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. What did Ms I do when he returned to Mali? The Malian and Moroccan armies fought at Jenne on 26 April, the last day of Ramadan, and the Moroccans were victorious thanks to their firearms and Bukar's support, but Mahmud was able to escape. [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]. He brought a large entourage with him which impressed people everywhere they went. He had so much gold that during his hajj to Mecca, the Mansa passed out gold to all the poor along the way. The last son of Maghan Keita I, Tenin Maghan Keita (also known as Kita Tenin Maghan Keita for the province he once governed) was crowned Mansa Maghan Keita II in 1387. Musa's name Kanku Musa means "Musa son of Kanku", but the genealogy may not be literal. Hunters from the Ghana Empire (or Wagadou), particularly mythical ancestors Kontron and Sanin, founded Manding and the Malink and Bambaras hunter brotherhood. Mansa Musa even built the Great Mosque of Djenn, one of the most famous mosques in Mali, to recognize his pilgrimage. Emperors and Empresses from Around the (Non-Roman) World Quiz, Armand-Jean du Plessis, cardinal et duc de Richelieu, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Musa-I-of-Mali, World History Encyclopedia - Mansa Musa I, Musa - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). [75] This victory resulted in the fall of the Kaniaga kingdom and the rise of the Mali Empire. Musa expanded the borders of the Mali Empire, in particular incorporating the cities of Gao and Timbuktu into its territory. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. 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,. the descendants of the nearly 1,000-year-old objects made in Africa. The Portuguese decided to stay out of the conflict and the talks concluded by 1495 without an alliance.[110]. [111] This envoy from the Portuguese coastal port of Elmina arrived in response to the growing trade along the coast and Mali's now urgent request for military assistance against Songhai. By 1350, the empire covered approximately 478,819 square miles (1,240,140km2). Mansa Musa was immensely wealthy (whether he can be regarded as personally wealthy or wealthy because he controlled the gold mines of Mali is, of course, a . [12][h] Ibn Battuta, who visited Mali during the reign of Musa's brother Sulayman, said that Musa's grandfather was named Sariq Jata. [60] Other scholars whom Musa brought to Mali included Maliki jurists. [70] These men had to be of the horon (freemen) caste and appear with their own arms. The only major setback to his reign was the loss of Mali's Dyolof province in Senegal. [8] Mansa, 'ruler'[9] or 'king'[10] in Mand, was the title of the ruler of the Mali Empire. Several alternate spellings exist, such as Congo Musa, Gongo Musa, and Kankan Musa, but they are regarded as incorrect. 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. He built mosques and large public buildings in cities like Gao and, most famously, Timbuktu. He ruled oppressively and nearly bankrupted Mali with his lavish spending. As soon as Sassouma's son Dankaran Touman took the throne, he and his mother forced the increasingly popular Sundjata into exile along with his mother and two sisters. 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. [54] Despite this initial awkwardness, the two rulers got along well, and exchanged gifts. [86] Fajigi is remembered as having traveled to Mecca to retrieve ceremonial objects known as boliw, which feature in Mand traditional religion. Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca happened between 1324 and 1325. Included in al-Qalqashandi's quotation of al-'Umari, but not in any manuscript of al-'Umari's text itself, which only list thirteen provinces despite saying there are fourteen. Al-Umari, who wrote down a description of Mali based on information given to him by Abu Said 'Otman ed Dukkali (who had lived 35 years in the capital), reported the realm as being square and an eight-month journey from its coast at Tura (at the mouth of the Senegal River) to Muli. [62] According to one account given by Ibn Khaldun, Musa's general Saghmanja conquered Gao. Stories of his fabulous wealth even reached Europe. [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. Al-Umari reported that Mali had fourteen provinces. After the loyalty or at least the capitulation of an area was assured, it was allowed to select its own dyamani-tigui. [59] Those not living in the mountains formed small city-states such as Toron, Ka-Ba and Niani. "[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. [34][35] Nonetheless, the