Using the reign lengths reported by Ibn Khaldun to calculate back from the death of Mansa Suleyman in 1360, Musa would have died in 1332. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. Web. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. [15] Leo Africanus said that the capital city was called Melli. At Taghaza, for example, salt was exchanged; at Takedda, copper. The Cairo that Mansa Ms visited was ruled by one of the greatest of the Mamlk sultans, Al-Malik al-Nir. [98] Musa's hajj, and especially his gold, caught the attention of both the Islamic and Christian worlds. [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. But more reasoned analysis suggests that his role, if any, was quite limited. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. 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 . It was this pilgrimage that awakened the world to the stupendous wealth of Mali. Among these are references to "Pene" and "Malal" in the work of al-Bakri in 1068,[53][54] the story of the conversion of an early ruler, known to Ibn Khaldun (by 1397) as Barmandana,[55] and a few geographical details in the work of al-Idrisi. Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali. Yet native sources seem to pay him little attention. [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. The Joma area, governed from Siguiri, controlled the central region, which encompassed Niani. According to Musa's own account, his predecessor as Mansa of Mali, presumably Muhammad ibn Qu,[31] launched two expeditions to explore the Atlantic Ocean (200 ships for the first exploratory mission and 2,000 ships for the second). Accounts of how many people and how much gold he spent vary. 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. [43] Perhaps because of this, Musa's early reign was spent in continuous military conflict with neighboring non-Muslim societies. Wagadou's control over Manden came to a halt after internal instability lead to its decline. [93] He did not, however, hold the power of previous mansas because of the influence of his kankoro-sigui. Mali is the Fula form of the word. Niane, D. T.: "Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali". While the accounts are of limited length, they provide a fairly good picture of the empire at its height. 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. [123] Segou, defended by Bitn Coulibaly, successfully defended itself and Mama Maghan was forced to withdraw. The fame of Mansa Musa and his phenomenal wealth spread as he traveled on his hajjto Mecca. [120], The old core of the empire was divided into three spheres of influence. 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. To his parents' dread, the prince did not have a promising start. Al-Umari reported that Mali had fourteen provinces. These conflicts also interrupted trade. Manuscript of Nasir al-Din Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn al-Hajj al-Amin al-Tawathi al-Ghalawi's Kashf al-Ghummah fi Nafa al-Ummah. [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 1542, the Songhai invaded the capital city but were unsuccessful in conquering the empire. He had first-hand information from several sources, and from a second-hand source, he learned of the visit of Mansa Musa. The reign of Mari Djata Keita II was ruinous and left the empire in bad financial shape, but the empire itself passed intact to the dead emperor's brother. [28] The Tarikh al-fattash claims that Musa accidentally killed Kanku at some point prior to his hajj. From the Mamma Haidara Commemorative Library, Timbuktu. Sundjata is credited with at least the initial organisation of the Manding military. Musa's name Kanku Musa means "Musa son of Kanku", but the genealogy may not be literal. During the 17th century, the Mali Empire faced incursions from the Bamana Empire. [27] The date of Musa's birth is unknown, but he still appeared to be a young man in 1324. Musa provided all necessities for the procession, feeding the entire company of men and animals. The Manding languages were spoken in the empire. [93] Only at the state or province level was there any palpable interference from the central authority in Niani. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. The people of the south needed salt for their diet, but it was extremely rare. [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. [42] Another source of income for Mali during Musa's reign was taxation of the copper trade. In 1534, Mahmud III, the grandson of Mahmud II, received another Portuguese envoy to the Mali court by the name of Pero Fernandes. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Mali's Timbuktu was known for its schools and libraries. Most notably, the ancient center of learning Sankore Madrasah (or University of Sankore) was constructed during his reign. There is some ambiguity over the identity of the mansa responsible for the voyages. Ibn Khaldun in Levtzion and Hopkins, eds. Mansa Musa even built the Great Mosque of Djenn, one of the most famous mosques in Mali, to recognize his pilgrimage. He recruited scholars from the wider Muslim world to travel to Mali, such as the Andalusian poet Abu Ishaq al-Sahili, and helped establish Timbuktu as a center of Islamic learning. Intro music: "Lord of the Land" by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution license 4.0. Kankoro-sigui Mari Djata, who had no relation to the Keita clan, essentially ran the empire in Musa Keita II's stead. The Mali Empire reached its largest area under the Laye Keita mansas. They tell of his hardships as a boy before he came to the throne. A kl-koun led free troops into battle alongside a farima ("brave man") during campaign. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Corrections? The Portuguese decided to stay out of the conflict and the talks concluded by 1495 without an alliance.[110]. While in Mecca, conflict broke out between a group of Malian pilgrims and a group of Turkic pilgrims in the Masjid al-Haram. We would much rather spend this money on producing more free history content for the world. Oral tradition states that he had three sons who fought over Manden's remains. 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. Under his leadership, Mali conquered new territories and trade with North Africa increased. [102], The Songhai settlement effectively shook off Mali's authority in 1375. After the reigns of two more emperors, Musa Keita became mansa in c. 1312. [45] Those animals included 80 camels which each carried 23136kg (50300lb) of gold dust. Stride, G. T., & C. Ifeka: "Peoples and Empires of West Africa: West Africa in History 10001800". Arabic sources omit Faga Leye, referring to Musa as Musa ibn Abi Bakr. Afterward, he put himself and his kingdom, West Africa's Mali, on the map, literally. [78] There was evidently a power struggle of some kind involving the gbara or great council and donson ton or hunter guilds. Biti, Buti, Yiti, Tati). His administration and military work allowed the empire to survive through the 16th century, solidifying him, his empire, and his family into the imaginations of storytellers around the world. Songhai forces under the command of Askia Muhammad I defeated the Mali general Fati Quali Keita in 1502 and seized the province of Diafunu. In approximately 1140 the Sosso kingdom of Kaniaga, a former vassal of Wagadou, began conquering the lands of its old rulers. [52][55], Musa's generosity continued as he traveled onwards to Mecca, and he gave gifts to fellow pilgrims and the people of Medina and Mecca. Mande bards in the region speak of the Dakajalan site, containing Sundiata's grave, as sacrosanct. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. 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. The latter told Ibn Khaldun about devastating struggle over Gao between Mali imperial forces against Berber Tuareg forces from Takedda. Ibn Battuta comments on festival demonstrations of swordplay before the mansa by his retainers including the royal interpreter. 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. [8] Mansa, 'ruler'[9] or 'king'[10] in Mand, was the title of the ruler of the Mali Empire. [70], The number and frequency of conquests in the late 13th century and throughout the 14th century indicate the Kolonkan mansas inherited and/or developed a capable military. 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. The emperor was so overjoyed by the new acquisition that he decided to delay his return to Niani and to visit Gao instead, there to receive the personal submission of the Songhai king and take the kings two sons as hostages. When he did finally bow, he said he was doing so for God alone. 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). Like two mansolu (rulers of Mali) before him, Ms I undertook the hajj as an act of devotion in line with Islamic tradition. 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. 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. [56] Musa and his entourage lingered in Mecca after the last day of the hajj. [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 the loyalty or at least the capitulation of an area was assured, it was allowed to select its own dyamani-tigui. At the height of its power, Mali had at least 400 cities, and the interior of the Niger Delta was very densely populated. [125] Farin was a general term for northern commander at the time. But the Mali Empire built by his predecessors was too strong for even his misrule and it passed intact to Musa's brother, Souleyman Keita in 1341. Every year merchants entered Mali via Oualata with camel loads of salt to sell in Niani. [22], Genealogy of the mansas of the Mali Empire up to Magha II (d.c.1389), based on Levtzion's interpretation of Ibn Khaldun. He did however, maintain contacts with Morocco, sending a giraffe to King Abu Hassan. Elephant ivory was another major source of wealth.When Mansa Musa went on a pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca in 1324 C.E., his journey through Egypt caused quite a stir. Omissions? He had so much gold that during his hajj to Mecca, the Mansa passed out gold to all the poor along the way. [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. [131] Mansa Musa placed a heavy tax on all objects that went through Timbuktu. 