|
The Mali Empire or Manding Empire or Manden Kurufa was a medieval West African state of the Mandinka from 1235 to 1468. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa I. The Mali Empire had many profound cultural influences on West Africa allowing the spread of its language, laws and customs along the Niger River. Species About 37; see text. ...
Species About 37; see text. ...
Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) Distribution of Lions in Africa Synonyms Felis leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae and one of four big cats in the genus Panthera. ...
// Binomial name Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 The Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig. ...
An official language is a language that is given a privileged legal status in a state, or other legally-defined territory. ...
The Mandinka language, sometimes referred to as Mandingo, is a Mandé language spoken by some 1. ...
In politics, a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has a second meaning based on an alternative sense of capital) is the principal city or town associated with a countrys government. ...
Niani may refer to. ...
This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...
Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State of 16 countries including: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand and the Bahamas, as well as crown colonies and overseas territories of the United Kingdom. ...
Mansa is a Mandinka word meaning king of kings. ...
Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ...
The Establishment is a slang term (chiefly in British and Commonwealth English) for a traditional conservative ruling class and its institutions. ...
Dissolution or dissolve can have the following meanings: to crumble into a liquid. ...
Sundiata Keita or Sunjata Keyita (c. ...
This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...
Some of the cities in Mali which were under the control of the Bambara Empire. ...
Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...
The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ...
Western Africa (UN subregion) Maghreb[1] West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ...
The Mandinka (also known as Mandingo) are a Mande people of West Africa, all descend physically or culturally from the ancient Mali Empire which controlled the trans-Saharic trade from the Middle East to West Africa. ...
Sundiata Keita or Sunjata Keyita (c. ...
Wealth from the old English word weal, which means well-being or welfare. The term was originally an adjective to describe the possession of such qualities. ...
Mansa is a Mandinka word meaning king of kings. ...
Mansa Musa depicted holding a gold nugget from a 1395 map of Africa and Europe Mansa Musa[1] was a 14th century king (or Mansa) who ruled the Mali Empire between 1312 and 1337. ...
Map of Niger River with Niger River basin in green. ...
Manden The Mali Empire grew out of an area referred to by its contemporary inhabitants as Manden.[1] Manden, named for its inhabitants the Mandinka (initially Manden’ka with “ka” meaning people of),[2] comprised most of present-day northern Guinea and southern Mali. The empire was originally established as a federation of Mandinka tribes called the Manden Kurufa (literally Manden Federation), but it later became an empire ruling some 50 million people of nearly every ethnic group imaginable in West Africa.
Etymology The naming origins of the Mali Empire are complex and still debated in scholarly circles around the world. While the meaning of “Mali” is still contested, the process of how it entered the regional lexicon is not. As mentioned earlier, the Mandinka of the Middle Ages referred to their ethnic homeland as “Manden”. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...
Among the many different ethnic groups surrounding Manden were Pulaar speaking groups in Macina, Tekrur and Fouta Djallon. In Pulaar, the Mandinka of Manden became the Malinke of Mali. [3] So while the Mandinka people generally referred to their land and capital province as Manden, its semi-nomadic Fula subjects residing on the heartland’s western (Tekrur), southern (Fouta Djallon) and eastern borders (Macina) popularized the name Mali for this kingdom and later empire of the Middle Ages. The Fula language is a language of West Africa, spoken by the Fula people from Senegal to Cameroon and Sudan. ...
Macina may refer to: The Macina Empire, in present-day Mali Macina (swamp), in Mali Masina, one of the 24 municipalities of Kinshasa See also: List of people by name: Mac, for people named Macina This is a disambiguation page — a list of pages that otherwise might share the same...
Takrur was one of the minor Iron Age states of West Africa, which flourished roughly parallel to the Kingdom of Ghana. ...
Fouta Djallon is a highland region in Guinea, West Africa. ...
The Malinké are an African ethnic group. ...
Pre-Imperial Mali The Mandinka kingdoms of Mali or Manden had already existed several centuries before Sundiata’s unification as a small state just to the south of the Soninké empire of Wagadou, better known as the Ghana Empire.[4] This area was composed of mountains, savannah and forest providing ideal protection and resources for the population of hunters.[5] Those not living in the mountains formed small city-states such as Toron, Ka-Ba and Niani. The Keita dynasty from which nearly every Mali emperor came traces its lineage back to Bilal, [1] the faithful servant of Islam’s prophet Muhammad. It was common practice during the Middle Ages for both Christian and Muslim rulers to tie their bloodline back to a pivotal figure in their faith’s history. So while the lineage of the Keita dynasty may be dubious at best, oral chroniclers have preserved a list of each Keita ruler from Lawalo (supposedly one of Bilal’s seven sons whom settled in Mali) to Maghan Kon Fatta (father of Sundiata Keita). Also called Sarakole, Seraculeh, or Serahuli, the Soninke are a Mandé people who descend from the Bafour, and are closely related to the Imraguen of Mauritania. ...
This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...
This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...
Niani may refer to. ...
In Muslim tradition, Bilal ibn Rabah (died c. ...
For other persons named Muhammad, see Muhammad (name). ...
Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (see Hebrews 8:6). ...
A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Turkish: Müslüman, Persian and Urdu: مسلمان, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of Islam. ...
The Kangaba Province During the height of Wagadou's power, the land of Manden became one of its provinces.[6] The Manden city-state of Ka-ba (present-day Kangaba) served as the capital and name of this province. From at least the beginning of the 11th century, Mandinka kings known as faamas ruled Manden from Ka-ba in the name of the Ghanas.[2] As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ...
The Twelve Kingdoms Wagadou's control over Manden came to a halt after 14 years of war with the Almoravides, Muslim fanatics of mostly Berber extraction from North Africa. The Almoravide general Abu Bekr captured and burned the Wagadou capital of Kumbi Saleh in 1076 ending its dominance over the area. [3] However, the Almoravides were unable to hold onto the area, and it was quickly retaken by the weakened Soninké. The Kangaba province, free of both Soninké and Berber influence, splintered into twelve kingdoms with their own maghan (meaning prince) or faama.[4] Manden was split in half with the Dodougou territory to the northeast and the Kri territory to the southwest.[7] The tiny kingdom of Niani was one of several in the Kri area of Manden. Almoravides (In Arabic المرابطون al-Murabitun, sing. ...
