1.0 The Sahelian Empires of the Western Sudan Flashcards

1
Q

Define Chieftaincies.

A

The position of a leader of a group of people, often related to families who live together.

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2
Q

Define Kinship.

A

A web of social relationships that form an important part of the people in all societies - it is a blood relationship.

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3
Q

Define Amazigh.

A

The indigenous people of North Africa.

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4
Q

Define Caravan.

A

Groups of sometimes thousands of camels transporting goods across the Sahara, led by Amazighs.

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5
Q

Define Farma.

A

A regional governor.

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6
Q

Define Hajj.

A

A Hajj is a pilgrimage.

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7
Q

Define Mansa.

A

Emperor

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8
Q

Define Sahelian.

A

Biogeographical region in Africa - transition zone between humid Sudanian savannas to its south and drier Sahara to the north.

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9
Q

Define Wangara.

A

Diaspora traders up the trans-Saharan trade with cities across the Sahel.

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10
Q

What are the two main sources of information for our knowledge of the Kingdom of Ghana?

A

Writings of a Spanish Muslim named Al-Bakri and archaeological finds.

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11
Q

Where have archaeologists worked at for info on the Kingdom of Ghana.

A

Kumbi Saleh

Believed to be one of the king’s cities.

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12
Q

What dates are given to the Kingdom of Ghana?

A

9th to the 13th century AD

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13
Q

What was the main population group of Kumbi?

A

The Soninke

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14
Q

What was the hereditary system for the kings of Ghana?

A

They descended matrilineally.

Through the previous king’s sister.

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15
Q

What power did the Ghanaian king have in the judicial system?

A

He was the supreme judge.

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16
Q

Why is Kumbi an important city?

A

It was the capital city of the Ghanaian Kingdom.

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17
Q

Who was on top of who in Ghana’s hierarchal system?

A

Slaves; farmers and craftsmen; merchants; king, court and nobility on top.

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18
Q

What did Ghana sell and what did the buy when trading?

A

They imported salt, cloth, and metals like copper.
They exported gold and kola nuts.

This was for north-south trading.

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19
Q

What was the Kingdom of Ghana called?

Linked to trading.

A

‘land of gold’ because it was abundant in gold.

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20
Q

Why was iron important in Ghana?

A

They could make tools and weapons.

In turn helped expand the empire.

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21
Q

Did the Kingdom of Ghana convert to Islam?

A

Not officially. Though many of the highest ranking officials were Muslim because they were literate.

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22
Q

When did Ghana reach the Atlantic and the south coast?

A

The late 10th century.

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23
Q

When did the Kingdom of Ghana conquer Awdaghast?

A

992

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24
Q

What did Ghana conquer in 992?

A

Awdaghast.

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25
Q

Where is Awdaghast? Who lived there?

A

Southwest Sahara. A former Amazigh town.

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26
Q

When was Awdaghast conquered back by the Almoravid?

A

c1054

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27
Q

Who were the Almoravid?

A

They were zealous Islamic militants.

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28
Q

How long did the Almoravid take to take over Awdaghast?

A

Only one raid.

Ghana got smashed basically

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29
Q

When did the Almoravid take Kumbi?

A

1076

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30
Q

What significant event happened in 1076?

A

The Almoravid took Kumbi

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31
Q

What did the Almoravid to once they had conquered Kumbi?

A

They forcibly converted the Soninke ruling class and then spread Islam all over the huge kingdom.

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32
Q

How did the Kingdom of Ghana end?

A

The king’s power diminished and in the late 12th century the Soso people ascended to power and took it over. Ghana started to decline.

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33
Q

Who were the Soso people?

A

They were anti-Muslim Malinke clan from mountains southeast of Kumbi.

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34
Q

When did the Soso people ascend to power?

A

1180 to 1230.

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35
Q

What was the kingdom of Mali’s ranking in biggest empires at the time?

A

The Kingdom of Mali was the second largest empire at the time.

The Mongolian empire was first.

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36
Q

What dates are given to the Kingdom of Mali?

A

13th - 15th centuries

37
Q

Who were the Malinke?

A

A southern Mande-speaking people of the upper Niger region.

38
Q

Who formed the core population of the new Kingdom of Mali?

A

The Malinke

39
Q

By what year had the Kingdom of Mali emerged?

A

1235

40
Q

Where did Mali’s wealth come from?

A

The monopolisation of the north-south gold trade.

41
Q

Who was the first ruler of the Kingdom of Mali?

