guaranteed many years of peace and flourishing in Western Africa.
One example of something that made African civilizations great and thriving was their art and architecture. The first document talks about how, “It is large and possesses a dozen mosques... The king had a palace of conical huts surrounded by a fence wall... The court of appeal is held in a domed pavilion around which stand ten horses with gold-embroidered trappings... ten pages holding shields and swords decorated with gold....[on the right] are the sons of the subordinate kings of
As rich as people today may seem, nobody has ever been as wealthy as Mansa Musa, as his name translates to sultan of the wealthy. Mansa Musa ruled Mali from 1312 to 1337 BCE, and during his reign helped bring a golden age to his empire. Mali was known as the main source of gold in the world because if it’s tax on the gold that came in and out of the empire. Mansa Musa had managed to conquer 24 cities that he used for trade as well as lengthen his empire. (Empires of Medieval West Africa) But possibly the most well-known accomplishment of Mansa Musa was his hajj to Mecca, where he traveled through Egypt with an entourage of 60,000 men, with one fifth of them being slaves to carry his gold. (World Eras) Mansa Musa had a large impact on the Afro-Eurasian
He succeeded in increasing the gold trade. The reason that he succeeded was because he strengthened trade with the Muslim world. There were several ways in which he was able to strengthen the trade with the Muslim world. One being Mansa Musa made Islam the official religion of the Mali empire. Another way was his pilgrimage to Mecca. “He started new trade routes and encouraged trade with Muslim traders by bringing back four sharifs (descendents of Muhammad) to live in Mali” (Source 5). By making Islam the official religion and bringing back four sharifs he really turned the Mali empire into an Muslim empire. Since he turned it into an Muslim empire more Muslim countries were open to trade with them. Since the Mali empire was made so big by Mansa Musa himself, there were many trade routes throughout the empire. Mansa Musa had to keep the trade routes safe so as a result he sent his army to protect the trade routes and keep them flowing
Imagine being a poor slave in ancient Africa and a king wearing a gold crown was giving pounds of gold to you. Mansa Musa was “the king of all kings” in the Mali Empire. He was a true believer of the Muslim religion and followed the five pillars of Islam. In January of 1324, Mansa Musa traveled on a journey to Mecca. This pilgrimage or hajj was for only religious purposes so that he could complete two pillars of the Muslim religion-the hajj and zakat (charity) and he could alsk follow the Qur'an.
I, the Emperor Mansa Musa of Mali, write this ever so elaborate work to entail my amazing journey across to the Middle East, for the hope of preserving my deeds and the deeds of the Mali people. As a fond devotee of the Islamic culture, I had been yearning to cross to the northern parts of Africa and the Middle East to see the exhibit of the culture and existences of the people. I came across very vibrant regions, including Egypt, the Holy land of Mecca, and other Islamic provinces.
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
While in Mecca during his Hajj, Musa was able to hire the best architects and bring them back to Mali (232). In Mali, they were able to build great mosques for worship (232). These architects also built cultural public buildings (232). Under Musa, the arts and education thrived in Mali (232). With his wealth, Musa was able to hire professors from Egypt to teach in the learning center of Timbuktu (232). Even the best professors hired by Musa were impressed by the learning level of the scholars in Timbuktu (232). Some professors not only taught at Timbuktu, but also stayed as students (232). In these times, nothing was more valuable than books in the markets of Timbuktu (232). Overall, Musa’s leadership, excellent army, and his wealth were key to his empire strengthening and thriving under
Mansa Musa’s immense wealth and his generosity left a good impression on people in Egypt. In short period, his legendary pilgrimage stories have spread throughout Europe, and awakened the entire world to the spectacular wealth of Mali Empire. However, after his lavish expenditure during his journey, he eventually ran out of money and ended up borrowing money from Egyptian merchant with heavy interest in order to return
On the journey, Mansa Musa traveled with many pounds of gold showing the world his wealth. Musa was the successor of Abu-Bakr and was the first Muslim ruler of West Africa. In order, to start the journey, he brought camels loaded with pounds of gold and thousands of escorts. He would behead those that threatened to steal his wealth. This pilgrimage introduced the world to Mali as one of the wealthiest nations of Africa. Musa proudly showed off his expensive clothes and thousands of slaves. Musa was extremely generous to his followers and offered them lots of gold. In each of these empires, he was capable of controlling the economy
Although Africa managed to prevent the majority of Europe from navigating and invading African land for 400 years, suddenly the French began to take control over West Africa which thus lead more European countries to compete for land. Unfortunately, while establishing colonies, they neglected the fact that Africa had consisted of hundreds of ethnic groups, therefore forcing some together and splitting others apart. Over a half dozen countries including the French, Belgian, and British began imperializing in hopes to influence and improve Africa while giving them the chance to flourish, however this also lead to changing Africa's political, economic, and social life. Imperialism in Africa significantly altered the lives of many after the Europeans
The Great Sundiata founded this grand empire which became known for its wealthy rulers one of which being Mansa Musa. The Mali Empire covered a large territory of western Africa and had numerous villages within it, and has a major impact on the cultural norms of western Africa and its cultural values extended along the Niger River. The kings of Mali converted to Islam while the citizens of the empire remained their traditional religion. Sundiata was a wise leader in that he befriended all the most powerful people in Western Africa. The driving force behind the success of the Mali Empire was its extensive trade. The empire was able to have three gold mines within its territorial borders. Like made use of taxation the same way the Ghana Empire did and placed a tax on all good that entered into its borders. In the 14th century the Mali Empire was a source of nearly half of the gold in the entire world. Gold was one of the staples in their economy, but only the king could possess any. Citizens were only allowed to have gold dust. Salt was also a major trading commodity for the Mali Empire. Salt was valuable because in the southern part of Africa it was necessary for their diet. So merchants were able to take large quantities of salt to these areas and exchange other good for salt because in their reason salt almost had equivalent value to gold. Mansa Musa is the most famous ruler of the Mali Empire, he made the empire renowned worldwide. In 1324 Mansa Musa went on a famous pilgrimage in which he brought along 70,000 people, twelve tons of gold, and eighty camels. This major pilgrimage left the empire broke and in chaos and it eventually
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.
Mansa Musa, a devout Muslim, was the emperor of Mali during the fourteenth century. In 1324, Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca allowed him to meet up with the rulers in the Middle East and Europe. This allowed him to become allies with these two regions, benefiting him during his reign. The kingdom of Mali during the fourteenth century was abundantly equipped with luxury items such as gold, salt, cola nuts and ivory, all of which were greatly in demand in the markets of the Mediterranean (Mansa). Because these luxury items were in such high demand, this allowed the kingdom of Mali to thrive and become a very successful place. Without the gifted ruler Mansa Musa, this Mali empire would not have been half of what it was.