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    The Great African Kingdoms

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    Muhammad Bilal Afzal
    The document discusses two ancient African kingdoms - the Mali Empire and the Ghana Empire. It notes that the Mali Empire emerged in the 13th century under Sundiata Keita and became extremely wealthy through gold trade and trade routes. The empire declined in the 16th century after losing battles. The Ghana Empire was founded in the 8th century and prospered through gold, salt, and trans-Saharan trade, but was eventually conquered by the Sooso Empire in the 12th century. The document argues that these empires demonstrate the historical richness and prosperity of African civilizations prior to colonial exploitation.

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    The Great African Kingdoms

    Uploaded by

    Muhammad Bilal Afzal
    56 views4 pages
    The document discusses two ancient African kingdoms - the Mali Empire and the Ghana Empire. It notes that the Mali Empire emerged in the 13th century under Sundiata Keita and became extremely wealthy through gold trade and trade routes. The empire declined in the 16th century after losing battles. The Ghana Empire was founded in the 8th century and prospered through gold, salt, and trans-Saharan trade, but was eventually conquered by the Sooso Empire in the 12th century. The document argues that these empires demonstrate the historical richness and prosperity of African civilizations prior to colonial exploitation.

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    Business 102

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    AMP 160414 Revised

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    The document discusses two ancient African kingdoms - the Mali Empire and the Ghana Empire. It notes that the Mali Empire emerged in the 13th century under Sundiata Keita and became extremely wealthy through gold trade and trade routes. The empire declined in the 16th century after losing battles. The Ghana Empire was founded in the 8th century and prospered through gold, salt, and trans-Saharan trade, but was eventually conquered by the Sooso Empire in the 12th century. The document argues that these empires demonstrate the historical richness and prosperity of African civilizations prior to colonial exploitation.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    56 views4 pages

    The Great African Kingdoms

    Uploaded by

    Muhammad Bilal Afzal
    The document discusses two ancient African kingdoms - the Mali Empire and the Ghana Empire. It notes that the Mali Empire emerged in the 13th century under Sundiata Keita and became extremely wealthy through gold trade and trade routes. The empire declined in the 16th century after losing battles. The Ghana Empire was founded in the 8th century and prospered through gold, salt, and trans-Saharan trade, but was eventually conquered by the Sooso Empire in the 12th century. The document argues that these empires demonstrate the historical richness and prosperity of African civilizations prior to colonial exploitation.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 4

    1

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    The Great African Kingdoms

    African nations are often stereotyped as inherently chaotic and dependent on western

    nations. However, the historical accounts of Africa suggest that the present economic

    backwardness of the continent is the result of the massive exploitation of Africa’s natural

    resources through the hands of colonial regimes. During the middle ages when Europe was

    struggling to get out of the dark ages, African empires were at the center of world’s trade and

    civilization. This paper uses examples of two such African kingdoms to develop an insight into

    pre-colonial African civilizations.

    The great empire of Mali emerged from the upper region of river Niger situated around

    the small town of Niani. It started to expand under the leadership of Sundiata Keita after the

    defeat of Sosso Empire in 13th century. The capital of the Empire was situated in Niani, the

    birthplace of Sundieta Keita, and was later moved to Kangaba in the 15th century ((McKay et al

    44). Unlike the Mali of today, the Empire was extremely rich because of its precious trade routes

    and gold mines. King Laye Keita Mansas captured goldmines of Wagara and made Mali the

    center of Gold trade. By the end of that century, almost half of the old world’s gold came from

    Mali. Mali’s economy was also supported by its great trade routes. The state became so rich that

    when King Mansa Musa visited Mecca for pilgrimage he was accompanied by 80 camels filled

    with of Gold sacks and 18000 men (Bell 3). 


    2

    The empire started to lose its grip on provinces in the 16th century. Mansa Suleiman

    Keita lost a battle to Moroccans in his attempt to capture Djenne in 1599. A few years later

    Bamana Empire attacked the empire and sacked the city of Niani. The empire became

    disintegrated and was transformed into small independent kingdoms (Ly-Tal 6). Mali Empire

    was a great part of human civilization. It was also the state of Mali that developed the modern

    Gold trade across Afro Asia.

    The great Empire of Wagadou (Ghana) was founded in the 8th century and lasted until

    the 12th Century. The historical account of the empire is disputed but most historians argue it

    was founded by Sinnike people under the leadership of Majan Dyabe Cisse around the city of

    Awkar (Goodwin 13-19). The empire was flourished due to the massive trade through Sahara

    and its possession of Gold and Salt mines. Gold dust and salt were used as currency and every

    good was taxed to run the finances of the state. The capital Koumbi Saleh was the center of

    African trade and was very prosperous. The introduction of a camel through the state’s linkage

    with the Arab world further increased Ghana’s importance and share of trade in Africa (21).

    In 1062 Almoravid general Abu Bakr bin Umar launched a campaign against Wagadou which

    lasted many decades. Wagadu resisted the attacks under the leadership of Ghan Bassi and his son

    Tunka Manin but eventually surrendered to the Arab forces (Willie and Hunt 48). Abu Bakr

    ruled the empire for ten years until his death gave control of the empire back to the Sonnike’s.

    However, this rule was short-lived as by 1140 Sooso empire captured Wagadou. Wagdou was

    highly significant to our history. It started the era of great African states and was the first Empire

    in West Africa. It was also important for introducing Arabs and Muslims to Africa.
    3

    Through these examples, one can understand the richness of African civilization and its

    history. Unfortunately, even today Africa is only known to the world through its post-colonial

    problems while its rich history and eventual exploitation by Colonizers is often ignored. The

    analysis of ancient African civilizations shows that how African culture and trade helped in

    shaping the modern trade routes and civil structures. The history of their prosperity not only

    demarks multiple racist theories about Africans but also put the blame of their present conditions

    back on the Colonial rule.


    4

    Bibliography

    Goodwin, A. J. H. "The medieval empire of Ghana." The South African Archaeological

    Bulletin 12.47 (1957): 108-112.

    Cooper, F. (1981). Africa and the world economy. African Studies Review, 24(2/3), 1-86.

    Willie F. Page; R. Hunt Davis, Jr., eds. (2005), "Ghana Empire", Encyclopedia of African

    History and Culture, 2 (revised ed.), Facts on File, pp. 85–87

    Bell, Nawal Morcos. “The Age of Mansa Musa of Mali: Problems in Succession and

    Chronology.” The International Journal of African Historical Studies, vol. 5, no. 2, 1972, pp.

    221–234

    Ly-Tall, Madina. "The decline of the Mali empire." Niane, ed (1984): 172-186.

    John McKay et al, A History of World Societies, 10th Edition, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-1457685262

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