African Kingdoms
Section 3
The Kingdoms of West Africa
Preview
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• Empire of Ghana
• Mali Empire
• Map: West African Kingdoms
• Faces of History: Mansa Musa
African Kingdoms
Section 3
The Kingdoms of West Africa
Preview, continued
• Empire of Songhai
• Quick Facts: Trading Empires of West Africa
• Other West African States
• Visual Study Guide / Quick Facts
• Video: The Impact of the Salt Trade
African Kingdoms
Section 3
The Kingdoms of West Africa
Main Idea
The expansion of trade across the Sahara led to the
development of great empires and other states in West Africa.
Reading Focus
• How did trade contribute to the rise of Ghana?
• How did strong rulers build the empire of Mali?
• What were the greatest achievements of the Songhai Empire?
• What other societies arose in West Africa?
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African Kingdoms
Empire of Ghana
Trade was vital to the societies of West Africa. That region produced
valuable resources—notably gold—that brought high prices. By the
800s, rulers of Ghana had used the wealth from these products to
create a huge, powerful empire.
The Rise of Ghana
• Ghana had many
resources, but
location delayed
development as
trading empire
• Had no easy access
to sea
• Sahara desert
blocked overland
trade routes
Desert Travel
Goods for Gold
• First few centuries
AD, North African
traders learned how
to cross Sahara
• Once traders began
crossing Sahara,
Ghana became key
player in African trade
• Traveled in large
caravans with camels
• Berber traders traded
food, hard goods,
copper, salt for gold
• Camels did not need
much water, could
survive trip across
harsh desert
• Ghana traded salt to
people in south,
where salt scarce
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African Kingdoms
A Trading Empire
Control
• 800 AD, Ghana controlled nearly all trade of salt, gold in sub-Saharan Africa
• Capital, Koumbi-Saleh, located between Ghana’s gold mines, desert trade
routes, was preferred trading place
Salt Taxes
• Ghana’s kings built great wealth taxing goods brought to empire’s markets
• Majority of taxes charged on salt: charged fee for each load of salt brought
into Ghana from north, larger fee for each load exported to south
Gold Supply Scarce
• Gold not taxed the same; taxes might discourage traders from buying gold
• To keep gold prices high, kings ruled only they could own large gold nuggets
• Others could only own gold dust; kept location of gold mines secret
• This kept supply of gold scarce; kept market from being flooded
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African Kingdoms
Kings of Ghana
Money from trade, taxes allowed kings to live lavish
lifestyle
• Luxury surrounding kings described by Muslim writer
who visited Ghana:
– “He sits in a pavilion around which stand ten pages holding
shields and gold-mounted swords: and on his right hand are the
sons of the princes of the empire, splendidly clad and with gold
plaited into their hair.”
• Ghana’s kings also used wealth to build up huge
army when needed
– Used army to conquer other peoples in area
– Captured people sold as slaves to Muslim traders
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Ghana’s Decline
Attempts at Expansion
Results of Conflict
• Mid-1000s, Ghana’s
empire rich and powerful
• Almoravids controlled
capital temporarily
• King tried to expand to
north into lands controlled
by Almoravids, a Muslim
Berber kingdom
• Ghana’s empire was
weakened
• Attempt led to long war
• In 1076, Almoravids
captured Koumbi-Saleh,
Ghana’s capital
• King unable to deal with
rebellion in part of empire
• Soon Ghana fell into
decline; new empire took
its place
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African Kingdoms
Summarize
How did the kings of Ghana become
wealthy?
Answer(s): by taxing salt and gold, by controlling
the price of gold
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African Kingdoms
Mali Empire
After Ghana’s decline, no one kingdom controlled trans-Saharan trade.
In the 1230s, the empire of Mali rose to power on the same territory.
Mali expanded to the Atlantic Ocean and became a wealthy and
sophisticated empire.
Rise of Mali
Sundiata
• Founders of Mali, Malinke had
been active in Ghana’s gold trade
• Leader of Mali’s rise to power, king
named Sundiata
• 1230, grew frustrated with policies
of neighboring peoples, rose up to
conquer them; became leading
power in West Africa
• After conquest, Sundiata ruled 25
years
• Story of reign, accomplishments
told in epic, also called Sundiata
Mali reached its height in the 1300s under the reign of a mansa, or
king, named Musa.
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Mansa Musa
A relative of Sundiata, Mansa Musa came to power in 1307. During
his reign, Mali’s territory expanded and its population grew.
Growing Wealth
• During Musa’s reign, Mali grew
wealthier than ever
Islam in Mali
• Mansa Musa devout Muslim
• Much wealth came from
taxation of gold-salt trade
• Introduced into West Africa by
Muslim traders in Ghana,
Islam did not take hold initially
• Mali kept order along Saharan
trade routes by using large
army
• In Mali, Islam became
powerful influence, especially
among ruling class
• Army also kept life in Mali
relatively peaceful
• 1324, Musa set out on hajj,
pilgrimage to Mecca
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Pilgrimage to Mecca
• Musa and entourage impressed people with their lavish clothing,
generous gifts
• Trip to Mecca led to great changes in Mali
• Returning to kingdom, Musa brought artists, architects who designed
beautiful mosques; also built schools, libraries where people could
study Qu’ran, other Islamic writings
Effects Outside Africa
• Musa’s hajj brought Mali to
attention of Europe
• Mali began to appear on European
maps for first time
• Within a century, Europeans began
to search West Africa for source of
Mali’s riches
Decline of Mali
• Rulers following Musa not as strong
• Several peoples broke away, set up
independent kingdoms
• Mali also invaded from outside
• Among invaders, Tuareg
• 1433, captured Timbuktu, a blow
from which Mali never recovered
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Analyze
What effects did Mansa Musa’s travels have
in Mali and Europe?
