The Reign of Mansa Musa

Question 1

What year did Mansa Musa become ruler of the Mali empire

Answer 1

1312

Question 2

Who was his pre-decessor

Answer 2

Abu Bakr II

Question 3

How did Mansa Musa become ruler

Answer 3

The previous king went missing on a voyage he took by sea to find the edge of the Atlantic Ocean

Question 4

What was happening in Europe when MM became ruler

Answer 4

Raging civil wars and lack of resources

Question 5

What did MM do to make Mali the wealthiest kingdom in Africa?

Answer 5

Expanded his territory and trade networks

Question 6

What was special about his army?

Answer 6

100 000 men, cavalry corps of 10 000 horses

Question 7

Who was his talented general?

Answer 7

Saran Mandian

Question 8

How did he govern his land?

Answer 8

He split it up into provinces each ruled by a governor

Question 9

What were these governors called?

Answer 9

Farba

Question 10

Why did the wealth of the kingdom increase?

Answer 10

Taxes on trade and the imposition of tribute on conquered tribes

Question 11

What mines did Mali control?

Answer 11

Copper and Gold mines

Question 12

What is the estimated worth of MM in todays money?

Answer 12

400 billion US dollars

Question 13

What is the name of the pilgrimage Musa went on and where did he go

Answer 13

Hajj,he went to Mecca

Question 14

What religions did MM allow?

Answer 14

Any religion

Question 15

When did MM go on his hajj?

Answer 15

1324 C.E

Question 16

What was said about him when he went through Cairo?

Answer 16

Each of 100 camels carried 135kg of gold dust while 500 slaves brandished 2.7kg gold staff, there were hundreds of camels holding food an textiles horse riders were waving red and gold banners of the king

Question 17

What happened when MM gave away so much gold in egypt?

Answer 17

The value of gold decreased for 12 years

Question 18

How long did the Hajj take to complete?

Answer 18

one year

Question 19

Why did many Malian pilgrims die?

Answer 19

Due to bandit raids cold or starvation

Question 20

How did he repay his loans

Answer 20

Allowed the lenders to invest in the Empire

Question 21

What did MM have to do because he ran of money?

Answer 21

He had to resell many of the things he bought and ask for his money back and borrowed money

Question 22

What happened while MM was on his hajj?

Answer 22

his generals extended his land and captured the Songhai capital Gao

Question 23

What did MM build after going to Arabia?

Answer 23

He built an audience chamber at Niani and built mosques in Gao and Timbukto

Question 24

Where is the great mosque found?

Answer 24

Djinguereber

Question 25

Who designed these mosques?

Answer 25

Ishak al-Tuedjin

Question 26

Where did MM send native religious scholars to and why

Answer 26

To Fez in Morocco to learn what they could and then return to Mali as teachers

Question 27

What else did MM bring back after he was inspired by the universities

Answer 27

Books and scholars

Question 28

What special buildings were in Timbuktu?

Answer 28

Universities, Mosques and many Koranic schools

Question 29

When did MM die and who succeeded him?

Answer 29

He died in 1337 and his sons succeeded him

Question 30

What made the empire of Mali fall apart?

Answer 30

The Portuguese making trade routes along the sea

Question 31

Other than his riches what else is MM remembered for

Answer 31

Islamic faith, promotion of scholarship and patronage of culture in Mali