possibility of such a voyage has been taken seriously by several historians. Al-Qalqashandi quotes al-'Umari as spelling it. Musa I (Arabic: , romanized:Mans Ms, N'Ko: ; r.c.1312c.1337[a]) was the ninth[4] mansa of the Mali Empire, which reached its territorial peak during his reign. [24] The empire's total area included nearly all the land between the Sahara Desert and coastal forests. [149], Imperial banner carried with Musa I in 1325 Hajj, Social, economic and governmental reformation. The Bamana, likewise, vowed not to advance farther upstream than Niamina. Bukar professed his support, but believing Mahmud's situation to be hopeless, secretly went over to the Moroccans. The area was famous as a hunting ground for the large amount of game that it sheltered, as well as its dense vegetation. [95] When he passed through Cairo, historian al-Maqrizi noted "the members of his entourage proceeded to buy Turkish and Ethiopian slave girls, singing girls and garments, so that the rate of the gold dinar fell by six dirhams.". [45] He would have spent much time fostering the growth of the religion within his empire. It was this pilgrimage that awakened the world to the stupendous wealth of Mali. Under his leadership, Mali conquered new territories and trade with North Africa increased. [93] Musa may have brought as much as 18 tons of gold on his hajj,[94] equal in value to over US$957million in 2022. However, from 1507 onwards neighboring states such as Diara, Great Fulo and the Songhai Empire chipped away at the outer borders of Mali. He attempted to make Islam the faith of the nobility,[93] but kept to the imperial tradition of not forcing it on the populace. The Rock art in the Sahara suggests that northern Mali has been inhabited since 10,000 BC, when the Sahara was fertile and rich in wildlife. [93] Only at the state or province level was there any palpable interference from the central authority in Niani. Upon stabbing their spears into the ground before Sundiata's throne, each of the twelve kings relinquished their kingdom to the Keita dynasty. [120] Each ruler used the title of mansa, but their authority only extended as far as their own sphere of influence. [78] There was evidently a power struggle of some kind involving the gbara or great council and donson ton or hunter guilds. [124] Following this disastrous set of events, Mansa Mama Maghan abandoned the capital of Niani. [39], The identity of the capital city of the Mali Empire is a matter of dispute among historians. Ibn Khaldun in Levtzion and Hopkins, eds. Ag-Amalwal. These oral stories . The identification of Niani as imperial capital is rooted in an (possibly erroneous) interpretation of the Arab traveler al Umari's work, as well as some oral histories. During this period only the Mongol Empire was larger. He's especially famous for his hajj to Mecca, during which he sponsored numerous mosques and madrases, and supposedly spent so much gold along the way that the metal was severely devalued, which for many people was not a very good thing. Mansa Musa was an important ruler of the golden age of the Malink kingdom, based on the upper Niger River in Mali, West Africa. [102] The text of Ibn Khaldun says "Gao, at this time is devastated". Oral tradition states that he had three sons who fought over Manden's remains. The other major source of information comes from Mandinka oral tradition, as recorded by storytellers known as griots.[5]. Around 1550, Mali attacked Bighu in an effort to regain access to its gold. Each representative or ton-tigi ("quiver-master") provided counsel to the mansa at the Gbara, but only these two ton-tigi held such wide-ranging power. This region straddles the border between what is now southern Mali and northeastern Guinea. Mansa Musa developed cities like Timbuktu and Gao into important cultural centers. More than sixty years after the reign of Sundiata Keita, one of his descendants rose to become the King of Mali. Mansa Souleyman Keita died in 1360 and was succeeded by his son, Camba Keita. In addition, Mansa Ms had a baggage train of 80 camels, each carrying 300 pounds of gold. From the Mamma Haidara Commemorative Library, Timbuktu. 