A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Turkish: Müslüman, Persian and Urdu: مسلمان, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of Islam. ...
The Berbers (also called Amazigh people or Imazighen, free men, singular Amazigh) are an ethnic group autochtonous to Northwest Africa and speak various Berber languages. ...
Northern Africa (UN subregion) geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, generally divided by the formidable barrier of the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa. ...
Abu-Bakr Ibn-Umar (died in 1087) (Arabic: أبو بكر بن عمر) was a Almoravid ruler. ...
Koumbi Saleh was the capital of the Ghana Empire. ...
Events February 14 - Pope Gregory VII excommunicates Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor. ...
Maghan was a mansa of the Mali Empire, following his father Kankan Musa Is 1337 death. ...
The Kaniaga Rulers In approximately 1140 the Sosso kingdom of Kaniaga, a former vassal of Wagadou, began conquering the lands of its old masters. By 1180 it had even subjugated Wagadou forcing the once proud Soninké to pay tribute. In 1203, the Sosso king Soumaoro of the Kanté clan came to power and reportedly terrorized much of Manden stealing women and goods from both Dodougou and Kri.[8] The Sosso are a people of West Africa, found particularly in Guinea. ...
The Lion Prince During the rise of Kaniaga, Sundiata of the Keita clan was born in Niani around 1217 AD. He was the son of Niani’s faama, Nare Fa (also known as Maghan Kon Fatta meaning the handsome prince). Sundiata’s mother was Maghan Kon Fatta’s second wife, Sogolon Kédjou.[1] She was a hunchback from the land of Do south of Mali. The child of this marriage received the first name of his mother (Sogolon) and the surname of his father (Djata). Combined in the rapidly spoken language of the Mandinka, the names formed Sondjata or Sundjata.[1] The anglicized version of this name, Sundiata, is also popular. Maghan Sundiata was prophesized to become a great conqueror. To his parent's dread, the prince did not have a promising start. Maghan Sundiata, according to the oral traditions, did not walk until he was seven years old.[4]
However, once Sundiata did gain use of his legs he grew strong and very respected. Sadly for Sundiata, this did not occur before his father died. Despite the faama of Niani’s wishes to respect the prophecy and put Sundiata on the throne, the son from his first wife Sassouma Bérété was crowned instead. As soon as Sassouma’s son Dankaran Touman took the throne, he and his mother forced the increasingly popular Sundiata into exile along with his mother and two sisters. Before Dankaran Touman and his mother could enjoy their unimpeded power, King Soumaoro set his sights on Niani forcing Dankaran to flee to Kissidougou.[1] Kissidougou is a city in southern Guinea. ...
After many years in exile, first at the court of Wagadou and then at Mema, Sundiata was sought out by a Niani delegation and begged to combat the Sosso and free the kingdoms of Manden forever. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...
Battle of Kirina Returning with the combined armies of Mema, Wagadou and all the rebellious Mandinka city-states, Maghan Sundiata led a revolt against the Kaniaga Kingdom around 1234. The combined forces of northern and southern Manden defeated the Sosso army at the Battle of Kirina (then known as Krina) in approximately 1235.[4] This victory resulted in the fall of the Kaniaga kingdom and the rise of the Mali Empire. After the victory, King Soumaoro disappeared, and the Mandinka stormed the last of the Sosso cities. Maghan Sundiata was declared “faama of faamas” and received the title “mansa”, which translates roughly to emperor. At the age of 18, he gained authority over all the twelve kingdoms in an alliance known as the Manden Kurufa.[9] He was crowned under the throne name Mari Djata becoming the first Mandinka emperor.[4] Events Canonization of Saint Dominic Collapse of the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) Deaths Emperor Chukyo of Japan Emperor Go-Horikawa of Japan Monarchs/Presidents Aragon - James I King of Aragon and count of Barcelona (reigned from 1213 to 1276) Castile - Ferdinand III, the Saint King of Castile and Leon (reigned...
The Battle of Kirina (c. ...
Events Anglo-Norman invasion of Connacht St. ...
Manden Kurufa The Mali Empire was the second in a wave of successive states forged in the Sahel characterized by stronger and stronger centralization. Whereas the Ghana Empire had very little centralization outside of the edicts of its emperor, the Mali Empire would emerge as West Africa’s first federalized state with sweeping laws that were more or less uniform over an area roughly the size of Western Europe. This trend of centralization would be adopted and further developed by the Songhai during Mali’s decline as well as Bamana, Wolof and Fula states thereafter. Bambara, also known as Bamanankan in the language itself, is a language spoken in Mali by as many six million people. ...
Wolof may refer to: the ethnic group of the Wolof people; the Wolof language; things originating from the culture or tradition of the Wolof people. ...
Categories: Africa-related stubs | Burkina Faso | Cameroon | Ethnic groups of Africa | Fulani Empire | Mali | Nigeria ...
Organization The Manden Kurufa founded by Mari Djata I was composed of the “three freely allied states” of Mali, Mema and Wagadou plus the twelve doors of Mali.[1] It is important to remember that Mali, in this sense, strictly refers to the city-state of Niani.
Mema was a powerful city-state near the bend of the Niger River outside of Manden. It was allied to Sundiata throughout his campaign against Kaniaga. Its faama was allowed to keep his crown and not prostrate before Sundiata, because of the mansa’s exile at that court. Map of Niger River with Niger River basin in green. ...
Wagadou, another land outside of Manden, was also allowed to keep its monarch. The Ghana of Wagadou received the same benefits as Mema and for the same reasons.
