With trade being disrupted by wars, there was no way for the economy to continue to prosper. [16] However, al-Umari gives Mali as the name of the capital province and Ibn Khaldun refers to Mali as a people, with each giving different names for the capital city itself. The Wangara, an Old Soninke Diaspora in West Africa? As soon as Sassouma's son Dankaran Touman took the throne, he and his mother forced the increasingly popular Sundjata into exile along with his mother and two sisters. He ruled the nation for nearly 25 years until his death in 1337 and is . [115] The breakup of the Wolof Empire allowed Mali to reassert authority over some of its former subjects on the north bank of the Gambia, such as Wuli, by 1576. Barring any other difficulties, the dyamani-tigui would run the province by himself collecting taxes and procuring armies from the tribes under his command. There are a few references to Mali in early Islamic literature. This was due to the tax on trade in and out of the empire, along with all the gold Mansa Musa had. Despite the faama of Niani's wishes to respect the prophecy and put Sundiata on the throne, the son from his first wife Sassouma Brt was crowned instead. [42] Among these preparations would likely have been raids to capture and enslave people from neighboring lands, as Musa's entourage would include many thousands of enslaved people; the historian Michael Gomez estimates that Mali may have captured over 6,000 people per year for this purpose. Mansa Abu Bakr II had departed on a large fleet of ships to explore the Atlantic Ocean, and never returned.Mansa Musa inherited a kingdom that was already wealthy, but his work in expanding trade made Mali the wealthiest kingdom in Africa. (2020, October 17). Candice Goucher, Charles LeGuin, and Linda Walton. Furthermore, his hajj in 1324 was in some ways an act of solidarity that showed his connection to other rulers and peoples throughout the Islamic world. Stories of his fabulous wealth even reached Europe. [131] Mansa Musa placed a heavy tax on all objects that went through Timbuktu. [81] The territory of the Mali Empire was at its height during the reigns of Musa and his brother Sulayman, and covered the Sudan-Sahel region of West Africa. Mansa Musa brought the architect back to Mali to beautify some of the cities. There was also a palace conspiracy to overthrow him hatched by the Qasa (the Manding term meaning Queen) Kassi and several army commanders. . He is believed to be one of the richest individuals to have walked on this planet. [22] Oral tradition, as performed by the jeliw (sg. Mansa Musa is potentially the richest person to ever live; as ruler of Mali from 1312 to 1337, he came into power after his brother, King Abu Bakr the Second, vanished on an oceanic voyage. Musa conquered more than 20 major cities in his lifetime. He was the first African ruler to be widely known throughout Europe and the Middle East. Musa and his entourage arrived at the outskirts of Cairo in July 1324. In 1324 Musa embarked on a hajj, a religious pilgrimage to Mecca, traveling with an entourage that included 8,000 courtiers, 12,000 servants and 100 camel loads of . Mansa Mahmud Keita II received the Portuguese envoys Pro d'vora and Gonalo Enes in 1487. UsefulCharts, . He ruled between 707-732/737 according to the Islamic calendar (AH), which translates to 1307-1332/1337 CE. Al-Umari reported that Mali had fourteen provinces. Ag-Amalwal. Mansa Musa eventually gained the throne owing to a strange sequence of events that turned in his favor. Constant civil war between leaders led to a weakened state. Ibn Khaldun recorded that in 776 A.H or 1374/1375 AD he interviewed a Sijilmasan scholar named Muhammad b. Wasul who had lived in Gao and had been employed in its judiciary. Mansa Musa Family Tree - World History Encyclopedia 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. His 25-year reign (1312-1337 CE) is described as "the golden age of . [74] The combined forces of northern and southern Manden defeated the Sosso army at the Battle of Kirina (then known as Krina) in approximately 1235. However, the legendary oral tradition that surrounds Keita suggests that he never turned away from his native religion. Yet native sources seem to pay him little attention. Another testimony from Ibn Khaldun describes the grand pilgrimage of Mansa Musa consisting of 12,000 slaves: "He made a pilgrimage in 724/1324 []. [43] In 1324, while in Cairo, Musa said that he had conquered 24 cities and their surrounding districts.