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"). Between 1324 - 1325, Mansa Musa . Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. "[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. Mansa Musa (1280-1337) Mansa Musa, fourteenth century emperor of the Mali Empire, is the medieval African ruler most known to the world outside Africa. Salt was as valuable, if not more valuable, than gold in sub-Saharan Africa. ", "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. The family tree of Mansa Musa. [93] He did not, however, hold the power of previous mansas because of the influence of his kankoro-sigui. More than sixty years after the reign of Sundiata Keita, one of his descendants rose to become the King of Mali. This enabled him to rule over a realm larger than even the Ghana Empire in its apex. Forty years after the reign of Mansa Musa Keita I, the Mali Empire still controlled some 1,100,000 square kilometres (420,000sqmi) of land throughout Western Africa.[103][9]. The emperor himself rode on horseback and was directly preceded by 500 enslaved persons, each carrying a gold-adorned staff. [93] Emperor Bonga did not appear to hold the area, and it stayed within the Mali Empire after Maghan Keita III's death in 1400. [116] Songhai authority over Bendugu and Kala declined by 1571, and Mali may have been able to reassert some authority over them. Mansa Musa also ran out of gold on the hajj to Mecca but was not concerned because he knew he had enough gold back in Mali to pay back everyone he owed money to. [92] He was one of the first truly devout Muslims to lead the Mali Empire. 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. The Wangara, an Old Soninke Diaspora in West 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). [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. The Mali Empire consisted of land that is now part of Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, The Gambia, and the modern state of Mali. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. His religious devotion contributed to the spread of Islam across West Africa. The value of the salt was chiefly determined by the transport costs. [41] Given the grandeur of his subsequent hajj, it is likely that Musa spent much of his early reign preparing for it. [81] He was replaced by Abu Bakr, a son of Sunjata's daughter. Mansa Musa turned the kingdom of Mali into a sophisticated center of learning in the Islamic world.Mansa Musa came to power in 1312 C.E., after the previous king, Abu Bakr II, disappeared at sea. Hunters from the Ghana Empire (or Wagadou), particularly mythical ancestors Kontron and Sanin, founded Manding and the Malink and Bambaras hunter brotherhood. Ms Is hajj left a lasting impression of Malis splendour on both the Islamic and European worlds. Research/Artwork: From Nothing Team. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita (c. 1214 - c. 1255) and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa (Musa Keita). [62] According to one account given by Ibn Khaldun, Musa's general Saghmanja conquered Gao. He was an extremely successful military leader In his lifetime and beyond, he was known for his extravagant wealth and spending, funded by his kingdom's vast salt and gold mines. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. This is the first account of a West African kingdom made directly by an eyewitness; the others are usually second-hand. published on 17 October 2020. Inside the world's wealthiest", "Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) | National Geographic Society", "The 25 richest people who ever lived inflation adjusted", "Civilization VI the Official Site | News | Civilization VI: Gathering Storm Mansa Musa Leads Mali", International Journal of African Historical Studies, "Searching for History in The Sunjata Epic: The Case of Fakoli", "chos d'Arabie. [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. The Story Of Mansa Musa, The Real 'Black Panther' - VIBE.com Still, when Ibn Battuta arrived at Mali in July 1352, he found a thriving civilisation on par with virtually anything in the Muslim or Christian world. [124] Following this disastrous set of events, Mansa Mama Maghan abandoned the capital of Niani. [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]. Editing: Jack Rackam. He also brought architects from the Middle East and across Africa to design new buildings for his cities. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [46] En route, he spent time in Cairo, where his lavish gift-giving is said to have noticeably affected the value of gold in Egypt and garnered the attention of the wider Muslim world. Different oral traditions conflict with each other, as well as Ibn Khaldun, about the transfer of power following Sunjata's death. He intended to abdicate the throne and return to Mecca but died before he was able to do so. It was during Suleyman's 19-year reign that Ibn Battuta visited Mali. [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. Konkodougou Kamissa Keita, named for the province he once governed,[70] was crowned as Mansa Mari Djata Keita II in 1360. In 1203, the Sosso king Soumaoro of the Kant clan came to power and reportedly terrorised much of Manden stealing women and goods from both Dodougou and Kri. 1312 is the most widely accepted by modern historians. [15] He is also called Hidji Mansa Musa in oral tradition in reference to his hajj. the descendants of the nearly 1,000-year-old objects made in Africa. Intro animation: Syawish Rehman. [17] Whether Mali originated as the name of a town or region, the name was subsequently applied to the entire empire ruled from Mali. In 1481, Fula raids against Mali's Tekrur provinces began. 