The Empire of Songhai

1
The Empire of Songhai
2
Similarities to Mali and Ghana

• Songhai was made rich through trade.
• They owned important salt mines.
• They were located on important trans-Saharan
  trade routes.
• They worked with Berber caravan leaders.
• Songhais leaders were Muslims.
• Songhai depended on the Niger River for water,
  trade and travel.

3
Conflict with Mali

• Mali and Songhai occupied roughly the same area.
• Mansa Musa (the great leader of Mali) sent his
  army to conquer Songhai. Mali absorbed Songhai
  into their empire for a short time.
• As Mali began to fail, Songhai was able to regain
  independence.

4
Sunni Ali

• Sunni Ali became leader of Songhai in 1464.
• He strengthened Songhai and added territory
  (including much of Mali).
• He conquered the wealthy trade cities of Djenne
  and Timbuktu.
• He had been asked by Malis leaders for help
  against Tuareg invaders.
• He drove off the invaders and kept the cities for
  himself.
• To promote peace, he participated in both Muslim
  and traditional African religions.

5
Sunni Baru

• When Sunni Ali died in 1492, his son (Sunni Baru)
  took the throne.
• Sunni Baru was not a Muslim, even though most of
  the people in his empire were.
• Fearing that Songhai would lose power (and
  trading partners) with a non-Muslim leader, the
  people rebelled against Sunni Baru.
• The leader of the rebellion against Sunni Baru
  was a general named, Muhammad Ture. After
  defeating Sunni Baru, he took the title askia (a
  military rank).

6
Askia the Great

• Askia the Great was a devout Muslim.
• Like Mansa Musa, Askia went on a hajj.
• Askia made many laws which were similar to other
  Muslim nations.
• The picture is the 16th century mosque built by
  Askia the Great in Gao.

7
Askia the Great (cont.)

• Askia the Great promoted education.
• He made Timbuktu a world-famous education center
  once again. People came from all over to study
  at the University of Sankore.
• Djenne became a world-famous center of medicine.
• Askia reorganized the government.
• He divided the empire into 5 provinces.
• He appointed governors and removed local leaders.
• He created government departments to oversee
  certain areas.
• He had the first standing army in West Africa.

8
Fall of Songhai

• After Askia the great, other askias ruled for a
  short time.
• Morocco invaded to take control of Songhais salt
  mines.
• Morocco needed money after years of fighting with
  the Portuguese and Spanish.
• Morocco marched on Songhai in 1591. Some of
  Moroccos soldiers were actually Portuguese and
  Spanish war prisoners.
• Morocco had superior firepower. They carried the
  arquebus (early form of the gun) and even some
  cannons.
• They attacked the trading cities of Timbuktu and
  Gao.
• The destruction of trade finally wiped out
  Songhai.