Gold, copper, and salt were a major source of income in the 12th century and the empire happened to be blessed with it, even more as it expanded. and transl. More than sixty years after the reign of Sundiata Keita, one of his descendants rose to become the King of Mali. [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. Ag-Amalwal. [12] However, these hypotheses have been rejected by locals and are inconsistent with the apparent cognate status of Mali and Mand.[19]. At each halt, he would regale us [his entourage] rare foods and confectionery. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. 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. [42] Among these preparations would likely have been raids to capture and enslave people from neighboring lands, as Musa's entourage would include many thousands of enslaved people; the historian Michael Gomez estimates that Mali may have captured over 6,000 people per year for this purpose. The Mali Empire began in and was centered around the Manding region in what is now southern Mali and northeastern Guinea. Why did Ms I make a pilgrimage to Mecca? Imperial Malian architecture was characterised by Sudano-Sahelian architecture with a Malian substyle, which is exemplified by the Great Mosque of Djenne. [6] The early history of the Mali Empire (before the 13th century) is unclear, as there are conflicting and imprecise accounts by both Arab chroniclers and oral traditionalists.
Mss rule defined the golden age of Mali. The mansa could also replace a farba if he got out of control, as in the case of Diafunu. Still, when Ibn Battuta arrived at Mali in July 1352, he found a thriving civilisation on par with virtually anything in the Muslim or Christian world. [59] Those not living in the mountains formed small city-states such as Toron, Ka-Ba and Niani. Musa I (known more commonly as Mansa Musa) was the tenth Mansa (a Mandinka word for "emperor") of the Mali Empire. Dates: 4001591 C. E.", "Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived? Maghan Sundiata was declared "faama of faamas" and received the title "mansa", which translates as "king". During this period, there was an advanced level of urban living in the major centers of Mali. Mali is the Fula form of the word. Ibn Khaldun recorded that in 776 A.H or 1374/1375 AD he interviewed a Sijilmasan scholar named Muhammad b. Wasul who had lived in Gao and had been employed in its judiciary. [118] Mahmud sought support from several other rulers, including the governor of Kala, Bukar. Upon stabbing their spears into the ground before Sundiata's throne, each of the twelve kings relinquished their kingdom to the Keita dynasty. [70] Two noble brothers from Niani, of unknown lineage, went to Dioma with an army and drove out the Fula Wassoulounk. The Royal Kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay: Life in Medieval Africa By Patricia McKissack, Fredrick McKissack Page 60, "The richest person who ever lived had unimaginable wealth. Provinces picked their own governors via their own custom (election, inheritance, etc.). Sundiata Keita was a warrior-prince of the Keita dynasty who was called upon to free the local people from the rule of the king of the Sosso Empire, Soumaoro Kant. Geography, Human Geography, Social Studies, Ancient Civilizations, World History. Alternate titles: Kankan Ms, Mansa Musa, Mousa, Musa. [69] The Kangaba province, free of Sonink influence, splintered into twelve kingdoms with their own maghan (meaning prince) or faama. [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. The wooden window frames of an upper storey were plated with silver foil; those of a lower storey with gold. [104] He would only reign a year before a descendant of Mansa Gao Keita removed him.[70].
Mansa Musa | Stanford History Education Group [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. 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 . so the name Kanku Musa means "Musa, son of Kanku", although it is unclear if the genealogy implied is literal. In 1324 Musa embarked on a hajj, a religious pilgrimage to Mecca, traveling with an entourage that included 8,000 courtiers, 12,000 servants and 100 camel loads of . Returning with the combined armies of Mema, Wagadou and all the rebellious Mandinka city-states, Maghan Sundiata led a revolt against the Kaniaga Kingdom around 1234. 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. Al-Qalqashandi quotes al-'Umari as spelling it. 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. At the age of 18, he gained authority over all the 12 kingdoms in an alliance that would become the Mali Empire.
Mansa Musa - Originalpeople.org During his reign, Mali was one of the richest kingdoms of Africa, and Mansa Musa was among the richest individuals in the world. Al-Nasir expected Musa to prostrate himself before him, which Musa initially refused to do. He also states that Djata or "Jatah" means "lion". [60] The anglicised version of this name, Sunjata, is also popular. Khalifa would shoot arrows at his subjects, so he was overthrown and killed. Mansa Musa turned the kingdom of Mali into a sophisticated center of learning in the Islamic world.Mansa Musa came to power in 1312 C.E., after the previous king, Abu Bakr II, disappeared at sea. The earliest document mentioning the mosque is Abd al-Sadi's Tarikh al-Sudan, which gives the early history, presumably from the oral tradition as it existed in the mid seventeenth century. Mans third spouse tells court he was a despot, Woman describes treatment in Aguanga torture trial, Social worker: Children in torture case appeared happy, healthy, Calif. torture trial airs family horror stories, Polygamist who tortured his family is sentenced to 7 life terms, Aguanga man to serve seven life sentences, Emerging from a notorious hell of abuse to counsel others, Laura Cowan, Mansa Musa Muhummed: Sex, Torture, Beatings In Muslim Cult, Former Polygamy Wife Speaks Out On Justice By Any Means.
