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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. [70] Little is known of him except that he only reigned two years. These farbas would rule their old kingdoms in the name of the mansa with most of the authority they held prior to joining the empire. [123] Segou, defended by Bitn Coulibaly, successfully defended itself and Mama Maghan was forced to withdraw. [86] As Fajigi, Musa is sometimes conflated with a figure in oral tradition named Fakoli, who is best known as Sunjata's top general. Free warriors from the south came armed with bows and poisonous arrows. It is unknown from whom he descended; however, another emperor, Mansa Maghan Keita III, is sometimes cited as Mansa Mahmud Keita I. Mansa Musa (about 1280 - about 1337) was an emperor (mansa) of the Mali Empire during the 14th century. Emperors and Empresses from Around the (Non-Roman) World Quiz, Armand-Jean du Plessis, cardinal et duc de Richelieu, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Musa-I-of-Mali, World History Encyclopedia - Mansa Musa I, Musa - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). The 1375 Catalan Atlas portrayed a "city of Melly" (Catalan: ciutat de Melly) in West Africa. The ton-tigi belonged to an elite force of cavalry commanders called the farari ("brave men"). Timbuktu was a place of trade, entertainment, and education. [41] Given the grandeur of his subsequent hajj, it is likely that Musa spent much of his early reign preparing for it. [130] Farbas were picked by the mansa from the conquering farin or family members. [120], The old core of the empire was divided into three spheres of influence. 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. The final incarnation of the Gbara, according to the surviving traditions of northern Guinea, held 32 positions occupied by 28 clans. The Malian and Moroccan armies fought at Jenne on 26 April, the last day of Ramadan, and the Moroccans were victorious thanks to their firearms and Bukar's support, but Mahmud was able to escape. One of the five pillars of Islam states that Muslims should embark on a pilgrimage known as Hajj, to the holy city of Mecca.. 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. [102], The Songhai settlement effectively shook off Mali's authority in 1375. A city called Dieriba or Dioliba is sometimes mentioned as the capital or main urban center of the province of Mande in the years before Sundiata, that was later abandoned. King Mansa Musa is famous for his Hajj journey, during which he stopped off in Egypt and gave out so much gold that the Egyptian economy was ruined for years to come. This is one of the main factors to the fall of the kingdom. [18], In the Songhai language, rulers of Mali such as Musa were known as the Mali-koi, koi being a title that conveyed authority over a region: in other words, the "ruler of Mali". There are a few references to Mali in early Islamic literature. As a result of this the empire fell. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. [79] Some oral traditions agree with Ibn Khaldun in indicating that a son of Sunjata, named Yerelinkon in oral tradition and Wali in Arabic, took power as Sunjata's successor. A kl-koun led free troops into battle alongside a farima ("brave man") during campaign. Kankoro-sigui Mari Djata, who had no relation to the Keita clan, essentially ran the empire in Musa Keita II's stead. In their own country they use only slave women and men for transport, but for long journeys such as pilgrimages they have mounts. The Mali Empire consisted of land that is now part of Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, The Gambia, and the modern state of Mali. They tell of his hardships as a boy before he came to the throne. [69] The university became a center of learning and culture, drawing Muslim scholars from around Africa and the Middle East to Timbuktu. [96], According to some Arabic writers, Musa's gift-giving caused a depreciation in the value of gold in Egypt. [112] Still, no help came from the envoy and further possessions of Mali were lost one by one. However, territories that were crucial to trade or subject to revolt would receive a farba. When he did finally bow, he said he was doing so for God alone. After the reigns of two more emperors, Musa Keita became mansa in c. 1312. The people of the south needed salt for their diet, but it was extremely rare. Sergio Domian, an Italian scholar of art and architecture, wrote of this period: "Thus was laid the foundation of an urban civilization. He made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca from 1324 to 1326. The Mali Empire reached its largest area under the Laye Keita mansas. