African Civilizations and the
spread of Islam
Mali
• This kingdom is an excellent example of the
spread of Islam (old kingdom of Ghana) 1200
• Mansa Musa made the hajj in 1324
• Rich from controlling caravan trade routes
• Below the Sahara, Africa was never fully isolated.
There were periods of intermittent contacts
• 800-1500 contacts increased due to a growing
international trade network
• Islam spread into Mali and was adopted by the
royals. The civilization retained its individuality
though
• Africa never united, many different types of states
African Societies
• Africa so vast and diverse neither universal states or
religions characterize it history
• Stateless Societies: these are societies that organize
authority around kinship or other obligations.
Sometimes these stateless societies were quite large
while others were small. No need to tax people if you
don’t have a large government. Authority only
affected small parts of peoples lives.
• Secret societies: west Africa, group controlled
customs and beliefs and were able to limit the
authority of rulers. Maintained stability within the
community.
• Problems: outside pressure, mobilizing troops,
organizing building projects, and long term stability to
support trade
Common Elements in African
Societies
• Language, thought, and religion
• Bantu-speaking people-commonalities between
the various languages
• Animistic beliefs (dance & drumming)
• Believed in evil-priests led religious ceremonies
• Belief in cosmology-view of how the universe
worked (ethics)
• Believed in a creator deity and power of ancestors
• Importance of family or clan ties
• Economics: N. Africa (active in Mediterranean
trade), Sub-Saharan Africa (varied)
• 30-60 million people lived in Africa by 1500
Islam
• Cities and territories in N. Africa had been an important
part of the classical world: Carthage and Egypt
• 640-700 followers of Muhammad swept across N. Africa
• 670 Muslims ruled (Tunisia) Ifriqiya
• 711 Berbers into Spain. Stopped in 732 by Charles Martel
in Poitiers (battle of Tours)
• Many N.Africans converted to Islam b/c of message of
equality & umma
• Abbasid unified territory for a while
• Almoravids: (11th century) reform movement in Islam
grew among Berbers. They launched a jihad or holy war
to purify and spread Islam. They moved south to the
African kingdoms and also north into Spain
• Almohadis: (1130) reformist group
Christian Kingdoms: Nubia and
Ethiopia
• Developed in Africa along the Nile prior to the
Romans making it their official religion
• Egypt (Coptic-language of ancient Egypt) connect to
Byzantine empire
• Copts able to maintain religion in Egypt after Arabs
conquered b/c they were dhimmi
• Muslim tried to penetrate Nubia/ Kush and were met
with resistance. Remained an independent Christian
state until the 13th century
• They were cut off from Byzantium due to Arab
conquerors
• 13-14th centuries dynasty in Ethiopia traced it roots
back to Solomon and Sheba. Continued being
isolated.
Grasslands
• 3 important coasts of contact: Atlantic, Indian
Ocean, and savanna
• Sahel-area between the western forests and the
northern desert. Here is where the merchants came
to trade. Camels brought from Asia couldn’t
survive the humid regions of the forests. So the
grasslands is where merchants came to trade.
• Therefore, cities were established. In the 3rd
century Ghana developed. By the 10th century it
was in its hayday! Rules had also converted to
Islam
• However, they declined due to attacks by the
Almoravid armies 1076
• Mali would replace it
Sudanic States
• There were many kingdoms active in Africa
• Sudanic states often had a patriarch or council of
elders of a family that ruled
• Terriortial core of similar peoples with conquered
extension that paid taxes or tribute
• Ghana, Mali, and Songhay powerful examples
• Rules considered scared
• Islam accepted and people mixed Islam with their
culture
Mali and Sundiata
• Malinke people broke away from Ghana in the
13th century to create Mali
• Islamic
• Agricultural and merchant state
• Juula-Malinke merchants
• Malinke expansion under Sundiata (Sunjata). He
became the Mansa or emperor
• Divided the kingdom into social order, created
political institutions, and stationed garrisons.
Made trade safe.
• Sundiata died in 1260
• Mansa Kankan Musa –later successor (hajj 1324)
Cities and Villages in Sudan
• Mix of Islamic and Sudanese
• Examples: Jenne and Timbuktu
• Town were commercial with specialists and
foreign residents. Scholars and theologians
attracted.
• Strong military to protect merchants
• Libraries and universities developed. Books trade
very lucrative here!
• For most people life was centered around village
life and agriculture. 80% of villagers lived by
farming. Farms were small due to lack of tools. A
large farm was only about 10 acres. Polygamy
practiced here…why?
• Rice, millet,sorghums, wheat, fruits, and veggies
Sorghum-grain or livestock food
Millet
Wheat
Songhay Kingdom
• Formed as Mali was declining within part of Mali.
People of Songhay were from the middle area in
the Niger Valley. Made up of farmers, herders,
and fisherman
• By the 7th century started to form a independent
territory
• By 1010 capital established at Gao along the Niger
River. Rulers were Muslims.
• By 1370’s Songhay reestablished itself as an
independent kingdom again from Mali
• Under Sunni Ali (1464-1492) Songhay became an
empire!
