by UsefulCharts. In the 17th year of his reign (1324), he set out on his famous pilgrimage to Mecca. The ancient kingdom of Mali spread across parts of modern-day Mali, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso. Original video by UsefulCharts. Mansa Musa, one of the wealthiest people who ever lived - Jessica Smith TED-Ed 7.1M views 7 years ago The history of Nigeria explained in 6 minutes (3,000 Years of Nigerian history) Epimetheus. A manuscript page from Timbuktu showing a table of astronomical information. It may have been located close to modern Kangaba. [20] Arab interest in the Mali Empire declined after the Songhai conquered the northern regions of the empire which formed the primary contact between Mali and the Arab world. Around 1550, Mali attacked Bighu in an effort to regain access to its gold. Stride, G. T., & C. Ifeka: "Peoples and Empires of West Africa: West Africa in History 10001800". 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. [99] Mosques were built in Gao and Timbuktu along with impressive palaces also built in Timbuktu. 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. [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. In 1307, Mansa Musa came to the throne after a series of civil wars and ruled for thirty years. [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. In this lesson, students read one recent blog post about Musa I of Mali's wealth, followed by two historical documents from the fourteenth-century, to answer the question: Was Mansa Musa the richest person ever? According to the records of Ibn Battuta,[138][139] copper which traded in bars was mined from Takedda in the north and traded in the south for gold. Mansa Musa's reign itself was 25 years long. These oral stories . Mali flourished especially when Timbuktu came under Mansa Musa's control. Mansa Musa ruled the Malian empire from 1312-1337 CE. However, from 1507 onwards neighboring states such as Diara, Great Fulo and the Songhai Empire chipped away at the outer borders of Mali. Several alternate spellings exist, such as Congo Musa, Gongo Musa, and Kankan Musa, but they are regarded as incorrect. [100], Arabic writers, such as Ibn Battuta and Abdallah ibn Asad al-Yafii, praised Musa's generosity, virtue, and intelligence. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Well after his death, Mansa Musa remained engrained in the imagination of the world as a symbol of fabulous wealth. He was crowned under the throne name Sunidata Keita becoming the first Mandinka emperor. His equipment furnishings were carried by 12.000 private slave women (Wasaif) wearing gown and brocade (dibaj) and Yemeni silk []. [149], Imperial banner carried with Musa I in 1325 Hajj, Social, economic and governmental reformation. A Golden Age: King Mansa Musa's Reign. "Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali." The Mali Empire (Manding: Mand[3] or Manden; Arabic: , romanized:Ml) was an empire in West Africa from c. 1226 to 1670. [8] Suleyman's death marked the end of Mali's Golden Age and the beginning of a slow decline. [130] Farbas were picked by the mansa from the conquering farin or family members. 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. Mansa Mari Djata, later named Sundiata Keita, saw the conquest of several key locals in the Mali Empire. In the 17th year of his reign (1324), he set out on his famous pilgrimage to Mecca. [136] While it was as good as gold in the north, it was even better in the south. Between 1324 - 1325, Mansa Musa . Free warriors from the south came armed with bows and poisonous arrows. However, the legendary oral tradition that surrounds Keita suggests that he never turned away from his native religion. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. [96], According to some Arabic writers, Musa's gift-giving caused a depreciation in the value of gold in Egypt. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [83] He is criticized for being unfaithful to tradition, and some of the jeliw regard Musa as having wasted Mali's wealth. All rights reserved. All of them agree that he took a very large group of people; the mansa kept a personal guard of some 500 men,[94] and he gave out so many alms and bought so many things that the value of gold in Egypt and Arabia depreciated for twelve years. The most common measure for gold within the realm was the ambiguous mithqal (4.5grams of gold). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). [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. [24] The empire's total area included nearly all the land between the Sahara Desert and coastal forests. 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. In Niani, Musa built the Hall of Audience, a building communicating by an interior door to the royal palace. Imperial Mali's horsemen also used iron helmet and mail armour for defence[146] as well as shields similar to those of the infantry. