Songhai essay

Question 1

(1.) background

Answer 1

• dominated west sahel/sudan (15/16th century)
• largest african state in history
• Gao was the capital (since 11th century)
• The empire was ruled by the Sonni dynasty(1464-1493) but was replaced by the askia dynasty(1493-1901)

Question 2

(2.) Gao

Answer 2

• It was an important trading centreand atracted interest in expanding mali empire(13th century, second half)
• Mali conquered gao towards end of 13th century
• Gao would under go malian hegemony until late 14th century
• Songhai reasserted Gao control and took advantage of weakened state

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Question 3

(3.) Sonni takes control

Answer 3

*Sorko people
*Decline led to claimed back independnce
*Sunni ali (new powerfulleader & brilliant military tactician) took control and under his leadership they became a force to recon with

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Question 4

(4.) Sonni Alis rule

Answer 4

*Built up strong navy(army = 30 000 men, 10 000 = cavalry)
*Promoted men on merit + absolute loyalty
*Campaign of conquest against neighbouring lands
*Established Gao as capital, took back Timbuktu & Jenne
*Trade was revived; became important stops on trans-saharan trade route

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Question 5

(5.) Sonni Ali accomplishments

Answer 5

*Absolute ruler
*Divided land(provinces) & appointed administartors loyal to him
*Maintained a strong central government
*Allowed religous freedom but was unpopular with Ulama(Muslim clerics)

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Question 6

(6.) Askia seizes control

Answer 6

*Sunni Ali died(1492)
*His son (Abu Bakr) came to power, refused islam as state religion
*Askia wages jihad(holy war) against Abu, Askia defeated Abu Bakr(1493) and songhai expanded
*Golden age

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Question 7

(7.) Askian makes islam state religion

Answer 7

*devout muslim
*opened religious schools,constructed mosqaues and opened court to scholars & poet muslims
*enforced islamic practices but was tolerant of other religions
*setting up many learning centres throughout empire
*made islam state religion

Question 8

(8.) Learning & literacy timbuktu

Answer 8

*Alot of astronomers & observatories in capital
*important international learning centre and the Unversity of Sankor flourised & attracted scholars(from all over world) and library at Sankor compared to library of alexandra in Egypt
*muslim scholars began to return in karge number
*learning & literacy was greatly valued, books became more precious than gold

Question 9

essay

Answer 9

1. background
2. gao
3. sonni takes control
4. sonnis rule
5. sonnis accomplishments
6. askia seizes control
7. askia makes islam state religion
8. learning & literacy

Question 10

(9.) Administration, trade & tax

Answer 10

*gifted in admin. & encouraging trade
*centralized admin. & established effiecient buerocracy(tax collection& admin. of justice
*siezed control of gold trade from ghana
*exposrted alot of gold/kola nits/slaves
*imported silks/horses from asia, salt = northen africa & ceramics/beads from europe
*effiecient tax system, state collect taxes on goods in exchange for safety & protection
*demanded canals be built to enhance agriculture, increase in trade
*intro of weights/measures
*appointment of inspector at each songhai trading centre
*trans-saharan trade flourished

Question 11

(10.) Decline of askia mohammd

Answer 11

*askia grew older = power declined
*musa(one of askias sons who revolted) as king
*following musas overthrow(1531), sonhai empire declined

Question 12

(11.) moroccan invasion

Answer 12

*Surprised whem morocco invaded sonhai enexpectedly
*main reason was to sieze control and revive trans saharan trade in salt and gold
*king never modernised his army