The twelve doors of Mali were a coalition of conquered or allied territories, mostly within Manden, with sworn allegiance to Sundiata and his descendants. Upon stabbing their spears into the ground before Sundiata’s throne, each of the twelve kings relinquished their kingdom to the Keita dynasty.[1] In return for their submission, they became “farbas” a combination of the Mandinka words “farin” and “ba" (great farin).[5] Farin was a general term for northern commander at the time. These farbas would rule their old kingdoms in the name of the mansa with most of the authority they held prior to joining the Manden Kurufa. The twelve doors of Mali included:
- Bambougou; conquered by Fakoli Koroma
- The land of the Bozo river tribe; allied to Mali
- Djedeba; allied to Mali
- Do; from which all Keita queens would be picked; allied to Mali
- Jalo; conquered by Fran Kamara
- Kaniaga; conquered by Mari Djata I
- Kri of the; allied to Mali
- Oualata; conquered by Mari Djata I
- Sibi; allied to Mali
- Tabon of the; allied to Mali
- Toron of the; allied to Mali
- Zaghari of the; allied to Mali
The Kouroukan Fouga Immediately after being crowned mansa, Mari Djata instituted a universal constitution for all subjects of his new state called the Kouroukan Fouga.[10] At a site just outside the town of Kangaba, he formalized the government and established the Gbara or Great Assembly.[11] Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...
The Great Assembly The Gbara or Great Assembly would serve as the Mandinka deliberative body until the collapse of the Manden Kurufa in 1645. Its first meeting, at the famous Kouroukan Fouga (Division of the World), had 29 clan delegates presided over by a belen-tigui (master of ceremony). The final incarnation of the Gbara, according to the surviving traditions of northern Guinea, held 32 positions occupied by 28 clans.[12] The clans were as follows:
The 16 Djon-Tan-Nor-Woro (Carriers of Quiver) clans responsible for defense
- Dansouba
- Diaby
- Diakité
- Diallo
- Diawara
- Fofana
- Kamara
- Kamissoko
- Koita
- Kondé
- Koroma
- Magassouba
- Sako
- Sangaré
- Sidibé
- Traoré
The 4 Maghan (Princely) clans responsible for leadership - Danhou/Douno/Somono/Soumano
- Keita
- Konaté
- Koulibaly
The 5 Mori-Kanda-Lolou (Guardians of the Faith) clans responsible for Islamic advice - Bérété
- Cissé
- Diané
- Koma
- Sylla
The 7 Nyamakala (Wielders of Nyama “occult powers”) clans responsible for products - Diabate (Djelis; chroniclers)
- Kanté (Noumoun Fin; these men work iron and their wives make pottery)
- Kamara (Noumoun Siaki; these men work precious metals into jewels)
- Kamara (Finè; dispute mediators)
- Koroma (Noumoun Kule; these men work wood to make art)
- Kouyate (Djeli of the Mansa and Belen-Tigui at Gbara)
- Sylla (Garanke; leatherworkers & weavers making shoes, harnesses and cushions)
Social, Economic and Government Reform The Kouroukan Fouga also put in place social and economic reforms including prohibitions on the maltreatment of prisoners and slaves, installing women in government circles and placing a system of banter between clans which clearly stated who could say what about in who. Also, Sundiata divided the lands amongst the people assuring everyone had a place in the empire and fixed exchange rates for common products.
Another crucial fact established at the Kouroukan Fouga was the supremacy of Manden over all realms controlled by or allied to the federation including Wagadou and Mema. All future mansas would have to be chosen from the Keita clan, and the city-state of Niani (in present-day Guinea) would become the federal capital. Mansa Mari Djata returned to and rebuilt the capital of Niani, which had been destroyed by Soumaoro in his absence, and made it the most important center of trade in West Africa for the next 200 years. Niani may refer to. ...
Mari Djata I Mansa Mari Djata’s reign saw the conquest and or annexation of several key locals in the Mali Empire. When the campaigning was done, his empire extended 1,000 miles east to west with those borders being the bends of the Senegal and Niger Rivers respectively.[13] After unifying Manden, he added the Wangara goldfields making them the southern border. The northern commercial towns of Oualata and Audaghost were also conquered and became part of the new state’s northern border. Wagadou and Mema became junior partners in the realm and part of the imperial nucleus. The lands of Bambougou, Jalo (Fouta Djallon) and Kaabu were added into Mali by Fakoli Koroma,[4] Fran Kamara and Tiramakhan Traore,[14] respectively. Wangara is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Wanneroo. ...
Oualata (Arabic: ولاته) is a town in south east Mauritania. ...
Aoudaghost, also known as Tegdaoust, was a major city in ancient mediaeval West Africa, lying in what is now southeast Mauritania. ...
The Kingdom of Kaabu or Gabu or N’Gabu (1546-1867) was a Mandinka Kingdom of Guinea Bissau that rose to prominence in the region thanks to its origins as a former province of the Mali Empire. ...
When Mari Djata I dies, as the result of either drowning in the Sankarani or an errant arrow in a celebration, he had a standing army and control over the coveted trans-Saharan trade routes.[1]
Imperial Mali There were 21 known mansas of the Mali Empire after Mari Djata I and probably about two or three more yet to be revealed. The names of these rulers come down through history via the djelis and modern descendants of the Keita dynasty residing in Kangaba. What separates these rulers from the founder, other than the latter’s historic role in establishing the state, is their transformation of the Manden Kurufa into a Manden Empire. Not content to rule fellow Manding subjects unified by the victory of Mari Djata I, these mansas would conquer and annex Peuhl, Wolof, Serer, Bamana, Songhai, Taureg and countless other peoples into an immense empire.
The Djata Lineage 1250-1275 The first three successors to Mari Djata all claimed it by blood right or something close to it. This twenty-five year period saw amazing gains for the mansa and the beginning of fierce internal rivalries that nearly ended the burgeoning empire.
