As a result of this the empire fell. In the 17th year of his reign (1324), he set out on his famous pilgrimage to Mecca. [50] Such impermanent capitals are a historically widespread phenomenon, having occurred in other parts of Africa such as Ethiopia, as well as outside Africa, such as in the Holy Roman Empire.[51]. Several alternate spellings exist, such as Congo Musa, Gongo Musa, and Kankan Musa, but they are regarded as incorrect. Abu Bakr was the first and only mansa to inherit through the female line, which has been argued to be either a break from or a return to tradition. At the height of its power, Mali had at least 400 cities, and the interior of the Niger Delta was very densely populated. [g] Faga Leye was the son of Abu Bakr, a brother of Sunjata, the first mansa of the Mali Empire. The emperor himself rode on horseback and was directly preceded by 500 enslaved persons, each carrying a gold-adorned staff. Musa is known for his wealth and generosity. [98], The wealth of the Mali Empire did not come from direct control of gold-producing regions, but rather trade and tribute. [93] In 1514, the Denianke dynasty was established in Tekrour. [23] Numbered individuals reigned as mansa; the numbers indicate the order in which they reigned. The only major setback to his reign was the loss of Mali's Dyolof province in Senegal. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). [12] However, these hypotheses have been rejected by locals and are inconsistent with the apparent cognate status of Mali and Mand.[19]. [70] Manden was split in half with the Dodougou territory to the northeast and the Kri territory to the southwest. Al-Nasir expected Musa to prostrate himself before him, which Musa initially refused to do. The value of the salt was chiefly determined by the transport costs. [122] This campaign gutted Manden and destroyed any hope of the three mansas cooperating to free their land. The army of the Mali Empire used of a wide variety of weapons depending largely on where the troops originated. Mansa Fadima Musa Keita, or Mansa Musa Keita II, began the process of reversing his brother's excesses. Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society. According to Burkinab writer Joseph Ki-Zerbo, the farther a person travelled from Niani, the more decentralised the mansa's power became. In their own country they use only slave women and men for transport, but for long journeys such as pilgrimages they have mounts. [86] Fajigi is remembered as having traveled to Mecca to retrieve ceremonial objects known as boliw, which feature in Mand traditional religion. Not only do we pay for our servers, but also for related services such as our content delivery network, Google Workspace, email, and much more. We would much rather spend this money on producing more free history content for the world. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. [72] In contrast, al-Umari, writing twelve years after Musa's hajj, in approximately 1337,[73] claimed that Musa returned to Mali intending to abdicate and return to live in Mecca but died before he could do so,[74] suggesting he died even earlier than 1332. The northern commercial towns of Oualata and Audaghost were also conquered and became part of the new state's northern border. [22] Oral tradition, as performed by the jeliw (sg. Upon his return in 1324, Ms Is pious pilgrimage inspired him to commission two enormous mosques in Timbuktu and Gao. He had so much gold that during his hajj to Mecca, the Mansa passed out gold to all the poor along the way. 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]. 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. The Mandinka went on to form the powerful and rich Mali Empire, which produced the richest Black man who ever lived, King Mansa Musa. Sundiata's mother was Maghan Kon Fatta's second wife, Sogolon Kdjou. While Mansa Musa's grandfather, Abu-Bakr, was a nephew of Sundiata Keita, the founder of the Malian Empire, neither he nor his descendants had a strong claim to the throne. [142][143] Numerous sources attest that the inland waterways of West Africa saw extensive use of war canoes and vessels used for war transport where permitted by the environment. Please check the original source(s) for copyright information. [100], Arabic writers, such as Ibn Battuta and Abdallah ibn Asad al-Yafii, praised Musa's generosity, virtue, and intelligence. By 1350, the empire covered approximately 478,819 square miles (1,240,140km2). He became emperor in 1307. The most common measure for gold within the realm was the ambiguous mithqal (4.5grams of gold). [108] Alvise Cadamosto, a Venetian explorer, recorded that the Mali Empire was the most powerful entity on the coast in 1454. The kingdom of Mali