Mansa Musa: The Financial Recklessness of the Richest Man in History Who Are the Mandinka? - HISTORY Mali flourished especially when Timbuktu came under Mansa Musa's control. Hamana (or Amana), southwest of Joma, became the southern sphere, with its capital at Kouroussa in modern Guinea. [70] Little is known of him except that he only reigned two years.
19 Children of Mansa Musa Muhummed [24] The empire's total area included nearly all the land between the Sahara Desert and coastal forests. [47], According to Jules Vidal and Levtzion, citing oral histories from Kangaba and Keyla, another onetime capital was Manikoro or Mali-Kura, founded after the destruction of Niani. [48], Parallel to this debate, many scholars have argued that the Mali Empire may not have had a permanent "capital" in the sense that the word is used today, and historically was used in the Mediterranean world. His riches came from mining significant salt and gold deposits in the Mali kingdom. 1312 is the most widely accepted by modern historians. He has sometimes been called the wealthiest person in history. However, Al-Nasir Muhammad returned Musa's earlier show of generosity with gifts of his own. Mansa Abu Bakr II had departed on a large fleet of ships to explore the Atlantic Ocean, and never returned.Mansa Musa inherited a kingdom that was already wealthy, but his work in expanding trade made Mali the wealthiest kingdom in Africa. [57][58] Having run out of money, Musa and his entourage were forced to borrow money and re-sell much of what they had purchased while in Cairo before the hajj, and Musa went into debt to several merchants, such as Siraj al-Din. 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]. It was "an admirable Monument", surmounted by a dome and adorned with arabesques of striking colours. Most West African canoes were of single-log construction, carved and dug out from one massive tree trunk.[144]. 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. [86] Fajigi is remembered as having traveled to Mecca to retrieve ceremonial objects known as boliw, which feature in Mand traditional religion. It contained three immense gold mines within its borders unlike the Ghana Empire, which was only a transit point for gold. The only major setback to his reign was the loss of Mali's Dyolof province in Senegal. jeli), also known as griots, includes relatively little information about Musa compared to some other parts of the history of Mali. 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. The ton-tigi belonged to an elite force of cavalry commanders called the farari ("brave men"). [15], Musa ascended to power in the early 1300s[i] under unclear circumstances. [70] Both of these men were part of Mali's warrior elite known as the ton-ta-jon-ta-ni-woro ("sixteen carriers of quivers"). The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. "[65], It is recorded that Mansa Musa traveled through the cities of Timbuktu and Gao on his way to Mecca, and made them a part of his empire when he returned around 1325. . The empire began as a small Mandinka kingdom at the upper reaches of the Niger River, centered around the Manding region. Mansa Musa ruled over the Mali empire in the 14th Century, and his incredible access to gold made him arguably . UsefulCharts, . It is implausible that Abu Bakr was Musa's father, due to the amount of time between Sunjata's reign and Musa's. The Portuguese decided to stay out of the conflict and the talks concluded by 1495 without an alliance.[110]. [19], Much of what is known about Musa comes from Arabic sources written after his hajj, especially the writings of Al-Umari and Ibn Khaldun. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita (c. 1214 c. 1255) and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa (Musa Keita). Konkodougou Kamissa Keita, named for the province he once governed,[70] was crowned as Mansa Mari Djata Keita II in 1360. The exact date of Musa's accession is debated. Nelson, 1971. [99] The gold Musa brought on his pilgrimage probably represented years of accumulated tribute that Musa would have spent much of his early reign gathering. [125] Farin was a general term for northern commander at the time. [112] Still, no help came from the envoy and further possessions of Mali were lost one by one. In Mali he promoted trans-Saharan trade that further increased the empires wealth. [36][37][38], According to the Tarikh al-Fattash, Musa had a wife named Inari Konte. All rights reserved. Arab writers from the time said that he travelled with an entourage of tens of thousands of people and dozens of camels, each carrying 136 kilograms (300 pounds) of gold. It had a well-organised army with an elite corps of horsemen and many foot soldiers in each battalion. In the early 15th century, Mali was still powerful enough to conquer and settle new areas. [97] Though this has been described as having "wrecked" Egypt's economy,[85] the historian Warren Schultz has argued that this was well within normal fluctuations in the value of gold in Mamluk Egypt. By the time of his death in 1337, Mali had control over Taghazza, a salt-producing area in the north, which further strengthened its treasury. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. He stopped in Cairo along the way, and his luxurious spending and gift giving was so extensive that he diluted the value of gold by 10 to 25 percent and impacted Cairos economy for at least 12 years afterward. [115] The breakup of the Wolof Empire allowed Mali to reassert authority over some of its former subjects on the north bank of the Gambia, such as Wuli, by 1576. His equipment furnishings were carried by 12.000 private slave women (Wasaif) wearing gown and brocade (dibaj) and Yemeni silk [].