Ouali I After Mari Djata’s death in 1255, custom dictated that his son ascend the throne assuming he was of age. However, Yérélinkon was a minor following his father’s death.[15] Manding Bory, Mari Djata’s half-brother and kankoro-sigui (vizier), should have been crowned according to the Kouroukan Fouga. Instead, Mari Djata’s son seized the throne and was crowned Mansa Ouali (also spelt “Wali”).
Mansa Ouali proved to be a good emperor adding more lands to the empire including the Gambian provinces of Bati and Casa. He also conquered the gold producing provinces of Bambuk and Bondou. The central province of Konkodougou was established. The Songhai kingdom of Gao also seems to have been subjugated for the first of many times around this period. [3]
Aside from military conquest, Ouali is also credited with agricultural reforms throughout the empire putting many soldiers to work as farmers in the newly acquired Gambian provinces. Just prior to his death in 1270, Ouali went on the hajj to Mecca strengthening ties with North Africa and Muslim merchants. [3]
The General’s Sons As a policy of controlling and rewarding his generals, Mari Djata adopted their sons. [4] These children were raised at the mansa’s court and became Keitas upon reaching maturity. Seeing the throne as their right, two adopted sons of Mari Djata waged a devastating war against one another that threatened to destroy what the first two mansas had built. The first son to gain the throne was Mansa Ouati (also spelt “Wati) in 1270.[6] He reigned for four years spending lavishly and ruling cruelly according to the djelis. Upon his death in 1274, the other adopted son seized the throne.[6] Mansa Khalifa is remembered as even worse than Ouati. He governed just as badly and reportedly fired arrows from the roof of his palace at passersby. He was assassinated, possibly on orders of the Gbara, and replaced with Manding Bory in 1275.[16] ...
Khalifa Keita was the fourth mansa of the Mali Empire. ...
The Court Mansas 1275-1300 After the chaos of Ouali and Khalifa’s reigns, a number of court officials with close ties to Mari Djata ruled. They began the empire’s return to grace setting it up for a golden age of rulers.
Abubakari I Manding Bory was crowned under the throne name Mansa Abubakari (a Manding corruption of the Muslim name Abu Bakr).[4] Mansa Abubakari’s mother was Namandjé,[4] the third wife of Maghan Kon Fatta. Prior to becoming mansa, Abubakari had been one of his brother’s generals and later his kankoro-sigui. Little else is known about the reign of Abubakari I, but it seems he was successful in stopping the hemorrhaging of wealth in the empire. Abu Bakr, also known as Abubakari I or Manding Bory, was the fifth mansa (king) of the Mali Empire, reigning from 1275 to 1285. ...
Sakoura In 1285, a court slave freed by Mari Djata whom had also served as a general usurped the throne of Mali.[3] The reign of Mansa Sakoura (also spelt Sakura) appears to have been beneficial despite the political shake-up. He added the first conquests to Mali since the reign of Ouali including the former Wagadou provinces of Tekrour and Diara. His conquests did not stop at the boundaries of Wagadou however. He campaigned into Senegal and conquered the Wolof province of Dyolof then took the army east to subjugate the copper producing area of Takedda. He also conquered Macina and raided into Gao to suppress its first rebellion against Mali.[3] More than just a mere warrior, Mansa Sakoura went on the hajj and opened direct trade negotiations with Tripoli and Morocco.[3] ...
Takrur was one of the minor Iron Age states of West Africa, which flourished roughly parallel to the Kingdom of Ghana. ...
Wolof may refer to: the ethnic group of the Wolof people; the Wolof language; things originating from the culture or tradition of the Wolof people. ...
Macina may refer to: The Macina Empire, in present-day Mali Macina (swamp), in Mali Masina, one of the 24 municipalities of Kinshasa See also: List of people by name: Mac, for people named Macina This is a disambiguation page — a list of pages that otherwise might share the same...
Gao is a city in Mali on the River Niger with a population of about 38,000 people. ...
Tripoli (Arabic: طرابلس TarÄbulus) is the capital city of Libya. ...
Mansa Sakoura was murdered on his return trip from Mecca in or near present-day Djibouti by a Danakil warrior attempting to rob him.[17] The emperor’s attendants rushed his body home through the Ouadi Kingdom and into Kanem where one of that empire’s messengers was sent to Mali with news of Sakoura’s death. When the body arrived in Niani, it was given a regal burial despite the usurper’s slave roots.[18] Danakil may refer to the following: Danakil Desert Danakil, an old name referring to the Afar people and/or their language This is a disambiguation page—a list of articles associated with the same title. ...
Kanem can also refer to the ancient Sahelian state of Kanem-Bornu Kanem is one of the 14 prefectures of Chad. ...
The Kolonkan Lineage 1300-1312 The Gbara selected Ko Mamadi as the next mansa in 1300. He was the first of a new line of rulers directly descending from Mari Djata’s sister, Kolonkan.[4] But seeing as how these rulers all shared the blood of Maghan Kon Fatta, they are considered legitimate Keitas. Even Sakoura, with his history of being a slave in the Djata family, was considered a Keita; so the line of Bilal had yet to be broken.
It is during the Kolonkan lineage that the defining characteristics of golden age Mali begin to appear. By maintaining the developments of Sakoura and Abubakari I, the Kolonkan mansas steer Mali safely into its apex.
Economy The Mali Empire flourished because of trade above all else. It contained three immense gold mines within its borders unlike the Ghana Empire, which was only a transit point for gold. The empire taxed every ounce of gold or salt that entered its borders. By the beginning of the 14th century, Mali was the source of almost half the Old World's gold exported from mines in Bambuk, Boure and Galam.[3] There was no standard currency throughout the realm, but several forms were prominent by region. The Old World consists of those parts of Earth known to Europeans, Asians, and Africans before the voyages of Christopher Columbus; it includes Europe, Asia, and Africa (collectively known as Africa-Eurasia), plus surrounding islands. ...
General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ...
Bambouk (sometimes Bambuk) is a traditional name for the territory in eastern Senegal and western Mali, encompassing the Bambouk Mountains on its eastern edge, the valley of the Faleme River and the hilly country to the east of the river valley. ...