Songhay
• Sunni Ali was a great military commander who extended
the empire and took over Jenne and Timbuktu.
• Set up provincial administrations to deliver his rule
• Muslim scholars not his biggest fans. They questioned his
authority! Ruler who succeeded him took on the military
title askia.
• Muhammad the Great extended the Songhay boundaries so
that by the mid-16th century Songhay dominated the
Sudan!
• Overall problem between Muslim scholars and African
converts b/c they mixed Islam with their local pagan
beliefs. Men and women mixed freely and women went
unveiled.
• Remained the dominate power until 1591 when a Muslim
army from Morocco attacked. They had muskets!
• Rise of the Hausa states in N. Nigeria
Sudanic States: politics and social life
• State structure allowed for many diverse people to coexist
• Universal faith-Islam which also provided common laws
• Rulers-emir or caliph (to reinforce authority) Mixed pagan
and Muslim beliefs
• Women enjoyed more freedom, no veils, free in markets,
some groups traced linage through mother (matrilineal).
• Slavery: existed before Muslims came, but they developed
it on a larger scale. Muslims viewed slavery as a stage in
conversion. Slaves: domestic servants, soldiers,
administrators, eunuchs, concubines. Focus on child and
female slaves. Trade caravans transported many slaves
across the Sahara to ports in the Indian Ocean. Trade
extended for over 700 years. Think back to Nubia!
Swahili Coast-East Africa
• Islam spread along Eastern coast and merchant activity
spread and Muslim ports where established along the
Indian Ocean
• Bantu-speaking people migrated here along with refugees
from Oman
• By 13th century African trading ports developed along the
coast. These towns shared common Bantu-based and
Arabic-influenced Swahili (meaning coastal) language and
other traits.
• Ruled by separate Muslim ruling families
• Trade in ivory, gold, slaves, iron, and exotic animals for
silks and porcelain
• Kilwa most powerful of these port cities
• Some Chinese sent good directly to these ports. As late as
1417 and 1431 large state sponsored expeditions sailing
from China to Africa occurred.
Swahili, Land of Zenj
• Port cities developed into city-states with their
own local governments. Rulers interested in
controlling slave trade and not making territorial
conquests.
• Palace in Kilwa
• Cultural hybrid
-Between Arabic
and African
Swahili –bantu and
Arabic words
-Many in-land
Africans not Muslim
-1500 Portuguese
Forest and Plains of Africa
• 1000 societies in central Africa agriculturally based
with herding occasionally
• Organized into villages, however, states were starting
to form
• Preliterate society (no written language) transmitted
knowledge via oral traditions
• Gap between the Nok (500-200 BCE and) cultures
that begin a renewed interest in arts 1000 CE
• Yoruba-speaking peoples of Nigeria. The city of IleIfe amazing artwork of rulers by 1200 CE
• Yoruba state were agriculturally based wit Ile-Ife
thought to be the cultural center
• Yoruba origins unknown, but they spoke a non-Bantu
language of the west African Kwa family similar their
neighbors the Hausa people
• Yoruba had regional kings that were divine,
but not absolute. Ruled with princes,
councils, and even Ogboni (secret society of
religious and political leaders)
• Ile-Ife, Oyo, and Benin
Yoruba
Central African Kingdoms
• Bantu-speaking peoples reach the southern part of
Africa by the 13th century. Beyond the reach of
Islam African kingdoms form by 1000 with kings.
• In Katanga-modified older system where now the
ruler and his relatives were thought to have a
special power and they ensured the fertility of the
people and crops. They were the only ones fit to
rule. A bureaucracy grew out of heredity.
Kongo and Mwene Mutapa
• 13th century Kongo developed. agriculturally based,
specialization like blacksmithing, women did all farm
work while men cleared forests, built houses, and traded.
• Mbanza Kongo capital by 16th had 100,000 inhabitants.
• Manikongo=king (mani = blacksmith)
• Kongo king was hereditary yet local chieftains were not
and the king could control them.
• Great Zimbabwe- Shona-speaking people around the 9th
century built royal courts of stone (zimbabwe) largest
structure the Great Zimbabwe.
• By 15th century centralized rule from Great Zimbabwe
occurred under the king, Mwene Mutapa. (Interior of
southeast Africa) Control over gold allowed Great
Zimbabwe to flourish and become active in trade. 16th
century internal rebellions split the kingdom, but as late as
the 19th century the much smaller kingdom of Mwene
Mutapa survived.
Mwene
Mutapa
Kongo
Developments
• Islam brought large areas of Africa into more intensive
contact with the global community
• Although Islam was to bring equality to the people it
brought more stark divisions
• Many locals retained their beliefs or mix Islam with local
traditions like in India
• Royals were Muslim
• Muslims controlled trade and were very wealthy and
becoming a Muslim opened up doors for individuals
involved in merchant activities.
• Kongo and Great Zimbabwe were examples of statebuilding that development independently!
• In the 15th century, the Portuguese found well development
and powerful kingdoms
• European advances to seek alternative routes to Asia due to
Ottoman Turk advanced shutting down Constantinople/
Istanbul
• This seemed like an interesting website on
Africa…check it out.
• http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/stude
nts/curriculum/