reached its greatest extent around the same time, a bustling, wealthy kingdom thanks to Mansa Musas expansion and administration.Mansa Musa died in 1337 and was succeeded by his sons. We care about our planet! [16], Al-Yafii gave Musa's name as Musa ibn Abi Bakr ibn Abi al-Aswad (Arabic: , romanized:Ms ibn Ab Bakr ibn Ab al-Aswad),[17] and Ibn Hajar gave Musa's name as Musa ibn Abi Bakr Salim al-Takruri. Mansa Musa brought architects and scholars from across the Islamic world into his kingdom, and the reputation of the Mali kingdom grew. He was an extremely successful military leader 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. Watch the map animation on From Nothing:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOexUoPc6YUBe sure to subscribe to From Nothing for more African History:https://www.. U UsefulCharts 0 followers More information Mansa Musa Family Tree Rich Man Different oral traditions conflict with each other, as well as Ibn Khaldun, about the transfer of power following Sunjata's death. [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. 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). He made his wealth and that of Mali known through a long and extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, the 17th year of his reign as emperor of Mali. 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. He made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca from 1324 to 1326. Mansa Musa was the great nephew of Sundiata Keita, who was founder . One of the five pillars of Islam states that Muslims should embark on a pilgrimage known as Hajj, to the holy city of Mecca.. When Mansa Musa was giving gold away, he was following 2 . [7] Maghan I succeeded his father as mansa in 1337, but was deposed by his uncle Suleyman in 1341. Mali's wealth in gold did not primarily come from direct rule of gold-producing regions, but rather from tribute and trade with the regions where gold was found. Sundjata is credited with at least the initial organisation of the Manding military. Cairo and Mecca received this royal personage, whose glittering procession, in the superlatives employed by Arab chroniclers, almost put Africas sun to shame. Scholars have located the capital in Niani, or somewhere on the Niger, or proposed that it changed several times, that there was no true capital, or even that it lay as far afield as the upper Gambia River in modern-day Senegal. This is the least known period in Mali's imperial history. Mansa Musa eventually gained the throne owing to a strange sequence of events that turned in his favor. [24] The empire's total area included nearly all the land between the Sahara Desert and coastal forests. However, territories that were crucial to trade or subject to revolt would receive a farba. They tell of his hardships as a boy before he came to the throne. While on the hajj, he met the Andalusian poet and architect es-Saheli. He encouraged his subjects immersion in scholarship, the arts, and the Qurn. Before Dankaran Touman and his mother could enjoy their unimpeded power, King Soumaoro set his sights on Niani forcing Dankaran to flee to Kissidougou.[60]. Embedded by Arienne King, published on 17 October 2020. [86], The name "Musa" has become virtually synonymous with pilgrimage in Mand tradition, such that other figures who are remembered as going on a pilgrimage, such as Fakoli, are also called Musa. [12][h] Ibn Battuta, who visited Mali during the reign of Musa's brother Sulayman, said that Musa's grandfather was named Sariq Jata. The Songhai kingdom measured several hundreds of miles across, so that the conquest meant the acquisition of a vast territory. [47][48][49] His procession reportedly included 60,000 men, all wearing brocade and Persian silk, including 12,000 slaves,[50] who each carried 1.8kg (4lb) of gold bars, and heralds dressed in silks, who bore gold staffs, organized horses, and handled bags. In addition, the moral and religious principles he had taught his subjects endured after his death. [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. [76] After unifying Manden, he added the Wangara goldfields, making them the southern border. [70] The mansa lost control of Jalo during this period. Mansa Souleyman Keita (or Suleiman) took steep measures to put Mali back into financial shape, thereby developing a reputation for miserliness. En route, he spent time in Cairo, where his lavish gift-giving is said to have noticeably affected the value of gold in Egypt and garnered the attention of the wider Muslim world. The farimba operated from a garrison with an almost entirely slave force, while a farima functioned on field with virtually all freemen. Imperial Mali is best known through three primary sources: the first is the account of Shihab al-'Umari, written in about 1340 by a geographer-administrator in Mamluk Egypt. [5] In c. 1285 Sakoura, a former royal court slave, became emperor and was one of Mali's most powerful rulers, greatly expanding the empire's territory. . [67] News of the Malian empire's city of wealth even traveled across the Mediterranean to southern Europe, where traders from Venice, Granada, and Genoa soon added Timbuktu to their maps to trade manufactured goods for gold.