Bour , also commonly known as Boo-Ray, is a gambling card game primarily played in the Acadiana region of Louisiana in the United States of America. ...
Gold Gold nuggets were the exclusive property of the mansa, and were illegal to trade within his borders. All gold was immediately handed over to the imperial treasury in return for an equal value of gold dust. Gold dust had been weighed and bagged for use at least since the reign of the Ghana Empire. Mali borrowed the practice to stem inflation of the substance, since it was so prominent in the region. The most common measure for gold within the realm was the ambiguous mithqal (4.5 grams of gold).[4] This term was used interchangeably with dinar, though it is unclear if coined currency was used in the empire. Gold dust was used all over the empire, but was not valued equally in all regions.
Salt The next great unit of exchange in the Mali Empire was salt. Salt was as valuable if not more valuable than gold in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was cut into pieces and spent on goods with close to equal buying power throughout the empire.[4] While it was as good as gold in the north, it was even better in the south. The people of the south needed salt for their diet, but it was extremely rare.[19] The northern region on the other hand had no shortage of salt. Every year merchants entered Mali via Oualata with camel loads of salt to sell in Niani. According to historians of the period, a camel load of salt could fetch 10 dinars worth of gold in the north and 20 to 40 in the south.[4]
Copper Copper was also a valued commodity in imperial Mali. Copper, traded in bars, was mined from Takedda in the north and traded in the south for gold. Contemporary sources claim 60 copper bars traded for 100 dinars of gold.[4]
Military The number and frequency of conquest in the late 13th century and throughout the 14th century indicate the Kolonkan mansas inherited and or developed a capable military. While no particular mansa or mansa has ever been credited with the organization of the Manding war machine, it could not have developed to the legendary proportions proclaimed by its subjects without steady revenue and stable government. Conveniently, the Mali Empire had just that from 1275 until the first Kolonkan mansa in 1300.
Strength The Mali Empire maintained a professional, full-time army in order to defend its borders. The entire nation was mobilized with each tribe obligated to provide a quota of fighting age men.[4] Contemporary historians present during the height and decline of the Mali Empire consistently record its army at 100,000 with 10,000 of that number being made up of cavalry.[4] With the help of the river tribes, this army could be deployed throughout the realm on short notice.[20]
Divisions The forces were divided into northern and southern armies. The northern army, under the command of a farin (northern commander) was stationed in the border city of Soura.[4] The southern army, under the command of a Sankar (a term for the ruler near the Sankarani River),[4] was commanded from the city of Zouma. The Farin-Soura and Sankar-Zouma were both appointed by the mansa and answerable only to him.
Infantry An infantryman, regardless of weapon (bow, spear, etc.) was called a sofa.[1] Sofas were organized in tribal units led by tribal chiefs. The smallest unit of sofas was commanded by a kun-tigui (tribe master). As mentioned before, kun-tiguis recruited and led quotas of their tribesmen into battle once called to service by their lord. A kun-tigui commanded an infantry unit of 10 to 20 men called a kelé-kulu meaning "war heap". An officer commanding ten kelé-kulus (100 to 200 infantry) was in charge of a kelé-bolo meaning "war arm".[21] These officers received the titled bolo kun-tigui. Sofas come in a variety of colors, patterns, and materials (two-seater model) Ancient Greek sofa A couch, also known as a sofa, settee, lounge or chesterfield is an item of furniture for the comfortable seating of more than one person. ...
Cavalry Cavalry units called Mandekalu served as an equal if not more important element of the army. Then as today, horses were expensive and only the nobles took them into battle. A Mandinka cavalry unit was composed of 50 horsemen and called a seré. A “kelé-tigui” or war master commanded these. Aside from commanding a personal contingent of horsemen, a kélé-tigui had two or more bolo kun-tiguis obliged to follow him onto the battlefield. Kélé-Tiguis, as the name suggest, were professional soldiers and the highest rank on the field short of the Farin or Sankar.
Equipment The common sofa was armed with a large shield constructed out of wood or animal hide and a stabbing spear called a tamba. Bowmen formed a large portion of the sofas. Three bowmen supporting one spearman was the ratio in Kaabu and the Gambia by the mid 16th century. Equipped with two quivers and a shield, Mandinka bowmen used iron headed arrows with barbed tipped that were usually poisoned. They also used flaming arrows for siege warfare. While spears and bows were the mainstay of the sofas, swords and lances of local or foreign manufacture were the choice weapons of the Mandekalu.[22] Another common weapon of Mandekalu warriors was the poison javelin used in skirmished. Imperial Mali's horsemen also used chain mail armor for defense and shields similar to those of the sofas. For other uses, see Chainmail (disambiguation). ...
The Gao Mansas Ko Mamadi was crowned Mansa Gao and ruled over a successful empire without any recorded crisis. His son, Mansa Mohammed ibn Gao, ascended the throne five years later and continued the stability of the Kolonkan line.[4] Gao was Mansa of the Mali Empire from 1300 to 1305. ...
Abubakari II The last Kolonkan ruler, Bata Manding Bory, was crowned Mansa Abubakari II in 1310.[4] He continued the non-militant style of rule that characterized Gao and Mohammed ibn Gao, but was interested in the empire’s western sea. According to an account given by Mansa Musa I, who during the reign of Abubakari II served as the mansa’s kankoro-sigui, Mali sent two expeditions into the Atlantic. Mansa Abubakari II left Musa as regent of the empire, demonstrating the amazing stability of this period in Mali, and departed with the second expedition commanding some 4,000 pirogues equipped with both oars and sails in 1311.[23] Neither the emperor nor any of the ships returned to Mali. Modern historians and scientists are skeptical about the success of either voyage, but the account of these happenings is preserved in both written North African records and the oral records of Mali’s djelis. These are small flat hulled boats used primarily by the Cajuns of the Louisiana marsh to travel around. ...