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [115], Mali's fortunes seem to have improved in the second half of the 16th century. [125] Farin was a general term for northern commander at the time. 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. [142][143] Numerous sources attest that the inland waterways of West Africa saw extensive use of war canoes and vessels used for war transport where permitted by the environment. Trade was a significant factor to the rise and success of Mali. Musa I (c. 1280 - 1337), better known as Mansa Musa, was the ninth mansa of the Mali Empire.Widely considered to have been the wealthiest person in known history (some sources measuring his wealth at around $400 billion adjusted to inflation), his vast wealth was used to attract scholars, merchants and architects to Mali, establishing it as a beacon of Islamic trade, culture and learning. [99] The gold Musa brought on his pilgrimage probably represented years of accumulated tribute that Musa would have spent much of his early reign gathering. Umari also describes the empire as being south of Marrakesh and almost entirely inhabited except for few places. At its peak, Mali was the largest empire in West Africa, widely . [50] Such impermanent capitals are a historically widespread phenomenon, having occurred in other parts of Africa such as Ethiopia, as well as outside Africa, such as in the Holy Roman Empire.[51]. Musa stayed in the Qarafa district of Cairo, and befriended its governor, Ibn Amir Hajib, who learned much about Mali from him. It had a well-organised army with an elite corps of horsemen and many foot soldiers in each battalion. However, from 1507 onwards neighboring states such as Diara, Great Fulo and the Songhai Empire chipped away at the outer borders of Mali. https://www.worldhistory.org/video/2147/mansa-musa-family-tree--empire-of-mali/. The other account claims that Gao had been conquered during the reign of Mansa Sakura. Ibn Battuta, who visited the capital city from 1352 to 1353, called it Mali. [60] Other scholars whom Musa brought to Mali included Maliki jurists. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. [46] Kangaba became the last refuge of the Keita royal family after the collapse of the Mali Empire, and so has for centuries been associated with Sundiata in the cultural imagination of Mande peoples. At Taghaza, for example, salt was exchanged; at Takedda, copper. He intended to abdicate the throne and return to Mecca but died before he was able to do so. Intro music: "Lord of the Land" by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution license 4.0. A manuscript page from Timbuktu showing a table of astronomical information. In 1534, Mahmud III, the grandson of Mahmud II, received another Portuguese envoy to the Mali court by the name of Pero Fernandes. Gao had already been captured by Musa's general, and Musa quickly regained Timbuktu, built a rampart and stone fort, and placed a standing army to protect the city from future invaders.[70]. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [70] Manden was split in half with the Dodougou territory to the northeast and the Kri territory to the southwest. Al-Nasir expected Musa to prostrate himself before him, which Musa initially refused to do. 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. Last modified October 17, 2020. [119], It would be the Mandinka themselves that would cause the final destruction of the empire. Al-Umari reported that Mali had fourteen provinces. [93], In 1477, the Yatenga emperor Nassr made yet another Mossi raid into Macina, this time conquering it and the old province of BaGhana (Wagadou).[109]. He also made Eid celebrations at the end of Ramadan a national ceremony. [102] The text of Ibn Khaldun says "Gao, at this time is devastated". Online articles in the 21st century have claimed that Mansa Musa was the richest person of all time. Combined in the rapidly spoken language of the Mandinka, the names formed Sondjata, Sundjata or Sundiata Keita. [81] He was replaced by Abu Bakr, a son of Sunjata's daughter. The Mali Empire (Manding: Mand[3] or Manden; Arabic: , romanized:Ml) was an empire in West Africa from c. 1226 to 1670. Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali Server Costs Fundraiser 2023 Running a website with millions of readers every month is expensive. The bow figured prominently in Mandinka warfare and was a symbol of military force throughout the culture. Mansa Souleyman Keita (or Suleiman) took steep measures to put Mali back into financial shape, thereby developing a reputation for miserliness. To Westerners, he seems to have been the greatest of Mali rulers, as visible in games like Civilization. [16], Al-Yafii gave Musa's name as Musa ibn Abi Bakr ibn Abi al-Aswad (Arabic: , romanized:Ms ibn Ab Bakr ibn Ab al-Aswad),[17] and Ibn Hajar gave Musa's name as Musa ibn Abi Bakr Salim al-Takruri. Omissions? Very little is known about the life of Mansa Musa before 1312. When Mansa Musa was giving gold away, he was following 2 . Running a website with millions of readers every month is expensive. Musa embarked on a large building program, raising mosques and madrasas in Timbuktu and Gao. [70][141] With the help of the river clans, this army could be deployed throughout the realm on short notice. The second account is that of the traveller Ibn Battuta, who visited Mali in 1352. After unsuccessful attempts by Mansa Mama Maghan to conquer Bamana, the Bamana in 1670 sacked and burned the capital, and the Mali Empire rapidly disintegrated and ceased to exist, being replaced by independent chiefdoms. [18][16], Another hypothesis suggests that the name Mali is derived from Mand mali "hippopotamus", an animal that had special significance to the Keitas, and that Mand means "little manatee". Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim. This led to inflation throughout the kingdom. [43] Djibril Tamsir Niane, a Guinean historian, has been a forceful advocate of this position in recent decades. Mansa Mahmud Keita II's rule was characterised by more losses to Mali's old possessions and increased contact between Mali and Portuguese explorers along the coast. [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. 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. It was this pilgrimage that awakened the world to the stupendous wealth of Mali. Musa I ( Arabic: , romanized : Mans Ms, N'Ko: ; r. c. 1312 - c. 1337 [a]) was the ninth [4] mansa of the Mali Empire, which reached its territorial peak during his reign. Equipped with two quivers and a knife fastened to the back of their arm, Mandinka bowmen used barbed, iron-tipped arrows that were usually poisoned. [102] It seems quite possible that an exodus of the inhabitants took place at this juncture and the importance of the city was not revived until the rise of the Songhai empire. Available from http://incompetech.com. We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. 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. 05 Mar 2023. [84][85] However, some aspects of Musa appear to have been incorporated into a figure in Mand oral tradition known as Fajigi, which translates as "father of hope". Wagadou and Mema became junior partners in the realm and part of the imperial nucleus. [67] The Manden city-state of Ka-ba (present-day Kangaba) served as the capital and name of this province. [117], The swan song of the Mali Empire came in 1599, under the reign of Mansa Mahmud IV. [13][12] In the Manding languages, the modern descendants of the language spoken at the core of the Mali Empire, Manden or Manding is the name of the region corresponding to the heartland of the Mali Empire. [93] Gold mines in Boure, which is located in present-day Guinea, were discovered sometime near the end of the 12th century. ), mansa (emperor) of the West African empire of Mali from 1307 (or 1312). [70] However, once Sundiata did gain use of his legs he grew strong and very respected. He sought closer ties with the rest of the Muslim world, particularly the Mamluk and Marinid Sultanates. A very large number of families that make up the Mandinka community were born in Manding. Mali flourished especially when Timbuktu came under Mansa Musa's control. Despite this disunity in the realm, the realm remained under Mandinka control into the mid-17th century. [8] Suleyman's death marked the end of Mali's Golden Age and the beginning of a slow decline. The "Qur'an" had a great importance to Mansa Musa as it states "God loves the charitable" (Document D). Biti, Buti, Yiti, Tati). National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. [124] Following this disastrous set of events, Mansa Mama Maghan abandoned the capital of Niani. ", "Recherches sur l'Empire du Mali au Moyen Age", "Towards a New Study of the So-Called Trkh al-fattsh", World History Encyclopedia Mansa Musa I, History Channel: Mansa Moussa: Pilgrimage of Gold, Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time: Art, Culture, and Exchange across Medieval Saharan Africa, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mansa_Musa&oldid=1142573327, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Mansa Musa was portrayed in two games in the, Mansa Musa was portrayed in the episode ", This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 05:05. That same year, after the Mandinka general known as Sagmandir put down yet another rebellion in Gao,[93] Mansa Musa came to Gao and accepted the capitulation of the King of Ghana and his nobles. 