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. His reign came with huge physical, economic and intellectual development in the Mali Empire. Mahmud Keita, possibly a grandchild or great-grandchild of Mansa Gao Keita, was crowned Mansa Maghan Keita III in 1390. The 14th-century traveller Ibn Baah noted that it took about four months to travel from the northern borders of the Mali empire to Niani in the south. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. "Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali." [42] Among these preparations would likely have been raids to capture and enslave people from neighboring lands, as Musa's entourage would include many thousands of enslaved people; the historian Michael Gomez estimates that Mali may have captured over 6,000 people per year for this purpose. Like the Great Mosque, a contemporaneous and grandiose structure in Timbuktu, the Hall was built of cut stone. [89][85] Contemporary Arabic sources may have been trying to express that Musa had more gold than they thought possible, rather than trying to give an exact number. . Abu Bakr was the first and only mansa to inherit through the female line, which has been argued to be either a break from or a return to tradition. He belonged to the Keita Dynasty and came to power after Abu-Bakra-Keita II left on an expedition to explore the Atlantic Ocean, leaving Musa as his deputy and never returned. [22], Genealogy of the mansas of the Mali Empire up to Magha II (d.c.1389), based on Levtzion's interpretation of Ibn Khaldun. This can be interpreted as either "Musa son of Abu Bakr" or "Musa descendant of Abu Bakr." 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. 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. The richest person who ever lived - BBC Reel Musa went on hajj to Mecca in 1324, traveling with an enormous entourage and a vast supply of gold. [19], Much of what is known about Musa comes from Arabic sources written after his hajj, especially the writings of Al-Umari and Ibn Khaldun. CREDITS: Chart/Narration: Matt Baker. While Mansa Musa's grandfather, Abu-Bakr, was a nephew of Sundiata Keita, the founder of the Malian Empire, neither he nor his descendants had a strong claim to the throne. He left Kanku Musa, a grandson of Sunjata's brother Mande Bori, in charge during his absence. Furthermore, his hajj in 1324 was in some ways an act of solidarity that showed his connection to other rulers and peoples throughout the Islamic world. Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali Server Costs Fundraiser 2023 Running a website with millions of readers every month is expensive. This process was essential to keep non-Manding subjects loyal to the Manding elites that ruled them. Robert Smith, "The Canoe in West African History", harvnb error: no target: CITEREFBourgeois1987 (, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Kitab al-Masalik wa al-Mamalik (Book of Highways and Kingdoms) Ab Ubayd Al-Bakri, "The Empire of Mali, In Our Time BBC Radio 4", "Tracing History in Dia, in the Inland Niger Delta of Mali -Archaeology, Oral Traditions and Written Sources". Mansa Musa: Great Leader of the Malink Kingdom - ThoughtCo He stopped in Cairo along the way, and his luxurious spending and gift giving was so extensive that he diluted the value of gold by 10 to 25 percent and impacted Cairos economy for at least 12 years afterward. The Wolof populations of the area united into their own state known as the Jolof Empire in the 1350s. Malink, also known as Mande, Mali, or Melle, was founded around 1200 CE, and under Mansa Musa's reign . 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 lands of Bambougou, Jalo (Fouta Djallon), and Kaabu were added into Mali by Fakoli Koroma (Nkrumah in Ghana, Kurumah in the Gambia, Colley in Casamance, Senegal),[70] Fran Kamara (Camara) and Tiramakhan Traore (Tarawelley in the Gambia),[77] respectively Among the many different ethnic groups surrounding Manden were Pulaar speaking groups in Macina, Tekrur and Fouta Djallon. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. . Ibn Khaldun recorded that in 776 A.H or 1374/1375 AD he interviewed a Sijilmasan scholar named Muhammad b. Wasul who had lived in Gao and had been employed in its judiciary. [29] Al-Umari, who visited Cairo shortly after Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca, noted that it was "a lavish display of power, wealth, and unprecedented by its size and pageantry". Al-Umari reported that Mali had fourteen provinces. When he did finally bow, he said he was doing so for God alone. Ibn Battuta comments on festival demonstrations of swordplay before the mansa by his retainers including the royal interpreter. Mali and Mansa Musa - Precolonial Africa - KS3 History - BBC Al-Nasir expected Musa to prostrate himself before him, which Musa initially refused to do. Mansa Mahmud Keita II received the Portuguese envoys Pro d'vora and Gonalo Enes in 1487. [84] Then an enslaved court official, Sakura, seized power. to 1337 C.E. This is one of the main factors to the fall of the kingdom. 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. He never took the field again after Kirina, but his generals continued to expand the frontier, especially in the west where they reached the Gambia River and the marches of Tekrur. Oral tradition states that he had three sons who fought over Manden's remains. Mansa Musa brought architects and scholars from across the Islamic world into his kingdom, and the reputation of the Mali kingdom grew. [20] Additional information comes from two 17th-century manuscripts written in Timbuktu, the Tarikh Ibn al-Mukhtar[c] and the Tarikh al-Sudan. We would much rather spend this money on producing more free history content for the world. After Ibn Khaldun's death in 1406, there are no further Arab primary sources except for Leo Africanus, who wrote over a century later. Ibn Battuta had written that in Taghaza there were no trees and there is only sand and the salt mines. The date of Mansa Musa's death is not certain. Masuta performs many of the same attacks as his original incarnation (though he yells a quote prior to using his abilities), but does not summon thrashing waters or create . You cannot download interactives. [58] This area was composed of mountains, savannah and forest providing ideal protection and resources for the population of hunters. 