The Laye Lineage 1312-1389 Abubakari II’s 1312 abdication, the only recorded one in the empire’s history, marked the beginning of a new lineage descended from Faga Laye.[4] Faga Laye was the son of Abubakari I. Unlike his father, Faga Laye never took the throne of Mali. However, his line would produce seven mansa whom reigned during the height of Mali’s power and toward the beginning of its decline.
Governance The Mali Empire retained much of the framework established to govern the original area of the Manden Kurufa, but wisely made changes to suit the needs of newly acquired lands. At the very top of government was the ruler of Manden or Mali followed by his vizier. The governors of BaGhana (Wagadou) and Mema were next in reverence if not importance. - Mali, ruled by a mansa; the paramount state from which the empire gets its name
- Mema, ruled by a fama; it was the land that reared Sundiata to manhood while in exile
- Wagadou, ruled by a ghana; hence the name BaGhana, also aided Sundiata
Administration The Mali Empire covered a larger area for a longer period of time than any other West African state before or since. What made this possible was the decentralized nature of administration throughout the state. According to Ki-Zerbo, the farther a person traveled from Niani, the more decentralized the mansa’s power became.[24] Nevertheless, the mansa managed to keep tax money and nominal control over the area without agitating his subjects into revolt. At the local level (village, town, city), kun-tiguis elected a dougou-tigui (village-master) from a bloodline descended from that locality’s semi-mythical founder.[7] The county level administrators called kafo-tigui (county-master) were appointed by the governor of the province from within his own circle.[3] Only when we get to the state or province level is there any palpable interference from the central authority in Niani. Provinces picked their own governors via their own custom (election, inheritance, etc). Regardless of their title in the province, they were recognized as dyamani-tigui (province master) by the mansa.[3] Dyamani-tiguis had to be approved by the mansa and were subject to his oversight. If the mansa didn’t believe the dyamani-tigui was capable or trustworthy, a farba might be installed to oversee the province or administer it outright.
Farins and Farbas Territories in Mali came into the empire via conquest or annexation. In the event of conquest, farins took control of the area until a suitable native ruler could be found. After the loyalty or at least the capitulation of an area was assured, it was allowed to select its own dyamani-tigui. This process was essential to keep non-Manding subjects loyal to the Manding elites that ruled them.
Barring any other difficulties, the dyamani-tigui would run the province by himself collecting taxes and procuring armies from the tribes under his command. However, territories that were crucial to trade or subject to revolt would receive a farba.[25] Farbas were picked by the mansa from the conquering farin, family members or even slaves. The only real requirement was that the mansa knew he could trust this individual to safeguard imperial interests.
Duties of the farba included reporting on the activities of the territory, collecting taxes and ensuring the native administration didn’t contradict orders from Niani. The farba could also take power away from the native administration if required and raise an army in the area for defense or putting down rebellions.[26]
The post of a farba was very prestigious, and his descendants could inherit it with the mansa’s approval. The mansa could also replace a farba if he got out of control as in the case of Diafunu.
Territory The Mali Empire reached its largest size under the Laye mansas. During this period, Mali covered nearly all the area between the Sahara Desert and coastal forests. It stretched from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean to Niamey in modern day Niger. By 1350, the empire covered approximately 439,400 square miles. The empire also reached its highest population during the Laye period ruling between 40 and 50 million people in 400 cities,[27] towns and villages of various religions and ethnicities. Scholars of the era claim it took no less than a year to traverse the empire from east to west. During this period only the Mongol Empire was larger. The Sahara is the worlds second largest desert (second to Antarctica), over 9,000,000 km² (3,500,000 mi²), located in northern Africa and is 2. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
The dramatic increase in the empire’s size demanded a shift from the Manden Kurufa’s organization of three states with twelve dependencies. This model was scrapped by Ibn Battuta’s 1352 visit. Replacing the old model was a setup of fourteen provinces covering all areas loyal to the mansa.[28] The fourteen provinces included:
- Audaghost (Northeast of Takrur, West of Oulata)
- BaGhana (“Great Ghana” contains Wagadou and Mema)
- Bambougou (contains Bambuk and Boure conquered by Fakoli Koroma)
- Bati (The area immediately north of the Gambia)
- Cassa (Senegal South of the Gambia)
- Diafunu (contains Diara; NE of Bambouk, SE of Audaghost, SW of Oulata)
- Dyolof (Atop Senegal River)
- Gao (East of Niger northernmost hump)
- Kaabu (south of Cassa, west of Manden, most of northern Guinea Bissau)
- Kita (In SE region of the Kayes division of modern Mali, West of Bambouk)
- Konkodougou (West of Sangala, Possibly southwest of Kita)
- Manden (Capital province from which the empire gets it name; South of Kita)
- Oualata (East of Audaghost, West of Timbuktu; directly north of Kumbi Saleh)
- Takrur (On 3rd cataract of the Senegal River, north of Dyolof)
Musa I The first ruler from the Laye lineage was Kankan Musa, also known as Kango Musa. After an entire year without word from Abubakari II, he was crowned Mansa Foamed Musa. Mansa Musa was one of the first truly devout Muslims to lead the Mali Empire. He attempted to make Islam the faith of the nobility,[3] but kept to the imperial tradition of not forcing it on the populace. He also made Id celebrations at the end of Ramadan a national ceremony. He could read and write Arabic and took an interest in the scholarly city of Timbuktu, which he peaceably annexed in 1324. Via one of the royal ladies of his court, Musa transformed Sankore from an informal madrasah into an Islamic university. Islamic studies flourished thereafter. That same year a Mandinka general known as Sagmandir put down yet another rebellion in Gao.[3] Mansa Musa depicted holding a gold nugget from a 1395 map of Africa and Europe Mansa Musa[1] was a 14th century king (or Mansa) who ruled the Mali Empire between 1312 and 1337. ...
Look up ID, Id, id in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
This article is about Islamic religious observances in the month of Ramadan. ...