[68]. [44] Niani's reputation as an imperial capital may derive from its importance in the late imperial period, when the Songhai Empire to the northeast pushed Mali back to the Manding heartland. During Musa's 25-year-rule the Mali Empire more than tripled in size and had significant influence in several modern day countries including Mauritania, Senegal, Nigeria, Burkino Faso and Chad. It had a well-organised army with an elite corps of horsemen and many foot soldiers in each battalion. At its peak, Mali was the largest empire in West Africa, widely . Side by side with the encouragement of trade and commerce, learning and the arts received royal patronage. Mali Emperors Family Tree | Mansa Musa - The Richest Man in World History 71,113 views Nov 27, 2019 1.8K Dislike Share Save UsefulCharts 1.08M subscribers Watch the map animation on From. https://www.worldhistory.org/video/2147/mansa-musa-family-tree--empire-of-mali/. Musa stayed in Cairo for three months, departing on 18 October[k] with the official caravan to Mecca. His elaborate pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca in 1324 introduced him to rulers in the Middle East and in Europe. UsefulCharts, . Musa expanded the borders of the Mali Empire, in particular incorporating the cities of Gao and Timbuktu into its territory. 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]. But more reasoned analysis suggests that his role, if any, was quite limited. Masuta the Descended is a miniboss in The Shadow Reef. In 1203, the Sosso king Soumaoro of the Kant clan came to power and reportedly terrorised much of Manden stealing women and goods from both Dodougou and Kri. [59] Those not living in the mountains formed small city-states such as Toron, Ka-Ba and Niani. "Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali." . The other account claims that Gao had been conquered during the reign of Mansa Sakura. [11][12] The version recorded by medieval Arab geographers is Mali (Arabic: , romanized:Ml). [60] Other scholars whom Musa brought to Mali included Maliki jurists. [93] Sandaki Keita should not however be taken to be this person's name but a title. Your email address will not be published. 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. At Taghaza, for example, salt was exchanged; at Takedda, copper. It spanned the modern-day countries of Senegal, southern Mauritania, Mali, northern Burkina Faso, western Niger, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, the Ivory Coast and northern Ghana. However, many believe Mansa Musa's wealth outdoes that of all modern billionaires. [78] Nehemia Levtzion regarded 1337 as the most likely date,[72] which has been accepted by other scholars. [149], Imperial banner carried with Musa I in 1325 Hajj, Social, economic and governmental reformation. Afterward, he put himself and his kingdom, West Africa's Mali, on the map, literally. [93] Only at the state or province level was there any palpable interference from the central authority in Niani. Most notably, the ancient center of learning Sankore Madrasah (or University of Sankore) was constructed during his reign. [77] Alternatively, it is possible that the four-year reign Ibn Khaldun credits Maghan with actually referred to his ruling Mali while Musa was away on the hajj, and he only reigned briefly in his own right. Musa Keita I (c. 1280 - c. 1337), or Mansa Musa, was the ninth Mansa of the Mali Empire, one of the most powerful West African states. World History Encyclopedia. The 1375 Catalan Atlas portrayed a "city of Melly" (Catalan: ciutat de Melly) in West Africa. This style is characterised by the use of mudbricks and an adobe plaster, with large wooden-log support beams that jut out from the wall face for large buildings such as mosques or palaces. Mansa Musa returned from Mecca with several Islamic scholars, including direct descendants of the prophet Muhammad and an Andalusian poet and architect by the name of Abu Es Haq es Saheli, who is . What is evident is that there is no steady lineage governing the empire. Kangaba, the de facto capital of Manden since the time of the last emperor, became the capital of the northern sphere. One of these was Dioma, an area south of Niani populated by Fula Wassoulounk. Upon stabbing their spears into the ground before Sundiata's throne, each of the twelve kings relinquished their kingdom to the Keita dynasty. 