[44]. Mansa Ms left a realm notable for its extent and richeshe built the Great Mosque at Timbuktubut he is best remembered in the Middle East and Europe for the splendour of his pilgrimage to Mecca (1324). Inside the world's wealthiest", "Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) | National Geographic Society", "The 25 richest people who ever lived inflation adjusted", "Civilization VI the Official Site | News | Civilization VI: Gathering Storm Mansa Musa Leads Mali", International Journal of African Historical Studies, "Searching for History in The Sunjata Epic: The Case of Fakoli", "chos d'Arabie. [11][b] In Mand tradition, it was common for one's name to be prefixed by their mother's name, so the name Kanku Musa means "Musa, son of Kanku", although it is unclear if the genealogy implied is literal. [93] He did not, however, hold the power of previous mansas because of the influence of his kankoro-sigui. During his monarchy Musa or Musa, I was highly powered and the richest individual king Mansa Musa the . Your email address will not be published. [123] Segou, defended by Bitn Coulibaly, successfully defended itself and Mama Maghan was forced to withdraw. Extensive archaeological digs have shown that the area was an important trade and manufacturing center in the 15th century, but no firm evidence of royal residence has come to light. In the 17th year of his reign (1324), he set out on his famous pilgrimage to Mecca. [citation needed]. In 14331434, the Mali Empire lost control of Timbuktu to the Tuareg, led by Akil We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. In addition, Mansa Ms had a baggage train of 80 camels, each carrying 300 pounds of gold. He is also called Hidji Mansa . Sakura was able to stabilize the political situation in Mali. With a global population of some 11 million, the Mandinka are the best-known ethnic group of the Mande peoples, all of whom speak different dialects of the Mande language. Accounts of how many people and how much gold he spent vary. Many houses were built by hand and during the hot weather some houses would melt so they had to be very secure, The dating of the original Great Mosque's construction is obscure (the current structure, built under French Colonial Rule, dates from 1907). [15] Leo Africanus said that the capital city was called Melli. [82], Musa is less renowned in Mand oral tradition as performed by the jeliw. [91] Historians such as Hadrien Collet have argued that Musa's wealth is impossible to accurately calculate. The lands of Bambougou, Jalo (Fouta Djallon), and Kaabu were added into Mali by Fakoli Koroma (Nkrumah in Ghana, Kurumah in the Gambia, Colley in Casamance, Senegal),[70] Fran Kamara (Camara) and Tiramakhan Traore (Tarawelley in the Gambia),[77] respectively Among the many different ethnic groups surrounding Manden were Pulaar speaking groups in Macina, Tekrur and Fouta Djallon. These oral stories . He describes it as being north of Mali but under its domination implying some sort of vassalage for the Antasar, Yantar'ras, Medussa and Lemtuna Berber tribes. Intro animation: Syawish Rehman. Under Mansa Ms, Timbuktu grew to be a very important commercial city having caravan connections with Egypt and with all other important trade centres in North Africa. The salt was dug from the ground and cut into thick slabs, two of which were loaded onto each camel where they would be taken south across the desert to Oualata and sold. During his reign, the Mossi emperor Bonga of Yatenga raided into Mali and plundered Macina. The other characteristic of this era is the gradual loss of its northern and eastern possessions 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. [105][106] Three years later, Oualata also fell into their hands. [40] Seemingly contradictory reports written by Arab visitors, a lack of definitive archaeological evidence, and the diversity of oral traditions all contribute to this uncertainty. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. It was reported that he built a mosque every Friday. The history of the Mandinka started in Manding region. Kankoro-sigui Mari Djata, who had no relation to the Keita clan, essentially ran the empire in Musa Keita II's stead. 6. It is not known if this was an attempt to correct the depreciation of gold in the area due to his spending,[7] or if he had simply run out of the funds needed for the return trip. [87] The figure of Fajigi combines both Islam and traditional beliefs. The Twelve Doors of Mali were a coalition of conquered or allied territories, mostly within Manden, with sworn allegiance to Sundiata and his descendants. Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali. He also brought architects from the Middle East and across Africa to design new buildings for his cities. Omissions? Mali borrowed the practice to stem inflation of the substance, since it was so prominent in the region. Bukar professed his support, but believing Mahmud's situation to be hopeless, secretly went over to the Moroccans. [8] Suleyman's death marked the end of Mali's Golden Age and the beginning of a slow decline. [128] Nevertheless, the mansa managed to keep tax money and nominal control over the area without agitating his subjects into revolt. Through the oral tradition of griots, the Keita dynasty, from which nearly every Mali emperor came, claims to trace its lineage back to Lawalo, one of the sons of Bilal,[60] the faithful muezzin of Islam's prophet Muhammad, who was said to have migrated into Mali and his descendants established the ruling Keita dynasty through Maghan Kon Fatta, father of Sundiata Keita.[61]. [119], It would be the Mandinka themselves that would cause the final destruction of the empire. by Spanish cartographers, shows West Africa dominated by a depiction of Mansa Musa sitting on a throne, holding a nugget of gold in one hand and a golden staff in the other. Mansa means (King or Emperor) and he was ruling the Mali kingdom from C.E 1312 to 1337 for around 25 years. 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. The "Qur'an" had a great importance to Mansa Musa as it states "God loves the charitable" (Document D). so the name Kanku Musa means "Musa, son of Kanku", although it is unclear if the genealogy implied is literal. Mansa Mari Djata, later named Sundiata Keita, saw the conquest of several key locals in the Mali Empire. [111] This envoy from the Portuguese coastal port of Elmina arrived in response to the growing trade along the coast and Mali's now urgent request for military assistance against Songhai. [70] Manden was split in half with the Dodougou territory to the northeast and the Kri territory to the southwest. Several 21st century historians have firmly rejected Niani as a capital candidate based on a lack of archaeological evidence of significant trade activity, clearly described by Arab visitors, particularly during the 14th century, Mali's golden age. [112] Still, no help came from the envoy and further possessions of Mali were lost one by one. Musa stayed in the Qarafa district of Cairo, and befriended its governor, Ibn Amir Hajib, who learned much about Mali from him. Mansa Musa's personal name was Musa (Arabic: , romanized:Ms), the Arabic form of Moses. His riches came from the mining of significant gold and salt deposits in the Mali Empire, along with the slave and ivory trade.[6][7]. Mansa Musa was immensely wealthy (whether he can be regarded as personally wealthy or wealthy because he controlled the gold mines of Mali is, of course, a . Consequently, the name of Mali and Timbuktu appeared on 14th century world maps. [10], Mali, Mand, Manden, and Manding are all various pronunciations of the same word across different languages and dialects. Dates: 4001591 C. E.", "Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived? [70] Both of these men were part of Mali's warrior elite known as the ton-ta-jon-ta-ni-woro ("sixteen carriers of quivers"). [40] In fact, there is a conspicuous absence of archaeological samples of any kind from Niani dated to the late 13th through early 15th centuries, suggesting that Niani may have been uninhabited during the heyday of the Mali Empire. In that year he succeeded his father, Abu Bakr II, to the throne and thus gained the hereditary title of mansa. Sundiata Keita - National Geographic Society The empire began as a small Mandinka kingdom at the upper reaches of the Niger River, centered around the Manding region. Hunters from the Ghana Empire (or Wagadou), particularly mythical ancestors Kontron and Sanin, founded Manding and the Malink and Bambaras hunter brotherhood. [96], According to some Arabic writers, Musa's gift-giving caused a depreciation in the value of gold in Egypt. This thread is archived Log in, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). [46] Kangaba became the last refuge of the Keita royal family after the collapse of the Mali Empire, and so has for centuries been associated with Sundiata in the cultural imagination of Mande peoples. Mansa Musa began extending the shores of the empire alongside amassing great wealth and riches. Musa I (c. 1280 - 1337), better known as Mansa Musa, was the ninth mansa of the Mali Empire.Widely considered to have been the wealthiest person in known history (some sources measuring his wealth at around $400 billion adjusted to inflation), his vast wealth was used to attract scholars, merchants and architects to Mali, establishing it as a beacon of Islamic trade, culture and learning. [133], There was no standard currency throughout the realm, but several forms were prominent by region. Sundiata Keita was a warrior-prince of the Keita dynasty who was called upon to free the local people from the rule of the king of the Sosso Empire, Soumaoro Kant. 