Timbuktu (Archaic English: Timbuctoo; Koyra Chiini: Tumbutu; French: Tombouctou) is a city in Tombouctou Region, Mali. ...
Events Publication of Defensor pacis by Marsilius of Padua Mansa Kankan Musa I, ruler of the Mali Empire arrives in Cairo on his hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca. ...
Sankoré Madrasah, The University of Sankoré, or Sankore Masjid is one of three ancient centers of learning located in Timbuktu, Mali, West Africa. ...
Ulugh Beg Madrasa, Samarkand, ca. ...
Mansa Musa’s crowning achievement was his famous pilgrimage to Mecca, which started in 1324 and concluded with his return in 1326. Accounts of how many people and how much gold he spent vary. All of them agree it was a very large group (the mansa kept a personal guard of some 500 men),[29] and he gave out so many alms and bought so many things that gold’s value in Egypt and the near east depreciated for twelve years.[30] When he passed through Cairo, historian al-Maqurizi noted "the members of his entourage proceeded to buy Turkish and Ethiopian slave girls, singing girls and garments, so that the rate of the gold dinar fell by six dirhams." Events Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Osman I (1299-1326) to Orhan I (1326-1359) Aradia de Toscano, is initiated into a Dianic cult of Italian Witchcraft (Stregheria), and discovers through a vision that she is the human incarnation of the goddess Aradia. ...
Nickname: Al Qahirah (The Triumphant City) Egypt: Site of Cairo (top center) Coordinates: Government - Governor Dr. Abdul Azim Wazir Area - City 210 km² (81. ...
Musa was so generous that he ran out of money and had to take out a loan to be able to afford the journey home. Musa's hajj, and especially his gold, caught the attention of both the Islamic and Christian worlds. Consequently, the name of Mali and Timbuktu appeared on 14th century world maps. A loan is a type of debt. ...
Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (see Hebrews 8:6). ...
While on the hajj, he met the Andalusian poet and architect Es-Saheli. Mansa Musa brought the architect back to Mali to beautify some of the cities. Mosques were built in Gao and Timbuktu along with impressive palaces also built in Timbuktu. By the time of his death in 1337, Mali had control over Taghazza, a salt producing area in the north, which further strengthened its treasury. Al-Andalus is the Arabic name given the Iberian Peninsula by its Muslim conquerors; it refers to both the Caliphate proper and the general period of Muslim rule (711–1492). ...
Mansa Musa was succeeded by his son, Maghan I.[3] Mansa Maghan I spent wastefully and was the first lackluster emperor since Khalifa. But the Mali Empire built by his predecessors was too strong for even his misrule and passed intact to Musa’s brother, Souleyman in 1341.
Souleyman Mansa Souleyman took steep measures to put Mali back into financial shape developing a reputation for miserliness.[3] However, he proved to be a good and strong ruler despite numerous challenges. It is during his reign that Fula raids on Takrur began. There was also a palace conspiracy to overthrow him hatched by the Qasa (Manding term meaning Queen) and several army commanders.[3] Mansa Souleyman’s generals successfully fought off the military incursions, and the senior wife behind the plot was imprisoned.
The mansa also made a successful hajj, kept up correspondence with Morocco and Egypt and built an earthen platform at Kangaba called the Camanbolon where he held court with provincial governors and deposited the holy books he brought back from Hedjaz. Hejaz (also Hijaz, Hedjaz) is a region in the northwest of present-day Saudi Arabia; its main city is Jeddah, but it is probably better-known for the holy city of Mecca. ...
The only major setback to his reign was the loss of Mali’s Dyolof province in Senegal. The Wolof populations of the area united into their own state known as the Jolof Empire in the 1350s. Still, when Ibn Battuta arrived at Mali in July of 1352, he found a thriving civilization on par with virtually anything in the Muslim or Christian world. Mansa Souleyman died in 1360 and was succeeded by his son, Camba. Wolof may refer to: the ethnic group of the Wolof people; the Wolof language; things originating from the culture or tradition of the Wolof people. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Jolof. ...
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta (Arabic: أبو عبد الله Ù…Øمد ابن بطوطة) (born February 24, 1304; year of death uncertain, possibly 1368 or 1377) was a Berber[1] Sunni Islamic scholar and jurisprudent from the Maliki Madhhab (a school of Fiqh, or Sunni Islamic law), and at times a Qadi or judge. ...
Mari Djata II After a mere nine months of rule, Mansa Camba was deposed by one of Maghan I’s three sons. Konkodougou Kamissa, named for the province he once governed,[4] was crowned as Mansa Mari Djata II in 1360. He rules oppressively and nearly bankrupts Mali with his lavish spending. He does; however, maintain contacts with Morocco sending a giraffe to King Abu Hassan of the Maghreb. Mansa Mari Djata II becomes seriously ill in 1372,[3] and power moves into the hands of his ministers until his death in 1374.
Musa II The ruinous reign of Mari Djata II left the empire in bad financial shape, but it passed intact to the dead emperor’s brother. Mansa Fadima Musa or Mansa Musa II, began the process of reversing his brother’s excesses.[3] He does not; however, hold the power of previous mansa because of the influence of his kankoro-sigui.
Kankoro-Sigui Mari Djata, who had no relation to the Keita clan, practically ran the empire in Musa II’s stead. He put down a Taureg rebellion in Takedda and campaigned in Gao. While he met success in Tahkedda, he never managed a decisive victory in Gao. The Songhai settlement effectively shook off Mali’s authority in 1375. Still, by the time of Mansa Musa II’s death in 1387, Mali was financially solvent and in control of all of its previous conquests short of Gao and Dyolof. Forty years after the reign of Mansa Musa I, the Mali Empire still controlled some 1.1 million meters of land throughout Western Africa.[31] Events October 24 - Valdemar IV of Denmark dies and is succeeded by his grandson Olaf III of Denmark. ...
