1.0 The Sahelian Empires of the Western Sudan Flashcards
Define Chieftaincies.
The position of a leader of a group of people, often related to families who live together.
Define Kinship.
A web of social relationships that form an important part of the people in all societies - it is a blood relationship.
Define Amazigh.
The indigenous people of North Africa.
Define Caravan.
Groups of sometimes thousands of camels transporting goods across the Sahara, led by Amazighs.
Define Farma.
A regional governor.
Define Hajj.
A Hajj is a pilgrimage.
Define Mansa.
Emperor
Define Sahelian.
Biogeographical region in Africa - transition zone between humid Sudanian savannas to its south and drier Sahara to the north.
Define Wangara.
Diaspora traders up the trans-Saharan trade with cities across the Sahel.
What are the two main sources of information for our knowledge of the Kingdom of Ghana?
Writings of a Spanish Muslim named Al-Bakri and archaeological finds.
Where have archaeologists worked at for info on the Kingdom of Ghana.
Kumbi Saleh
Believed to be one of the king’s cities.
What dates are given to the Kingdom of Ghana?
9th to the 13th century AD
What was the main population group of Kumbi?
The Soninke
What was the hereditary system for the kings of Ghana?
They descended matrilineally.
Through the previous king’s sister.
What power did the Ghanaian king have in the judicial system?
He was the supreme judge.
Why is Kumbi an important city?
It was the capital city of the Ghanaian Kingdom.
Who was on top of who in Ghana’s hierarchal system?
Slaves; farmers and craftsmen; merchants; king, court and nobility on top.
What did Ghana sell and what did the buy when trading?
They imported salt, cloth, and metals like copper.
They exported gold and kola nuts.
This was for north-south trading.
What was the Kingdom of Ghana called?
Linked to trading.
‘land of gold’ because it was abundant in gold.
Why was iron important in Ghana?
They could make tools and weapons.
In turn helped expand the empire.
Did the Kingdom of Ghana convert to Islam?
Not officially. Though many of the highest ranking officials were Muslim because they were literate.
When did Ghana reach the Atlantic and the south coast?
The late 10th century.
When did the Kingdom of Ghana conquer Awdaghast?
992
What did Ghana conquer in 992?
Awdaghast.
Where is Awdaghast? Who lived there?
Southwest Sahara. A former Amazigh town.
When was Awdaghast conquered back by the Almoravid?
c1054
Who were the Almoravid?
They were zealous Islamic militants.
How long did the Almoravid take to take over Awdaghast?
Only one raid.
Ghana got smashed basically
When did the Almoravid take Kumbi?
1076
What significant event happened in 1076?
The Almoravid took Kumbi
What did the Almoravid to once they had conquered Kumbi?
They forcibly converted the Soninke ruling class and then spread Islam all over the huge kingdom.
How did the Kingdom of Ghana end?
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.
Who were the Soso people?
They were anti-Muslim Malinke clan from mountains southeast of Kumbi.
When did the Soso people ascend to power?
1180 to 1230.
What was the kingdom of Mali’s ranking in biggest empires at the time?
The Kingdom of Mali was the second largest empire at the time.
The Mongolian empire was first.
What dates are given to the Kingdom of Mali?
13th - 15th centuries
Who were the Malinke?
A southern Mande-speaking people of the upper Niger region.
Who formed the core population of the new Kingdom of Mali?
The Malinke
By what year had the Kingdom of Mali emerged?
1235
Where did Mali’s wealth come from?
The monopolisation of the north-south gold trade.
Who was the first ruler of the Kingdom of Mali?
Sundiata Keita
Who founded the Kingdom of Mali?
Sundiata Keita
When did Sundiata Keita rule?
1230 - 1255
What was the capital of Mali?
Niani
What does ‘Mali’ mean?
Mali was the name given to the empire by the people. It means ‘where the king lives’.
What did Sundiata do to organise the country?
He put administrators in charge of Mali’s finances, defence and foreign affairs.
What industries did Sundiata promote?
He promoted agriculture and re-established the gold-salt trade.
To where did Mali expand its borders?
West to the Atlantic coast and east beyond Timbuktu.
How did Sundiata ‘promote’ agriculture?
He used captives for plantation labour in the Niger delta to produce surplus food.
Why did Sundiata want to produce excess food?
To trade it.
When did the Keita dynasty convert to Islam?
1100
How did the kings’ pilgrimages to Mecca benefit the country?
They brought back military aids, and new ideas to run the country. They also established diplomatic connections with encouraged trade.
Name significant commercial centres of trade in Mali.
Gao, Walata and Djenne.
What was the population of Gao?
Over 100,000
Where is Gao located?
In middle Niger, just before the river bends to the south.
When was Gao conquered by Mali?
Some point after 1285.
Who controlled Gao before Mali?
Songhay
When did the king of Songhay convert to Islam?
1009
Who was the king of Songhay that converted to Islam?
Kossoi, the 15th king of Songhay.
Who was the most celebrated king in Malian history?
Mansa Musa.
When did Mansa Musa rule?
1312 - 1337
How many men were in Mansa Musa’s army?
100,000 men
How much bigger was Mali under Mansa Musa?
Compared to Ghana
It expanded to twice the size of Ghana
How did Mansa Musa unify his empire?
The Mali people adopted Islam under his reign.
How did Mansa Musa become famous?
Through his hajj to Mecca.
How did Mansa Musa cause inflation in Cairo?
He gave away so much gold in Cairo, it started a massive inflation lasting over a decade.
When was Mansa Musa’s hajj?
1324 - 25
How did Mansa Musa boost Islam in his empire?
- He had big mosques built in Gao and Timbuktu.
- He brought Muslim scholars, artists, scientists, and architects.
What dynasty ruled the Songhay empire when Gao was captured?
The Dia dynasty
Who were the princes Musa as hostages back from his hajj?
Prince Ali Kolon and Prince Sulayman Nar.
When did Ali Kolon return to Gao?
After Mansa Musa’s death.
How did Ali Kolon become king?
A council of elders appointed him king of Songhay.
What dynasty did Ali Kolon start?
The Sonni Dynasty
What does Sunni mean?
Sunni means ‘restored’ - referring to Gao being once again under Songhay rule.
How significant was the loss of Gao to Mali?
It was a vital link in the line of communication along the Niger and the trade routes.
Who became king after Mansa Musa?
Mansa Maghan
Who became king after Mansa Maghan?
Mansa Sulayman
How long did Mansa Maghan rule?
Only 4 years
How long did Mansa Sulayman rule?
8 years.
When did Sulayman die?
1359
Who attacked Mali from the north?
Desert Nomads
Who attacked Timbuktu?
The Mossi.
What did the Mossi do to Timbuktu?
They burned the city.
What did Mali lose as a result of internal revolts?
It lost the hold on the gold and salt trade through Songhay.
What states were the first to claim independence from Mali?
Songhay and the Wolof ‘empire’ in the west.
When did Mali’s power really began to wane?
According to Al-Sa’di
Around c1433-34 when the Tuaregs took over Timbuktu.
Which towns did the Mossi raid?
All towns on the Niger between Djenne and Timbuktu.
When did Mali end?
Around the late 15th century.