A

Sundiata Keita

42
Q

Who founded the Kingdom of Mali?

A

Sundiata Keita

43
Q

When did Sundiata Keita rule?

A

1230 - 1255

44
Q

What was the capital of Mali?

A

Niani

45
Q

What does ‘Mali’ mean?

A

Mali was the name given to the empire by the people. It means ‘where the king lives’.

46
Q

What did Sundiata do to organise the country?

A

He put administrators in charge of Mali’s finances, defence and foreign affairs.

47
Q

What industries did Sundiata promote?

A

He promoted agriculture and re-established the gold-salt trade.

48
Q

To where did Mali expand its borders?

A

West to the Atlantic coast and east beyond Timbuktu.

49
Q

How did Sundiata ‘promote’ agriculture?

A

He used captives for plantation labour in the Niger delta to produce surplus food.

50
Q

Why did Sundiata want to produce excess food?

A

To trade it.

51
Q

When did the Keita dynasty convert to Islam?

A

1100

52
Q

How did the kings’ pilgrimages to Mecca benefit the country?

A

They brought back military aids, and new ideas to run the country. They also established diplomatic connections with encouraged trade.

53
Q

Name significant commercial centres of trade in Mali.

A

Gao, Walata and Djenne.

54
Q

What was the population of Gao?

A

Over 100,000

55
Q

Where is Gao located?

A

In middle Niger, just before the river bends to the south.

56
Q

When was Gao conquered by Mali?

A

Some point after 1285.

57
Q

Who controlled Gao before Mali?

A

Songhay

58
Q

When did the king of Songhay convert to Islam?

A

1009

59
Q

Who was the king of Songhay that converted to Islam?

A

Kossoi, the 15th king of Songhay.

60
Q

Who was the most celebrated king in Malian history?

A

Mansa Musa.

61
Q

When did Mansa Musa rule?

A

1312 - 1337

62
Q

How many men were in Mansa Musa’s army?

A

100,000 men

63
Q

How much bigger was Mali under Mansa Musa?

Compared to Ghana

A

It expanded to twice the size of Ghana

64
Q

How did Mansa Musa unify his empire?

A

The Mali people adopted Islam under his reign.

65
Q

How did Mansa Musa become famous?

A

Through his hajj to Mecca.

66
Q

How did Mansa Musa cause inflation in Cairo?

A

He gave away so much gold in Cairo, it started a massive inflation lasting over a decade.

67
Q

When was Mansa Musa’s hajj?

A

1324 - 25

68
Q

How did Mansa Musa boost Islam in his empire?

A
  • He had big mosques built in Gao and Timbuktu.
  • He brought Muslim scholars, artists, scientists, and architects.
69
Q

What dynasty ruled the Songhay empire when Gao was captured?

A

The Dia dynasty

70
Q

Who were the princes Musa as hostages back from his hajj?

A

Prince Ali Kolon and Prince Sulayman Nar.

71
Q

When did Ali Kolon return to Gao?

A

After Mansa Musa’s death.

72
Q

How did Ali Kolon become king?

A

A council of elders appointed him king of Songhay.

73
Q

What dynasty did Ali Kolon start?

A

The Sonni Dynasty

74
Q

What does Sunni mean?

A

Sunni means ‘restored’ - referring to Gao being once again under Songhay rule.

75
Q

How significant was the loss of Gao to Mali?

A

It was a vital link in the line of communication along the Niger and the trade routes.

76
Q

Who became king after Mansa Musa?

A

Mansa Maghan

77
Q

Who became king after Mansa Maghan?

A

Mansa Sulayman

78
Q

How long did Mansa Maghan rule?

A

Only 4 years

79
Q

How long did Mansa Sulayman rule?

A

8 years.

80
Q

When did Sulayman die?

A

1359

81
Q

Who attacked Mali from the north?

A

Desert Nomads

82
Q

Who attacked Timbuktu?

A

The Mossi.

83
Q

What did the Mossi do to Timbuktu?

A

They burned the city.

84
Q

What did Mali lose as a result of internal revolts?

A

It lost the hold on the gold and salt trade through Songhay.

85
Q

What states were the first to claim independence from Mali?

A

Songhay and the Wolof ‘empire’ in the west.

86
Q

When did Mali’s power really began to wane?

According to Al-Sa’di

A

Around c1433-34 when the Tuaregs took over Timbuktu.

87
Q

Which towns did the Mossi raid?

A

All towns on the Niger between Djenne and Timbuktu.

88
Q

When did Mali end?

A

Around the late 15th century.