Maghan II The last son of Maghan I, Tenin Maghan (also known as Kita Tenin Maghan for the province he once governed) is crowned Mansa Maghan II in 1387.[4] Little is known of him except that he only reigned two years. He is deposed in 1389 marking the end of the Faga Laye mansas. Magha II was mansa of the Mali Empire from 1387 to 1389. ...
The Obscure Lineages 1389-1545 From 1389 onward Mali will gain a host of mansas of obscure origins. This is the least known period in Mali’s imperial history. What is evident is that there is no steady lineage governing the empire. The other characteristic of this era is the gradual loss of its northern and eastern possession to the rising Songhai Empire and the movement of the Mali’s economic focus from the trans-Saharan trade routes to the burgeoning commerce along the coast.
Maghan III Mansa Sandaki, a descendant of Kankoro-Sigui Mari Djata, deposed Maghan II becoming the first person without any Keita dynastic relation to officially rule Mali.[3] He would only reign a year before a descendant of Mansa Gao removed him.[8] Mahmud, possibly a grandchild or great-grandchild of Mansa Gao, was crowned Mansa Maghan III in 1390. During his reign, the Mossi emperor Bonga of Yatenga raids into Mali and plunders Macina.[3] Emperor Bonga does not appear to hold the area, and it stays within the Mali Empire after Maghan III’s death in 1400 Sandaki was mansa of the Mali Empire from 1389 to 1390. ...
Mahmud was mansa of the Mali Empire from 1390 to about 1400. ...
Yatenga is a modern region found in the northern central area of Burkina Faso and formerly a powerful kingdom in the west of Africa. ...
Musa III In the early 1400s, Mali is still powerful enough to conquer and settle new areas. One of these is Dioma, an area south of Niani populated by Peuhl Wassoulounké.[4] Two noble brothers from Niani of unknown lineage go to Dioma with an army and drive out the Peuhl Wassoulounké. The oldest brother, Sérébandjougou, is crowned Mansa Foamed or Mansa Musa III. It is likely that his reign saw the first in a string of many great losses to Mali. In 1430, the Taureg seized Timbuktu.[32] Three years later, Oualata also fell into their hands.[3]
Ouali II Following Musa III’s death, his brother Gbèré became emperor in the mid 15th century.[4] Gbèré was crowned Mansa Ouali II and ruled during the period of Mali’s contact with Portugal. In the 1450s, Portugal began sending raiding parties along the Gambian coast.[9] The Gambia was still firmly in Mali’s control, and these raiding expeditions met with disastrous fates before Portugal’s Diego Gomez began formal relations with Mali via its remaining Wolof subjects.[33] Cadomasto, a Venetian explorer, recorded that the Mali Empire was the most powerful entity on the coast in 1454.[34]
Despite their power in the west, Mali was losing the battle for supremacy in the north and northeast. The new Songhai Empire conquered Mema,[3] one of Mali’s oldest possessions, in 1465. It then seized Timbuktu from the Taureg in 1468 under Sunni Ali Ber.[3] The Songhai Empire, c. ...
Mansa Mahmud II It is unknown when exactly Mamadou became Mansa Mahmud II or whom he descended from, but he is likely to have taken the throne in the 1470s. Another emperor, Mansa Mahan III, is sometimes cited as Mansa Mahmud I, but throne names don’t usually indicate blood relations. Mansa Mahmud II’s rule was characterized by more losses to Mali’s old possessions and increased contact between Mali and Portuguese explorers along the coast. In 1477, the Yatenga emperor Nasséré makes yet another Mossi raid into Macina this time conquering it and the old province of BaGhana (Wagadou).[35] In 1481, Peuhl raids against Mali’s Tekrur provinces begin.
The growing trade in Mali’s western provinces with Portugal witnesses the exchange of envoys between the two nations. Mansa Mahmud II receives the Portuguese envoy Pedro d’Evora al Gonzalo in 1484.[4] The mansa looses control of Jalo during this period.[36] Meanwhile, Songhai seizes the salt mines of Taghazza in 1493. That same year, Mahmud II sends another envoy to the Portuguese proposing alliance against the Peuhl. The Portuguese decide to stay out of the conflict and the talks conclude by 1495 without an alliance.[37]
It is unlikely that Mahmud II ruled much longer than the first decade of the 16th century; however, there are no names for the ruler or rulers during this time. If Mahmud II was still on the throne between 1495 and the 1530s, he may hold the dubious honor of having lost the most possession during Mali’s imperial period. Songhai forces under the command of Askia Muhammad defeat the Mali general Fati Quali in 1502 and seize the province of Diafunu.[3] In 1514, the Denanke dynasty is established in Tekrour. It isn’t long before the new kingdom of Fouta Tooro is warring against Mali’s remaining provinces. To add insult to injury, the Songhai Empire seizes the copper mines of Takedda. Askia Muhammad I was a king of the Songhai Empire in the late 1400s. ...
Mansa Mahmud III The last mansa to rule from Niani is Mansa Mahmud III also known as Mansa Mamadou II. Like many rulers of this period, it is unclear when he came to power. The only dates distinguishing his rule are the arrival of a Portuguese envoy in 1534, and the 1545 sack of Niani. These do not rule out his ascension to the throne in the late 1520s or even earlier. 1534 (MDXXXIV) was a common year in the 16th century. ...
Events February 27 - Battle of Ancrum Moor - Scots victory over superior English forces December 13 - Official opening of the Council of Trent (closed 1563) Battle of Kawagoe - between two branches of Uesugi families and the late Hojo clan in Japan. ...
In 1534, Mahmud III received another Portuguese envoy to the Mali court by the name of Peros Fernandes.[38] This envoy from the Portuguese coastal port of Elmina arrives in response to the growing trade along the coast and Mali’s now urgent request for military assistance against Songhai.[39] Still, no help is forthcoming and Mali must watch its possessions fall one by one. Elmina is a town on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ghana, lying west of Cape Coast. ...
Mansa Mahmud III’s reign also sees the military outpost and province of
|