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. [39] Her jamu (clan name) Konte is shared with both Sunjata's mother Sogolon Konte and his arch-enemy Sumanguru Konte. The last son of Maghan Keita I, Tenin Maghan Keita (also known as Kita Tenin Maghan Keita for the province he once governed) was crowned Mansa Maghan Keita II in 1387. No single Keita ever ruled Manden after Mahmud Keita IV's death, resulting in the end of the Mali Empire. The empire he founded became one of the richest in the world, and his descendants included one of the richest individuals to ever live, Mansa Musa. [45], Many oral histories point to a town called Dakajalan as the original home of the Keita clan and Sundiata's childhood home and base of operations during the war against the Soso. Maghan Sundiata was declared "faama of faamas" and received the title "mansa", which translates as "king". [70] Little is known of him except that he only reigned two years. To his parents' dread, the prince did not have a promising start. Mali's Timbuktu was known for its schools and libraries. The Mali Empire covered a larger area for a longer period of time than any other West African state before or since. "[42], Early European writers such as Maurice Delafosse believed that Niani, a city on what is now the border between Guinea and Mali, was the capital for most of the empire's history, and this notion has taken hold in the popular imagination. And so the name Keita became a clan/family and began its reign.[70]. [136] One particular source of salt in the Mali Empire was salt-mining sites located in Taghaza. The Sankor University was capable of housing 25,000 students and had one of the largest libraries in the world with roughly 1,000,000 manuscripts.[100][101]. Several of the names are spelled in a variety of ways in different manuscripts. The exact date of Musa's accession is debated. [140], The Mali Empire maintained a semi-professional, full-time army in order to defend its borders. 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. Mansa Musa (Civ6) | Civilization Wiki | Fandom The history of the Mandinka started in Manding region. Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived? - BBC News During Musa's 25-year-rule the Mali Empire more than tripled in size and had significant influence in several modern day countries including Mauritania, Senegal, Nigeria, Burkino Faso and Chad. Mansa Mahmud Keita II came to the throne in 1481 during Mali's downward spiral. Manuscript of Nasir al-Din Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn al-Hajj al-Amin al-Tawathi al-Ghalawi's Kashf al-Ghummah fi Nafa al-Ummah. Mali's domain also extended into the desert. While the accounts are of limited length, they provide a fairly good picture of the empire at its height. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. King of Kings in the Mandinka language a reference to a great ruler in the Mali Empire of ancient Africa. The Bamana, likewise, vowed not to advance farther upstream than Niamina. [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. Mansa means (King or Emperor) and he was ruling the Mali kingdom from C.E 1312 to 1337 for around 25 years. While in Mecca, conflict broke out between a group of Malian pilgrims and a group of Turkic pilgrims in the Masjid al-Haram. Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim. 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. He ruled between 707-732/737 according to the Islamic calendar (AH), which translates to 1307-1332/1337 CE. She or he will best know the preferred format. During his reign, the Mossi emperor Bonga of Yatenga raided into Mali and plundered Macina. [70] Manden was split in half with the Dodougou territory to the northeast and the Kri territory to the southwest. [51] Musa made a major point of showing off his nation's wealth. He brought a large entourage with him which impressed people everywhere they went. Mansa Musa returned from Mecca with several Islamic scholars, including direct descendants of the prophet Muhammad and an Andalusian poet and architect by the name of Abu Es Haq es Saheli,. [123] Either as a counter-attack or simply the progression of pre-planned assaults against the remnants of Mali, the Bamana sacked and burned Niani in 1670. Afterward, he put himself and his kingdom, West Africa's Mali, on the map, literally. Timbuktu was a place of trade, entertainment, and education. Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) was the king of the ancient empire of Mali in West Africa. The Venetian explorer Alvise Cadamosto and Portuguese traders confirmed that the peoples of the Gambia were still subject to the mansa of Mali. The other account claims that Gao had been conquered during the reign of Mansa Sakura. It is not known if this was an attempt to correct the depreciation of gold in the area due to his spending,[7] or if he had simply run out of the funds needed for the return trip. jeli), also known as griots, includes relatively little information about Musa compared to some other parts of the history of Mali. Mansa Ms, either the grandson or the grandnephew of Sundiata, the founder of his dynasty, came to the throne in 1307. Regardless of their title in the province, they were recognised as dyamani-tigui (province-master) by the mansa. The new Songhai Empire conquered Mema,[93] one of Mali's oldest possessions, in 1465. [e] After the loss of the first expedition, Muhammad led the second expedition himself. [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". Like two mansolu (rulers of Mali) before him, Ms I undertook the hajj as an act of devotion in line with Islamic tradition. Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived? - BBC News Mansa Musa was very wealthy and religious man who went on his Hajj for religious reasons and to also help people from his empire make the holy trip to Mecca for the god Allah. He also states that Djata or "Jatah" means "lion". A Golden Age: King Mansa Musa's Reign - Northwestern Magazine 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. Mansa Musa (died 1337), king of the Mali empire in West Africa, is known mostly for his fabulous pilgrimage to Mecca and for his promotion of unity and prosperity within Mali. [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. [52][55], Musa's generosity continued as he traveled onwards to Mecca, and he gave gifts to fellow pilgrims and the people of Medina and Mecca. Sundiata Keita is the first ruler for which there is accurate written information (through Ibn Khaldun). The bow figured prominently in Mandinka warfare and was a symbol of military force throughout the culture. "[96], Contemporary sources suggest that the mounts employed by this caravan were one hundred elephants, which carried those loads of gold, and several hundred camels, carrying the food, supplies and weaponries which were brought to the rear.[97]. [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"). The emperor was so overjoyed by the new acquisition that he decided to delay his return to Niani and to visit Gao instead, there to receive the personal submission of the Songhai king and take the kings two sons as hostages. Wagadou's control over Manden came to a halt after internal instability lead to its decline. Bukar professed his support, but believing Mahmud's situation to be hopeless, secretly went over to the Moroccans. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Rulers of West African states had made pilgrimages to Mecca before Mansa Ms, but the effect of his flamboyant journey was to advertise both Mali and Mansa Ms well beyond the African continent and to stimulate a desire among the Muslim kingdoms of North Africa, and among many of European nations as well, to reach the source of this incredible wealth. Lange, Dierk (1996), "The Almoravid expansion and the downfall of Ghana", Der Islam 73 (2): 313351. Musa stayed in the Qarafa district of Cairo, and befriended its governor, Ibn Amir Hajib, who learned much about Mali from him. Al-Qalqashandi quotes al-'Umari as spelling it. [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. But the Mali Empire built by his predecessors was too strong for even his misrule and it passed intact to Musa's brother, Souleyman Keita in 1341. His 25-year reign (1312-1337 CE) is described as "the golden age of . Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived? - BBC News Cairo and Mecca received this royal personage, whose glittering procession, in the superlatives employed by Arab chroniclers, almost put Africas sun to shame. It spanned the modern-day countries of Senegal, southern Mauritania, Mali, northern Burkina Faso, western Niger, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, the Ivory Coast and northern Ghana. They tell of his hardships as a boy before he came to the throne. The Manding languages were spoken in the empire. Mansa Musa began extending the shores of the empire alongside amassing great wealth and riches. Several 21st century historians have firmly rejected Niani as a capital candidate based on a lack of archaeological evidence of significant trade activity, clearly described by Arab visitors, particularly during the 14th century, Mali's golden age. [40] Ibn Battuta and Leo Africanus both call the capital "Mali. Mali flourished especially when Timbuktu came under Mansa Musa's control. His reign saw the first in a string of many great losses to Mali. [41] A particular challenge lies in interpreting early Arabic manuscripts, in which, without vowel markings and diacritics, foreign names can be read in numerous different ways (e.g. Intro music: "Lord of the Land" by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution license 4.0. [22] Oral tradition, as performed by the jeliw (sg. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. Candice Goucher, Charles LeGuin, and Linda Walton. [8] Suleyman's death marked the end of Mali's Golden Age and the beginning of a slow decline. Mansa Musa of the Mali Empire was the Richest king in history - iwish2click From at least the beginning of the 11th century, Mandinka kings known as faamas ruled Manden from Ka-ba in the name of the Ghanas.[68]. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. [117], The swan song of the Mali Empire came in 1599, under the reign of Mansa Mahmud IV. Mansa Ms, either the grandson or the grandnephew of Sundiata, the founder of his dynasty, came to the throne in 1307. Thank you for your help! Trade was Mali's form of income, and wealth. Mali's wealth in gold did not primarily come from direct rule of gold-producing regions, but rather from tribute and trade with the regions where gold was found. One of these was Dioma, an area south of Niani populated by Fula Wassoulounk. [105][106] Three years later, Oualata also fell into their hands. What happened to Mansa Musa I wealth? - Quora