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 Sandaki Keita, a descendant of kankoro-sigui Mari Djata Keita, deposed Maghan Keita II, becoming the first person without any Keita dynastic relation to officially rule Mali. However, it went through radical changes before reaching the legendary proportions proclaimed by its subjects. 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. [140], The Mali Empire maintained a semi-professional, full-time army in order to defend its borders. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. He was deposed in 1389, marking the end of the Faga Laye Keita mansas. [d], Musa's father was named Faga Leye[12] and his mother may have been named Kanku. [17] Whether Mali originated as the name of a town or region, the name was subsequently applied to the entire empire ruled from Mali. To his parents' dread, the prince did not have a promising start. Musa and his entourage gave and spent freely while in Cairo. It was during Suleyman's 19-year reign that Ibn Battuta visited Mali. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Editing: Jack Rackam. The Gao mosque was built of burnt bricks, which had not, until then, been used as a material for building in West Africa. By 1180 it had even subjugated Wagadou forcing the Sonink to pay tribute. The current King, Salman bin Abdulaziz, is the 25th son of King Abdulaziz and has continued to maintain the . Ag-Amalwal. From 1389 onwards Mali gained a host of mansas of obscure origins. Scholars who were mainly interested in history, Qurnic theology, and law were to make the mosque of Sankore in Timbuktu a teaching centre and to lay the foundations of the University of Sankore. While in Cairo, Mansa Musa met with the Sultan of Egypt, and his caravan spent and gave away so much gold that the overall value of gold decreased in Egypt for the next 12 years. The kingdom of Mali was relatively unknown outside of West Africa until this event. Ibn Battuta comments on festival demonstrations of swordplay before the mansa by his retainers including the royal interpreter. Each individual farariya ("brave") had a number of infantry officers beneath them called kl-koun or dknsi. And so the name Keita became a clan/family and began its reign.[70]. [93], In 1477, the Yatenga emperor Nassr made yet another Mossi raid into Macina, this time conquering it and the old province of BaGhana (Wagadou).[109]. His reign is associated with numerous construction projects, including part of Djinguereber Mosque in Timbuktu. The Keitas retreated to the town of Kangaba, where they became provincial chiefs. To Westerners, he seems to have been the greatest of Mali rulers, as visible in games like Civilization. During most of his journey, Ibn Battuta travelled with a retinue that included servants, most of whom carried goods for trade. [129] The county level administrators called kafo-tigui (county-master) were appointed by the governor of the province from within his own circle. [79][80], Musa's reign is commonly regarded as Mali's golden age, but this perception may be the result of his reign being the best recorded by Arabic sources, rather than him necessarily being the wealthiest and most powerful mansa of Mali. At both Gao and Timbuktu, a Songhai city almost rivalling Gao in importance, Mansa Ms commissioned Ab Isq al-Sil, a Granada poet and architect who had travelled with him from Mecca, to build mosques. Original video by UsefulCharts. To Musa, Islam was "an entry into the cultured world of the Eastern Mediterranean". While Musa's palace has since vanished, the university and mosque still stand in Timbuktu today. 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. [108], Despite their power in the west, Mali was losing the battle for supremacy in the north and northeast. Still, throne names do not usually indicate blood relations. [40] Ibn Battuta and Leo Africanus both call the capital "Mali. Musa's name Kanku Musa means "Musa son of Kanku", but the genealogy may not be literal. [82], Musa is less renowned in Mand oral tradition as performed by the jeliw. He brought architects from Andalusia, a region in Spain, and Cairo to build his grand palace in Timbuktu and the great Djinguereber Mosque that still stands today. Its first meeting, at the famous Kouroukan Fouga (Division of the World), had 29 clan delegates presided over by a belen-tigui (master of ceremony). If Dakajalan was, in fact, situated near Kangaba, this may also have contributed to their conflation, beginning with Delafosse's speculation that the latter may have begun as a suburb of the former. Wagadou and Mema became junior partners in the realm and part of the imperial nucleus. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Despite this disunity in the realm, the realm remained under Mandinka control into the mid-17th century. Mansa Mss prodigious generosity and piety, as well as the fine clothes and exemplary behaviour of his followers, did not fail to create a most-favourable impression. Mansa Musa (died 1337), king of the Mali empire in West Africa, is known mostly for his fabulous pilgrimage to Mecca and for his promotion of unity and prosperity within Mali. Log in, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). The Mansa led the second expedition himself, and appointed Musa as his deputy to rule the empire until he returned. . The Sahelian and Saharan towns of the Mali Empire were organised as both staging posts in the long-distance caravan trade and trading centres for the various West African products. Alternate titles: Kankan Ms, Mansa Musa, Mousa, Musa. Mansa Musa also ran out of gold on the hajj to Mecca but was not concerned because he knew he had enough gold back in Mali to pay back everyone he owed money to. He also states that Djata or "Jatah" means "lion". They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The video and its description text are provided by Youtube. Three bowmen supporting one spearman was the ratio in Kaabu and the Gambia by the mid-16th century. Mansa Musa, also known as Musa Keita I of Mali, was the tenth Sultan of the Mali Empire. [104] He would only reign a year before a descendant of Mansa Gao Keita removed him.[70]. Kankoro-sigui Mari Djata, who had no relation to the Keita clan, essentially ran the empire in Musa Keita II's stead. Mansa Musa was very wealthy and religious man who went on his Hajj for religious reasons and to also help people from his empire make the holy trip to Mecca for the god Allah. [91] Historians such as Hadrien Collet have argued that Musa's wealth is impossible to accurately calculate. Sadly for Sundjata, this did not occur before his father died. [79] Some oral traditions agree with Ibn Khaldun in indicating that a son of Sunjata, named Yerelinkon in oral tradition and Wali in Arabic, took power as Sunjata's successor. Mali flourished especially when Timbuktu came under Mansa Musa's control. All rights reserved. Ibn Battuta had written that in Taghaza there were no trees and there is only sand and the salt mines. However, the legendary oral tradition that surrounds Keita suggests that he never turned away from his native religion. He is the resurrected spirit of Masuta the Ascended, the second boss in the first elite dungeon, Temple of Aminishi . The second account is that of the traveller Ibn Battuta, who visited Mali in 1352. [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. After a mere nine months of rule, Mansa Camba Keita was deposed by one of Maghan Keita I's three sons. [75] It is possible that it was actually Musa's son Maghan who congratulated Abu al-Hasan, or Maghan who received Abu al-Hasan's envoy after Musa's death. [25] The empire also reached its highest population during the Laye period ruling over 400 cities,[26] towns and villages of various religions and elasticities. [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. Ibn Khaldun in Levtzion and Hopkins, eds. [61], According to the Tarikh al-Sudan, the cities of Gao and Timbuktu submitted to Musa's rule as he traveled through on his return to Mali. Therefore, Arabic visitors may have assigned the "capital" label merely to whatever major city the mansa was based out of at the time of their visit. 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. [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. [41] A particular challenge lies in interpreting early Arabic manuscripts, in which, without vowel markings and diacritics, foreign names can be read in numerous different ways (e.g. [124] Following this disastrous set of events, Mansa Mama Maghan abandoned the capital of Niani. He could read and write Arabic and took an interest in the scholarly city of Timbuktu, which he peaceably annexed in 1324. [18], In the Songhai language, rulers of Mali such as Musa were known as the Mali-koi, koi being a title that conveyed authority over a region: in other words, the "ruler of Mali". After the loyalty or at least the capitulation of an area was assured, it was allowed to select its own dyamani-tigui. The architectural crafts in Granada had reached their zenith by the fourteenth century, and its extremely unlikely that a cultured and wealthy poet would have had anything more than a dilettante's knowledge of the intricacies of contemporary architectural practice. is avail hollywood married, mitsuwa new jersey, back to back champions nfl,

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