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. Omissions? While Musa's palace has since vanished, the university and mosque still stand in Timbuktu today. While on the hajj, he met the Andalusian poet and architect es-Saheli. He was the son of Niani's faama, Nare Fa (also known as Maghan Kon Fatta meaning the handsome prince). It was common practice during the Middle Ages for both Christian and Muslim rulers to tie their bloodline back to a pivotal figure in their faith's history, so the lineage of the Keita dynasty may be dubious at best,[62] yet African Muslim scholars like the London-based Nigerian-British cleric Sheikh Abu-Abdullah Adelabu have laid claim of divine attainments to the reign of Mansa Mousa: "in Islamic history and its science stories of Old Mali Empire and significance of Mansa Mousa by ancient Muslim historians like Shihab al-Umari, documenting histories of African legendaries like Mansa Kankan Musa did actually exist in early Arabic sources about West African history including works of the author of Subh al-a 'sha one of the final expressions of the genre of Arabic administrative literature, Ahmad al-Qalqashandi Egyptian writer, mathematician and scribe of the scroll (katib al-darj) in the Mamluk chancery in Cairo[63] as well as by the author of Kitab al-Masalik wa al-Mamalik (Book of Highways and Kingdoms) Ab Ubayd Al-Bakri, an Arab Andalusian Muslim geographer and historian emboldened Keita Dynasty", wrote Adelabu. Konkodougou Kamissa Keita, named for the province he once governed,[70] was crowned as Mansa Mari Djata Keita II in 1360. [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. After unsuccessful attempts by Mansa Mama Maghan to conquer Bamana, the Bamana in 1670 sacked and burned the capital, and the Mali Empire rapidly disintegrated and ceased to exist, being replaced by independent chiefdoms. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. A very large number of families that make up the Mandinka community were born in Manding. [129] The county level administrators called kafo-tigui (county-master) were appointed by the governor of the province from within his own circle. We all know of Mansa Musa, possibly the richest man to ever exist. Despite this disunity in the realm, the realm remained under Mandinka control into the mid-17th century. The only real requirement was that the mansa knew he could trust this individual to safeguard imperial interests. His 25-year reign (1312-1337 CE) is described as "the golden age of . What made this possible was the decentralised nature of administration throughout the state. by UsefulCharts. But more reasoned analysis suggests that his role, if any, was quite limited. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. The Mansa led the second expedition himself, and appointed Musa as his deputy to rule the empire until he returned. The farimba operated from a garrison with an almost entirely slave force, while a farima functioned on field with virtually all freemen. [83] This term was used interchangeably with dinar, though it is unclear if coined currency was used in the empire. In 1481, Fula raids against Mali's Tekrur provinces began. [123] Either as a counter-attack or simply the progression of pre-planned assaults against the remnants of Mali, the Bamana sacked and burned Niani in 1670. 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). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The history of the Mandinka started in Manding region. Under Mansa Ms, Timbuktu grew to be a very important commercial city having caravan connections with Egypt and with all other important trade centres in North Africa. This process was essential to keep non-Manding subjects loyal to the Manding elites that ruled them. [59], On his return journey, Musa met the Andalusian poet Abu Ishaq al-Sahili, whose eloquence and knowledge of jurisprudence impressed him, and whom he convinced to travel with him to Mali. [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. 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. 6. [71] However, Ibn Khaldun also reports that Musa sent an envoy to congratulate Abu al-Hasan Ali for his conquest of Tlemcen, which took place in May 1337, but by the time Abu al-Hasan sent an envoy in response, Musa had died and Suleyman was on the throne, suggesting Musa died in 1337. As a result of this the empire fell. The Mali Empire reached its largest area under the Laye Keita mansas. Via one of the royal ladies of his court, Musa transformed Sankore from an informal madrasah into an Islamic university. 