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. [59] Those not living in the mountains formed small city-states such as Toron, Ka-Ba and Niani. Today, his net worth is estimated to have been $400 billion. [66], Timbuktu soon became the center of trade, culture, and Islam; markets brought in merchants from Hausaland, Egypt, and other African kingdoms, a university was founded in the city (as well as in the Malian cities of Djenn and Sgou), and Islam was spread through the markets and university, making Timbuktu a new area for Islamic scholarship. Who would native Malians have considered their greatest ruler? More than sixty years after the reign of Sundiata Keita, one of his descendants rose to become the King of Mali. He brought back with him descendants of Mohammed, Islamic scholars, and architect Abu Es Haq es Saheli, who went on to create the Djinguereber mosque. . This website claims no authorship of this content; we are republishing it for educational purposes. After Ibn Khaldun's death in 1406, there are no further Arab primary sources except for Leo Africanus, who wrote over a century later. At each halt, he would regale us [his entourage] rare foods and confectionery. 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. Kankan Musa, better known as Mansa Musa probably took power in approximately 1312, although an earlier date is possible. Mansa Musa's reign itself was 25 years long. The second account is that of the traveller Ibn Battuta, who visited Mali in 1352. He never took the field again after Kirina, but his generals continued to expand the frontier, especially in the west where they reached the Gambia River and the marches of Tekrur. [81] He went on the hajj during the reign of Mamluk sultan Baibars (12601277). [83] This term was used interchangeably with dinar, though it is unclear if coined currency was used in the empire. The next great unit of exchange in the Mali Empire was salt. Stride, G. T., & C. Ifeka: "Peoples and Empires of West Africa: West Africa in History 10001800". He made a pilgrimage to Mecca during the reign of Mamluk Sultan An-Nasir Muhammad (r. 12981308), but died on his voyage home. The voyage is often incorrectly attributed to a Mansa Abu Bakr II, but no such mansa ever reigned. Robert Smith, "The Canoe in West African History", harvnb error: no target: CITEREFBourgeois1987 (, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Kitab al-Masalik wa al-Mamalik (Book of Highways and Kingdoms) Ab Ubayd Al-Bakri, "The Empire of Mali, In Our Time BBC Radio 4", "Tracing History in Dia, in the Inland Niger Delta of Mali -Archaeology, Oral Traditions and Written Sources". The only real requirement was that the mansa knew he could trust this individual to safeguard imperial interests. According to the records of Ibn Battuta,[138][139] copper which traded in bars was mined from Takedda in the north and traded in the south for gold. Rather, authority would rest with the mansa and his court, wherever he went. [56], In the 1960s, archaeological work at Niani village, reputed to be the capital of the Mali Empire, by Polish and Guinean archaeologists revealed the remains of a substantial town dating back as far as the 6th century. Geography, Human Geography, Social Studies, Ancient Civilizations, World History. Musa I of Mali | Biography, Wealth, Slaves, Pilgrimage, & Facts The Songhai Empire had fallen to the Saadi Sultanate of Morocco eight years earlier, and Mahmud sought to take advantage of their defeat by trying to capture Jenne. [e] After the loss of the first expedition, Muhammad led the second expedition himself. [71] However, Ibn Khaldun also reports that Musa sent an envoy to congratulate Abu al-Hasan Ali for his conquest of Tlemcen, which took place in May 1337, but by the time Abu al-Hasan sent an envoy in response, Musa had died and Suleyman was on the throne, suggesting Musa died in 1337. The Bamana, likewise, vowed not to advance farther upstream than Niamina. [136] While it was as good as gold in the north, it was even better in the south. Several of the names are spelled in a variety of ways in different manuscripts. Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) was the king of the ancient empire of Mali in West Africa. [117], The swan song of the Mali Empire came in 1599, under the reign of Mansa Mahmud IV.