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. Musa went on hajj to Mecca in 1324, traveling with an enormous entourage and a vast supply of gold. Mansa Musa was the great nephew of Sundiata Keita, who was founder . [87] The figure of Fajigi combines both Islam and traditional beliefs. A manuscript page from Timbuktu showing a table of astronomical information. 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,. Kankan Musa, better known as Mansa Musa probably took power in approximately 1312, although an earlier date is possible. [120] Each ruler used the title of mansa, but their authority only extended as far as their own sphere of influence. Umari also describes the empire as being south of Marrakesh and almost entirely inhabited except for few places. Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali Server Costs Fundraiser 2023 Running a website with millions of readers every month is expensive. The Sankor University was capable of housing 25,000 students and had one of the largest libraries in the world with roughly 1,000,000 manuscripts.[100][101]. 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. 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. Kangaba, the de facto capital of Manden since the time of the last emperor, became the capital of the northern sphere. [j][52][53] While in Cairo, Musa met with the Mamluk sultan al-Nasir Muhammad, whose reign had already seen one mansa, Sakura, make the hajj. This led to inflation throughout the kingdom. Each individual farariya ("brave") had a number of infantry officers beneath them called kl-koun or dknsi. His equipment furnishings were carried by 12.000 private slave women (Wasaif) wearing gown and brocade (dibaj) and Yemeni silk []. [96], According to some Arabic writers, Musa's gift-giving caused a depreciation in the value of gold in Egypt. We all know of Mansa Musa, possibly the richest man to ever exist. While on the hajj, he met the Andalusian poet and architect es-Saheli. Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim. [69] The university became a center of learning and culture, drawing Muslim scholars from around Africa and the Middle East to Timbuktu. Most West African canoes were of single-log construction, carved and dug out from one massive tree trunk.[144]. Mansa Ms, either the grandson or the grandnephew of Sundiata, the founder of his dynasty, came to the throne in 1307. Mansa Ms, either the grandson or the grandnephew of Sundiata, the founder of his dynasty, came to the throne in 1307. His 25-year reign (1312-1337 CE) is described as "the golden age of . Longman, 1995. According to Ibn Battuta who visited Mali in the mid-14th century, one camel load of salt sold at Walata for 810 mithqals of gold, but in Mali proper it realised 2030 ducats and sometimes even 40. Mansa Mari Djata, later named Sundiata Keita, saw the conquest of several key locals in the Mali Empire. [81] The territory of the Mali Empire was at its height during the reigns of Musa and his brother Sulayman, and covered the Sudan-Sahel region of West Africa. [9] Upon Leo Africanus's visit at the beginning of the 16th century, his descriptions of the territorial domains of Mali showed that it was still a kingdom of considerable size. In this lesson, students read one recent blog post about Musa I of Mali's wealth, followed by two historical documents from the fourteenth-century, to answer the question: Was Mansa Musa the richest person ever? He belonged to the Keita Dynasty and came to power after Abu-Bakra-Keita II left on an expedition to explore the Atlantic Ocean, leaving Musa as his deputy and never returned. There are a few references to Mali in early Islamic literature. World History Encyclopedia. This is the first account of a West African kingdom made directly by an eyewitness; the others are usually second-hand. Despite the faama of Niani's wishes to respect the prophecy and put Sundiata on the throne, the son from his first wife Sassouma Brt was crowned instead. The Wolof populations of the area united into their own state known as the Jolof Empire in the 1350s. Heusch, Luc de: "The Symbolic Mechanisms of Sacred Kingship: Rediscovering Frazer". Still, throne names do not usually indicate blood relations. His elaborate pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca in 1324 introduced him to rulers in the Middle East and in Europe. [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. [126], The Kouroukan Fouga also put in place social and economic reforms including prohibitions on the maltreatment of prisoners and slaves, installing documents between clans which clearly stated who could say what about whom. Side by side with the encouragement of trade and commerce, learning and the arts received royal patronage.
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