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. [137], Copper was also a valued commodity in imperial Mali. He was the first African ruler to be widely known throughout Europe and the Middle East. [76] The latter possibility is corroborated by Ibn Khaldun calling Suleyman Musa's son in that passage, suggesting he may have confused Musa's brother Suleyman with Musa's son Maghan. Ibn Khaldun in Levtzion and Hopkins, eds. harvnb error: no target: CITEREFKi-ZerboNiane (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFLevztionHopkins2000 (. 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. 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. [14], Medieval sources are divided over whether Mali is the name of a town or a region. His reign saw the first in a string of many great losses to Mali. From the Mamma Haidara Commemorative Library, Timbuktu. Updates? The army of the Mali Empire used of a wide variety of weapons depending largely on where the troops originated. Mansa Fadima Musa Keita, or Mansa Musa Keita II, began the process of reversing his brother's excesses. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. It contained three immense gold mines within its borders unlike the Ghana Empire, which was only a transit point for gold. CREDITS: Chart/Narration: Matt Baker. Why did Ms I make a pilgrimage to Mecca? He was deposed in 1389, marking the end of the Faga Laye Keita mansas. [93], Following Musa Keita III's death, his brother Gbr Keita became emperor in the mid-15th century. Duties of the farba included reporting on the activities of the territory, collecting taxes and ensuring the native administration didn't contradict orders from Niani. [40], Musa was a young man when he became mansa, possibly in his early twenties. 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. It is implausible that Abu Bakr was Musa's father, due to the amount of time between Sunjata's reign and Musa's. Embedded by Arienne King, published on 17 October 2020. Rather, authority would rest with the mansa and his court, wherever he went. He brought a large entourage with him which impressed people everywhere they went. [citation needed] The northern region on the other hand had no shortage of salt. Musa I (known more commonly as Mansa Musa) was the tenth Mansa (a Mandinka word for "emperor") of the Mali Empire. Ibn Battuta comments on festival demonstrations of swordplay before the mansa by his retainers including the royal interpreter. While in Cairo, Mansa Musa met with the Sultan of Egypt, and his caravan spent and gave away so much gold that the overall value of gold decreased in Egypt for the next 12 years. The area was famous as a hunting ground for the large amount of game that it sheltered, as well as its dense vegetation. 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. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036. [86] After Sakura's death, power returned to the line of Sunjata, with Wali's son Qu taking the throne. 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. [40] Seemingly contradictory reports written by Arab visitors, a lack of definitive archaeological evidence, and the diversity of oral traditions all contribute to this uncertainty. [83] This term was used interchangeably with dinar, though it is unclear if coined currency was used in the empire. He brought back with him descendants of Mohammed, Islamic scholars, and architect Abu Es Haq es Saheli, who went on to create the Djinguereber mosque. The mansa could also replace a farba if he got out of control, as in the case of Diafunu. [3] During the 11th and 12th centuries, an empire began to develop following the decline of the Ghana Empire, or Wagadu, to the north. [86] Fajigi is remembered as having traveled to Mecca to retrieve ceremonial objects known as boliw, which feature in Mand traditional religion. The new Songhai Empire conquered Mema,[93] one of Mali's oldest possessions, in 1465. This is the least known period in Mali's imperial history. [36][37][38], According to the Tarikh al-Fattash, Musa had a wife named Inari Konte. [84] Then an enslaved court official, Sakura, seized power. [93] It is during his reign that Fula raids on Takrur began. Alternate titles: Kankan Ms, Mansa Musa, Mousa, Musa. Mansa Musa ruled over the Mali empire in the 14th Century, and his incredible access to gold made him arguably . The Cairo that Mansa Ms visited was ruled by one of the greatest of the Mamlk sultans, Al-Malik al-Nir. It was this pilgrimage that awakened the world to the stupendous wealth of Mali. In 1324 Musa embarked on a hajj, a religious pilgrimage to Mecca, traveling with an entourage that included 8,000 courtiers, 12,000 servants and 100 camel loads of . Mahmud Keita, possibly a grandchild or great-grandchild of Mansa Gao Keita, was crowned Mansa Maghan Keita III in 1390. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. 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. [citation needed]. Upon his return in 1324, Ms Is pious pilgrimage inspired him to commission two enormous mosques in Timbuktu and Gao. [97] Though this has been described as having "wrecked" Egypt's economy,[85] the historian Warren Schultz has argued that this was well within normal fluctuations in the value of gold in Mamluk Egypt. [8] Mansa, 'ruler'[9] or 'king'[10] in Mand, was the title of the ruler of the Mali Empire. Hunters from the Ghana Empire (or Wagadou), particularly mythical ancestors Kontron and Sanin, founded Manding and the Malink and Bambaras hunter brotherhood. [66], Timbuktu soon became the center of trade, culture, and Islam; markets brought in merchants from Hausaland, Egypt, and other African kingdoms, a university was founded in the city (as well as in the Malian cities of Djenn and Sgou), and Islam was spread through the markets and university, making Timbuktu a new area for Islamic scholarship. [49] It has been suggested that the name given in the Arabic sources for the capital of Mali is derived the Manding word "bambi", meaning "dais", and as such refers to the "seat of government" in general rather than being the name of a specific city. Different oral traditions conflict with each other, as well as Ibn Khaldun, about the transfer of power following Sunjata's death. [93] Mansa Souleyman's generals successfully fought off the military incursions, and the senior wife Kassi behind the plot was imprisoned. 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. His reign is associated with numerous construction projects, including part of Djinguereber Mosque in Timbuktu. [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. Through the oral tradition of griots, the Keita dynasty, from which nearly every Mali emperor came, claims to trace its lineage back to Lawalo, one of the sons of Bilal,[60] the faithful muezzin of Islam's prophet Muhammad, who was said to have migrated into Mali and his descendants established the ruling Keita dynasty through Maghan Kon Fatta, father of Sundiata Keita.[61]. 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. Around 1550, Mali attacked Bighu in an effort to regain access to its gold. 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. You cannot download interactives. 6. By the end of Mansa Musa's reign, the Sankor University had been converted into a fully staffed university with the largest collections of books in Africa since the Library of Alexandria. Grades 5 - 8 Subjects Geography, Human Geography, Social Studies, Ancient Civilizations, World History Image Timbuktu, Henrich Barth Painting The fame of Mansa Musa and his phenomenal wealth spread as he traveled on his hajj to Mecca. Traveling from his capital of Niani on the upper Niger River to Walata (Oualta, Mauritania) and on to Tuat (now in Algeria) before making his way to Cairo, Mansa Ms was accompanied by an impressive caravan consisting of 60,000 men including a personal retinue of 12,000 enslaved persons, all clad in brocade and Persian silk. Konkodougou Kamissa Keita, named for the province he once governed,[70] was crowned as Mansa Mari Djata Keita II in 1360. Much of the history is oral, given by professional "historians". He also brought architects from the Middle East and across Africa to design new buildings for his cities. Several of the names are spelled in a variety of ways in different manuscripts. [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. Corrections? Imperial Mali's horsemen also used iron helmet and mail armour for defence[146] as well as shields similar to those of the infantry. [93] Sandaki Keita should not however be taken to be this person's name but a title. [90][91] His reign is considered the golden age of Mali. The family tree of Mansa Musa. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. World History Encyclopedia, 17 Oct 2020. Al-Umari, who wrote down a description of Mali based on information given to him by Abu Said 'Otman ed Dukkali (who had lived 35 years in the capital), reported the realm as being square and an eight-month journey from its coast at Tura (at the mouth of the Senegal River) to Muli. the descendants of the nearly 1,000-year-old objects made in Africa. The only major setback to his reign was the loss of Mali's Dyolof province in Senegal.