Answer(s): brought Mali to the attention of
Europeans, who would later travel to West Africa
in search of Mali's riches; made Timbuktu a center
of learning
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African Kingdoms
Empire of Songhai
Songhai
• Songhai existed as small kingdom for centuries, paid tribute to Ghana, Mali
• Grew wealthy trading goods along Niger River
• Came in contact with Muslim traders; Islam became influence on culture
Rise of Songhai
• 1460s, rulers had become strong, rich enough to take control of former
empire of Mali
• Songhai’s rise under leadership of military leader, sunni, named Sunni Ali
Military Leadership
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Ali’s first act as leader: took Timbuktu from the Tuareg
Led number of campaigns against neighboring peoples to build empire
Military success came from army of skilled cavalry, navy of war canoes
Conquered new territories, replaced local leaders with Ali’s own followers
African Kingdoms
Section 3
Askia Muhammad
• Songhai’s culture reached height under Askia Muhammad
• Reign considered to be golden age
• During 35 years he ruled, Askia Muhammad expanded Songhai,
strengthened its government
Pilgrimage
• Askia Muhammad, Songhai’s first Muslim ruler
• Islam had been introduced earlier; Sunni Ali never became Muslim
• To show commitment, Askia Muhammad decided to make pilgrimage
to Mecca
• Traveled through Egypt, gained support of Muslim rulers
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African Kingdoms
Results of Pilgrimage
Trade Resumed
• During pilgrimage, Askia
Muhammad made contact with
traders from North Africa
• Trans-Saharan trade that had
slowed after fall of Mali resumed
once again
• Increased commerce made
Songhai very wealthy kingdom
• Askia Muhammad used wealth to
once again make Timbuktu center
of culture, Islamic scholarship
Control, Decline
• To secure control of trade, Askia
Muhammad extended Songhai’s
borders north into desert, home of
the Tuareg
• Did not want raiders to interfere
with traveling merchants
• Reformed government, built offices
in capital city of Gao to oversee
trade, agriculture, military
• Eventually overthrown by son
• By 1591 empire conquered by
Morocco
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Describe
What kind of government did Askia
Muhammad create in Songhai?
Answer(s): strengthened the government,
appointed an official to rule the western part of the
empire
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Section 3
Other West African States
Hausa City-States
• East of Songhai lived people called the Hausa
• Hausa society, based on independent city-states, gained regional power
• Each city-state included a group of villages surrounded by wooden walls,
extensive fields
Never United as Empire
• City-states never united into empire, but traded, cooperated with each other
• Economy based on farming, manufacturing, trade
• Much farm labor performed by enslaved people
Enslaved Peoples, Artisans
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Slaves used to build cities; enslaved became one of Hausa’s chief exports
Other important exports included cloth, leather goods
Hausa known as skilled weavers, dyers
Cotton cloth dyed dark blue in high demand throughout much of West Africa
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African Kingdoms
Yoruba Kingdoms
Yoruba
• Another complex society
developed to south of Songhai
among Yoruba
• Yoruba several peoples who
lived in same area, spoke
related languages
• Over time Yoruba established
number of strong kingdoms
• Most powerful were Ife, Oyo
Artistic Skills
• People of Yoruba kingdoms
widely admired for artistic skills
• Yoruba artists produced realistic
sculptures out of terra-cotta,
bronze, brass, copper; many
depict Yoruba leaders, or onis
• Materials for statues imported
from Sahara traders, who also
brought salt to region; in return,
Yoruba sent food, ivory north
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African Kingdoms
Kingdom of Benin
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Southwest of Yoruba kingdoms, powerful kingdom of Benin
Located deep in forests of Niger delta; powerful state by the 1000s
At heart of kingdom, capital of Benin
Huge city, several miles across, featuring large houses, wide streets
Mid-1400s, ambitious oba, or ruler, Ewuare came to power in Benin
Built powerful army, went to war
Trade with Portuguese
Benin Art
• By Ewuare’s death, Benin stretched
from Niger west into central Nigeria
• Late 1400s, Portuguese sailors
arrived in Benin
• Like Yoruba, people of Benin
known for arts
• Statues of bronze, brass, copper
created to honor notable leaders
• Benin sold war captives as slaves
• Continued to trade pepper, ivory,
cotton for gold from Portuguese
• Copper plaques displayed in cities
• Brought home by Portuguese, this
art became popular in Europe
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African Kingdoms
Identify
What was one result of contact between
Benin and Portugal?
Answer(s): Trade between Benin and Portugal
began.
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Video
The Impact of the Salt Trade
Click above to play the video.