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036. The next great unit of exchange in the Mali Empire was salt. At the age of 18, he gained authority over all the 12 kingdoms in an alliance that would become the Mali Empire. The salt was dug from the ground and cut into thick slabs, two of which were loaded onto each camel where they would be taken south across the desert to Oualata and sold. Malink, also known as Mande, Mali, or Melle, was founded around 1200 CE, and under Mansa Musa's reign . At its peak, Mali was the largest empire in West Africa, widely . Omissions? [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. However, his riches are only one part of his legacy, and he is also remembered for his Islamic faith, promotion of scholarship, and patronage of culture in Mali. Mansa Musa even built the Great Mosque of Djenn, one of the most famous mosques in Mali, to recognize his pilgrimage. The University of Sankore in Timbuktu was restaffed under Musa's reign with jurists, astronomers, and mathematicians. By the beginning of the 14th century, Mali was the source of almost half the Old World's gold exported from mines in Bambuk, Boure and Galam. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [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. Most West African canoes were of single-log construction, carved and dug out from one massive tree trunk.[144]. [118] Mahmud sought support from several other rulers, including the governor of Kala, Bukar. (2020, October 17). Dates: 4001591 C. E.", "Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived? Konkodougou Kamissa Keita, named for the province he once governed,[70] was crowned as Mansa Mari Djata Keita II in 1360. This was due to the tax on trade in and out of the empire, along with all the gold Mansa Musa had. 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. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. It contained three immense gold mines within its borders unlike the Ghana Empire, which was only a transit point for gold. 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. 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). Al-Umari's list, which is quoted with slight differences by al-Qalqashandi, is as follows: Al-Umari also indicates that four Amazigh tribes were subjects of Mali: Gomez instead suggests that these tribes would have inhabited territory in the vicinity of Mema, Ghana, and Diafunu. During his reign, Mali was one of the richest kingdoms of Africa, and Mansa Musa was among the richest individuals in the world. Mss rule defined the golden age of Mali. . "[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. He was the son of Niani's faama, Nare Fa (also known as Maghan Kon Fatta meaning the handsome prince). Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society. Ms I of Mali, Ms also spelled Musa or Mousa, also called Kankan Ms or Mansa Musa, (died 1332/37? His leadership of Mali, a state which stretched across two thousand . Kankoro-sigui Mari Djata, who had no relation to the Keita clan, essentially ran the empire in Musa Keita II's stead. Musa not only gave to the cities he passed on the way to Mecca, including Cairo and Medina, but also traded gold for souvenirs. Another testimony from Ibn Khaldun describes the grand pilgrimage of Mansa Musa consisting of 12,000 slaves: "He made a pilgrimage in 724/1324 []. Mansa Musa Keita's crowning achievement was his famous pilgrimage to Mecca, which started in 1324 and concluded with his return in 1326. Under his leadership, Mali conquered new territories and trade with North Africa increased. 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. 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. Corrections? The Mansa led the second expedition himself, and appointed Musa as his deputy to rule the empire until he returned. What did Ms I do when he returned to Mali? In oral tradition and the Timbuktu Chronicles, Musa is known as Kanku Musa. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. World History Encyclopedia. Mansa Mahmud Keita II received the Portuguese envoys Pro d'vora and Gonalo Enes in 1487. [11][12] The version recorded by medieval Arab geographers is Mali (Arabic: , romanized:Ml). Songhai forces under the command of Askia Muhammad I defeated the Mali general Fati Quali Keita in 1502 and seized the province of Diafunu. Afterward, he put himself and his kingdom, West Africa's Mali, on the map, literally. [113], In 1544 or 1545,[f] a Songhai force led by kanfari Dawud, who would later succeed his brother Askia Ishaq as ruler of the Songhai Empire, sacked the capital of Mali and purportedly used the royal palace as a latrine. A dknsi performed the same function except with slave troops called sofa ("guardian of the horse") and under the command of a farimba ("great brave man"). Musa is known for his wealth and generosity. Ibn Khaldun in Levtzion and Hopkins, eds. [69] The university became a center of learning and culture, drawing Muslim scholars from around Africa and the Middle East to Timbuktu. After the publication of this atlas, Mansa Musa became cemented in the global imagination as a figure of stupendous wealth.After his return from Mecca, Mansa Musa began to revitalize cities in his kingdom. 