Mansa Musa: A Captivating Guide to the Emperor of the Islamic Mali In his lifetime and beyond, he was known for his extravagant wealth and spending, funded by his kingdom's vast salt and gold mines. 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. We care about our planet! In addition, Mansa Ms had a baggage train of 80 camels, each carrying 300 pounds of gold. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Musa stayed in Cairo for three months, departing on 18 October[k] with the official caravan to Mecca. "[96], Contemporary sources suggest that the mounts employed by this caravan were one hundred elephants, which carried those loads of gold, and several hundred camels, carrying the food, supplies and weaponries which were brought to the rear.[97]. The Manding languages were spoken in the empire. 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. It wasn't long before the new kingdom of Great Fulo was warring against Mali's remaining provinces. [62] According to one account given by Ibn Khaldun, Musa's general Saghmanja conquered Gao. There are a few references to Mali in early Islamic literature.
Mansa Musa of the Mali Empire was the Richest king in history - iwish2click [22] Oral tradition, as performed by the jeliw (sg. [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". The kingdom of Mali was relatively unknown outside of West Africa until this event. Consequently, the name of Mali and Timbuktu appeared on 14th century world maps. After many years in exile, first at the court of Wagadou and then at Mema, Sundiata was sought out by a Niani delegation and begged to combat the Sosso and free the kingdoms of Manden forever. Sandaki likely means High Counsellor or Supreme Counsellor, from san or sanon (meaning "high") and adegue (meaning counsellor). Free warriors from the south came armed with bows and poisonous arrows. Mansa Ms, either the grandson or the grandnephew of Sundiata, the founder of his dynasty, came to the throne in 1307. [39], The identity of the capital city of the Mali Empire is a matter of dispute among historians. [102] The text of Ibn Khaldun says "Gao, at this time is devastated". In his attempt to justify the importance of the Keita and their civilisation in early Arabic literatures, Adelabu, the head of Awqaf Africa in London, coined the Arabic derivatives K(a)-W(e)-Y(a) of the word Keita which in (in what he called) Arabicised Mandingo language Allah(u) Ka(w)eia meaning "Allah Creates All" as a favourable motto of reflection for Bilal Ibn Rabah, one of the most trusted and loyal Sahabah (companions) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, whom he described (quoting William Muir's book The Life of Muhammad) as 'a tall, dark, and with African feature and bushy hair'[64] pious man who overcame slavery, racism and socio-political obstacles in Arabia to achieve a lofty status in this world and in the Hereafter.[65]. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. In 1481, Fula raids against Mali's Tekrur provinces began. Ms Is hajj left a lasting impression of Malis splendour on both the Islamic and European worlds. If the mansa didn't believe the dyamani-tigui was capable or trustworthy, a farba might be installed to oversee the province or administer it outright. [75] This victory resulted in the fall of the Kaniaga kingdom and the rise of the Mali Empire. 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. This trend would continue into colonial times against Tukulor enemies from the west.[121]. [130] Farbas were picked by the mansa from the conquering farin or family members. The video and its description text are provided by Youtube. In 1324, while staying in Cairo during his hajj, Mansa Musa, the ruler of the Mali Empire, told an Egyptian official whom he had befriended that he had come to rule when his predecessor led a fleet in an attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean and never returned. And so the name Keita became a clan/family and began its reign.[70]. Mansa Mari Djata, later named Sundiata Keita, saw the conquest of several key locals in the Mali Empire. [122] This campaign gutted Manden and destroyed any hope of the three mansas cooperating to free their land. Barring any other difficulties, the dyamani-tigui would run the province by himself collecting taxes and procuring armies from the tribes under his command. Mansa means (King or Emperor) and he was ruling the Mali kingdom from C.E 1312 to 1337 for around 25 years. Mahmud Keita, possibly a grandchild or great-grandchild of Mansa Gao Keita, was crowned Mansa Maghan Keita III in 1390. His name was Mansa Musa, and he was a devout Muslim. This region straddles the border between what is now southern Mali and northeastern Guinea. 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. The Keitas retreated to the town of Kangaba, where they became provincial chiefs. [93] Emperor Bonga did not appear to hold the area, and it stayed within the Mali Empire after Maghan Keita III's death in 1400. Despite this disunity in the realm, the realm remained under Mandinka control into the mid-17th century. Musa's name Kanku Musa means "Musa son of Kanku", but the genealogy may not be literal. His skillful administration left his empire well-off at the time of his death, but eventually, the empire fell apart.