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. [114] However, the Songhai do not maintain their hold on the Malian capital. In the 17th year of his reign (1324), he set out on his famous pilgrimage to Mecca. Mansa Musa also known as Musa I of Mali and was the ninth Islamic ancient Emperor of West Africa in a kingdom known as the Mali Empire. [49] It has been suggested that the name given in the Arabic sources for the capital of Mali is derived the Manding word "bambi", meaning "dais", and as such refers to the "seat of government" in general rather than being the name of a specific city. Kankoro-sigui Mari Djata, who had no relation to the Keita clan, essentially ran the empire in Musa Keita II's stead. Musa is known for his wealth and generosity. Mansa Mahmud Keita II received the Portuguese envoys Pro d'vora and Gonalo Enes in 1487. Mansa Fadima Musa Keita, or Mansa Musa Keita II, began the process of reversing his brother's excesses. [117], The swan song of the Mali Empire came in 1599, under the reign of Mansa Mahmud IV. CREDITS: Chart/Narration: Matt Baker Research/Artwork: From Nothing Team Editing: Jack Rackam Intro animation: Syawish Rehman Intro music: "Lord of the Land" by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution license 4.0. [116] Songhai authority over Bendugu and Kala declined by 1571, and Mali may have been able to reassert some authority over them. Free warriors from the south came armed with bows and poisonous arrows. The oldest brother, Srbandjougou Keita, was crowned Mansa Foamed or Mansa Musa Keita III. At Taghaza, for example, salt was exchanged; at Takedda, copper. The army of the Mali Empire during the 14th century was divided into northern and southern commands led by the Farim-Soura and Sankar-Zouma, respectively. 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). Ms Is hajj left a lasting impression of Malis splendour on both the Islamic and European worlds. Musa provided all necessities for the procession, feeding the entire company of men and animals. Like the Great Mosque, a contemporaneous and grandiose structure in Timbuktu, the Hall was built of cut stone. In Ibn Khaldun's account, Sundjata is recorded as Mari Djata with "Mari" meaning "Amir" or "Prince". Evidence of cavalry in terracotta figures suggest the empire's prosperous economy as horses are not indigenous to Africa. This website claims no authorship of this content; we are republishing it for educational purposes. The child of this marriage received the first name of his mother (Sogolon) and the surname of his father (Djata). In 14331434, the Mali Empire lost control of Timbuktu to the Tuareg, led by Akil [78] Nehemia Levtzion regarded 1337 as the most likely date,[72] which has been accepted by other scholars. It was during Suleyman's 19-year reign that Ibn Battuta visited Mali. [93] It is during his reign that Fula raids on Takrur began. The people of the south needed salt for their diet, but it was extremely rare. [56] Musa and his entourage lingered in Mecca after the last day of the hajj. Mansa Musa was the great-great-grandson of Sunjata, who was the founder of the empire of Mali. It is known from the Tarikh al-Sudan that Mali was still a sizeable state in the 15th century. The historian al-Umar, who visited Cairo 12 years after the emperors visit, found the inhabitants of this city, with a population estimated at one million, still singing the praises of Mansa Ms. Free warriors from the north (Mandekalu or otherwise) were usually equipped with large reed or animal hide shields and a stabbing spear that was called a tamba. 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. [102], The Songhai settlement effectively shook off Mali's authority in 1375. [93] In 1514, the Denianke dynasty was established in Tekrour. Three bowmen supporting one spearman was the ratio in Kaabu and the Gambia by the mid-16th century. Mama Maghan, mansa of Kangaba, campaigned against the Bamana in 1667 and laid siege to SegouKoro for a reported three years. CREDITS: Chart/Narration: Matt Baker. The bow figured prominently in Mandinka warfare and was a symbol of military force throughout the culture. Your email address will not be published. [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. Mansa Musa brought the architect back to Mali to beautify some of the cities. Mansa Ms, whose empire was one of the largest in the world at that time, is reported to have observed that it would take a year to travel from one end of his empire to the other. Mali was thriving for a long time, but like other west African kingdoms, Mali began to fall. Forty years after the reign of Mansa Musa Keita I, the Mali Empire still controlled some 1,100,000 square kilometres (420,000sqmi) of land throughout Western Africa.[103][9]. Musa I ( Arabic: , romanized : Mans Ms, N'Ko: ; r. c. 1312 - c. 1337 [a]) was the ninth [4] mansa of the Mali Empire, which reached its territorial peak during his reign. Mansa Ms probably died in 1332. [85] He went on the hajj during the reign of Mamluk sultan an-Nasir Muhammad (12981308) and was killed in Tajura on his way back to Mali. . You cannot download interactives.