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. His reign saw the first in a string of many great losses to Mali. 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. In 1534, Mahmud III, the grandson of Mahmud II, received another Portuguese envoy to the Mali court by the name of Pero Fernandes. [67] The Manden city-state of Ka-ba (present-day Kangaba) served as the capital and name of this province. The wooden window frames of an upper storey were plated with silver foil; those of a lower storey with gold. He made a pilgrimage to Mecca during the reign of Mamluk Sultan An-Nasir Muhammad (r. 12981308), but died on his voyage home. At both Gao and Timbuktu, a Songhai city almost rivalling Gao in importance, Mansa Ms commissioned Ab Isq al-Sil, a Granada poet and architect who had travelled with him from Mecca, to build mosques. 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. [93] Sandaki Keita should not however be taken to be this person's name but a title. Musa went on hajj to Mecca in 1324, traveling with an enormous entourage and a vast supply of gold. The three states warred with each other as much, if not more, than they did against outsiders, but rivalries generally stopped when faced with invasion. An army was required to guard the borders to protect its flourishing trade. Accounts of how many people and how much gold he spent vary. [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"). His reign came with huge physical, economic and intellectual development in the Mali Empire. [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.". His religious devotion contributed to the spread of Islam across West Africa. 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. [e] After the loss of the first expedition, Muhammad led the second expedition himself. [22] Oral tradition, as performed by the jeliw (sg. 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. His riches came from mining significant salt and gold deposits in the Mali kingdom. [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. 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. [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. A legend claims that Sunjata transformed into a hippopotamus. We all know of Mansa Musa, possibly the richest man to ever exist. [86] Qu was succeeded by his son Muhammad, who launched two voyages to explore the Atlantic Ocean. The Mandinka went on to form the powerful and rich Mali Empire, which produced the richest Black man who ever lived, King Mansa Musa. Trade was Mali's form of income, and wealth. Imperial Malian architecture was characterised by Sudano-Sahelian architecture with a Malian substyle, which is exemplified by the Great Mosque of Djenne. The organization and smooth administration of a purely African empire, the founding of the University of Sankore, the expansion of trade in Timbuktu, the architectural innovations in Gao, Timbuktu, and Niani and, indeed, throughout the whole of Mali and in the subsequent Songhai empire are all testimony to Mansa Mss superior administrative gifts. Mansa Musa ruled over the Mali empire in the 14th Century, and his incredible access to gold made him arguably . At the height of its power, Mali had at least 400 cities, and the interior of the Niger Delta was very densely populated. The architectural crafts in Granada had reached their zenith by the fourteenth century, and its extremely unlikely that a cultured and wealthy poet would have had anything more than a dilettante's knowledge of the intricacies of contemporary architectural practice. The oldest brother, Srbandjougou Keita, was crowned Mansa Foamed or Mansa Musa Keita III. Sundiata Keita is the first ruler for which there is accurate written information (through Ibn Khaldun). Mande bards in the region speak of the Dakajalan site, containing Sundiata's grave, as sacrosanct. He ruled between 707-732/737 according to the Islamic calendar (AH), which translates to 1307-1332/1337 CE. One of the five pillars of Islam states that Muslims should embark on a pilgrimage known as Hajj, to the holy city of Mecca.. [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. One of these was Dioma, an area south of Niani populated by Fula Wassoulounk. [88], Mansa Musa is renowned for his wealth and generosity. The exact date of Musa's accession is debated. 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 .