Medieval Africa

1
Medieval Africa

• Western African Empires
• A.D. 570s - 1590s

2
Ghana

• Location Western Africa
• Time period 400s - 1100s

3
Ghanas rise to power

• Taxing traders
• many passed through Ghana
• taxing lots of
• More Money More Power
• Why were traders willing to pay taxes?

4
Ghanas rise to power

• Traders paid taxes because Ghana had . . .

• iron weapons
• mighty army
• control of gold mines
• power because
• people had a need for salt
• people had a desire for gold

5
Trade in Ghana

• Goods traded
• iron products
• animal products
• salt
• gold
• Remember
• they did NOT own gold mines
• the importance of taxes

6
Trade Routes in Ghana

• Ghana traded with
• people north and east of the Sahara Desert

7
Government in Ghana

• Group of advisors

• Oversaw small districts

A group of people from the same ancestor
8
Government in Ghana

• Monarchies - Kings
• inherited power through their . . .
• held tight to power
• controlled trade
• NO trade without Kings permission
• were the only ones with gold nuggets
• people traded in gold dust
• WHY does this matter?

9
The Ghana Empire falls 1200s A.D.

• The discovery of new gold mines
• Reduction in taxes
• Farming
• Land could not produce enough food
• Fighting
• Ghana vs. North African Muslims

10
Mali

• Location Western Africa
• Time period 1200 -1450

11
Malis rise to power

• Sundiata Keita
• The Lion King
• of Mali

12
Mali under Sundiata Keitaruled1230 - 1255

• The Lion Prince
• Warrior King
• Seized the capital of Ghana - 1240 A.D.
• Controlled land from Atlantic Ocean to beyond
  Timbuktu (trading city)
• Seized capital of Ghana
• Mali strengthened the gold and salt trade

13
Trade in Mali

• Salt
• Gold

14
Trade Routes in Mali

• Mali trade routes
• Took Niger River north through the Sahara Desert
  

15
Government in Mali

• Looked a little like Ghana

• managed different parts of the economy

protected provinces
16
Mali under King Mansa Musa

• Islam is strong
• Many mosques and libraries were built
• Mosques Muslim places of worship

• His journey to Mecca
• to show power
• it did help Islam grow
• brought back architects, teachers, and writers
• How did this contribute to the strength of his
  empire?

17
The Mali Empire Falls

• 1332 - death of Mansa Musa
• What have we learned about leadership in Greek,
  Roman, and other societies so far in history?
• Kings who followed could not stop invaders

18
Songhai

• Location Western Africa
• Time period1000-1600s

19
Songhais rise to power

• After the death of Mansa Musa, Mali weakened.
• 1468 - Sunni Ali storms Timbuktu
• drove out the Berbers (invaders)
• campaign of conquest
• Niger River valley
• war with canoes
• swept the Sahara
• took over salt mines
• Empire grows largest in Africa

20
Songhai after Sunni Ali

• Askia Muhammed takes control
• built the largest empire in all of Medieval
  West Africa
• Timbuktu became a center of Islamic culture
• Empire exists for over 100 years

21
Trade in Songhai

• salt
• gold
• Trade Routes
• Center of Trade
• was the city of
• Timbuktu
• Niger River Valley

22
Government in Songhai

• Looked a little like Malis . . .
• . . . But was different

• Monarchy
• land divided into providences
• Islam influenced kings

• Kings focused on
• conquering othersvs ruling their government

23
The Songhai Empire falls

• 1591 - Morocco invades Songhai
• Arabs with better weapons
• A few months, and it is gone

24
In Medieval Africa did size matter?