Kingdoms of Africa:Ghana, Mali, and Songhai

Kingdom of Ghana• Western Africa, located on the Senegal River

– Emerged in 500 A.D.• 1st Great Traders of West Africa

– Gold and Salt trade• Farming communities throughout nation• Strong rulers, no laws to govern with

– Rulers acted as religious leader, judge, and military commander as well

• Well trained army to protect Kingdom• Vast wealth- resources of gold, silver, and iron

ore

Ghana Continued• Traded gold and salt but also cloth and weapons• Berbers- traders whom carried the products

across the desert– Camels used– About 3 miles per hours, about 60 days to reach

destination

• Spread of Islamic ideas through trade– Literacy grew- study of the Qu’ran

Empire of Ghana• King collected taxes on all goods traded

– Usually took tax payments as gold or salt blocks• King controlled/owned all gold

– Preventing it from losing its value you at market– Type of economy- Government Controlled!

• Elaborate dress for the wealthy• 800 A.D.- reached empire status

– Smaller rulers left in place over territories• Like a bureaucracy

– Independent rulers pay tax = freedom of state

End of Ghana• Lived in luxury for hundreds of years

• Weakened by war

• Collapsed in the 1200’s– Invasion

Kingdom of Mali• 12th Century

• Defeated Ghana, captured capital 1240

• Extended from Atlantic Coast to Timbuktu

• Wealth came from gold and salt trade

• Each village had its own ruler– Ruler governed and sent money to the king of

Mali

Mansa

• Meaning “ruler”• Major Ruler- Sundiata

– provided wealth and power to empire– re-organized government– Capital- Niani

• moved government westward provided more trading posts

Mansa Musa• Powerful king, 1312- 1337• Extended kingdom (double

the size)• Strong central govt.,

kingdom divided into provinces

• Timbuktu- Islamic learning center– Pilgrimage to Mecca, wanted

education in Mali– Built mosques and libraries

• Civil War, 1359 divided Mali, beginning of the end

Kingdom of Songhai• Niger River Valley

– Land very fertile (yearly flooding)

• Islamic kingdom• Benefited from Muslim trade routes• Askia the Great- expanded the kingdom, 1464

– Cities - Timbuktu and Djenne– Created a professional army– Gave total control of trade routes to Songhai– Ruled for over 30 years

Songhai Continued• Muhammad Ture - Golden Age ruler

• Expansion, peaceful and secure time

• After his reign entered into a decline

• By 1600- Songhai completely declined– Lacked modern weapons– Overthrown finally by North African armies