[98], The wealth of the Mali Empire did not come from direct control of gold-producing regions, but rather trade and tribute. As a result of this the empire fell. [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". Heusch, Luc de: "The Symbolic Mechanisms of Sacred Kingship: Rediscovering Frazer". "[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. The most common measure for gold within the realm was the ambiguous mithqal (4.5grams of gold). [100], Arabic writers, such as Ibn Battuta and Abdallah ibn Asad al-Yafii, praised Musa's generosity, virtue, and intelligence. He describes it as being north of Mali but under its domination implying some sort of vassalage for the Antasar, Yantar'ras, Medussa and Lemtuna Berber tribes. A kl-koun led free troops into battle alongside a farima ("brave man") during campaign. 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). The next great unit of exchange in the Mali Empire was salt. Sundiata Keita is the first ruler for which there is accurate written information (through Ibn Khaldun). [4] Much of the recorded information about the Mali Empire comes from 14th-century Tunisian historian Ibn Khaldun, 14th-century Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta and 16th-century Andalusian traveller Leo Africanus. 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. [122] This campaign gutted Manden and destroyed any hope of the three mansas cooperating to free their land. [15] He is also called Hidji Mansa Musa in oral tradition in reference to his hajj. [90] CelebrityNetWorth has been criticized for the unreliability of its estimates. [60] She was a hunchback from the land of Do, south of Mali. Musa went on hajj to Mecca in 1324, traveling with an enormous entourage and a vast supply of gold. Under his leadership, Mali conquered new territories and trade with North Africa increased. The history of the Mandinka started in Manding region. Mansa Souleyman Keita (or Suleiman) took steep measures to put Mali back into financial shape, thereby developing a reputation for miserliness. Mansa Musa brought the architect back to Mali to beautify some of the cities. The third great account is that of Ibn Khaldun, who wrote in the early 15th century. [85] He went on the hajj during the reign of Mamluk sultan an-Nasir Muhammad (12981308) and was killed in Tajura on his way back to Mali. Sundjata is credited with at least the initial organisation of the Manding military. It is known from the Tarikh al-Sudan that Mali was still a sizeable state in the 15th century. In addition, the moral and religious principles he had taught his subjects endured after his death. 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. [130] Farbas were picked by the mansa from the conquering farin or family members. The post of a farba was very prestigious, and his descendants could inherit it with the mansa's approval. [93] Only at the state or province level was there any palpable interference from the central authority in Niani. Mansa Musa Family Tree | Family tree, Tree, Kankan - Pinterest The growing trade in Mali's western provinces with Portugal witnessed the exchange of envoys between the two nations. Most West African canoes were of single-log construction, carved and dug out from one massive tree trunk.[144]. This is the first account of a West African kingdom made directly by an eyewitness; the others are usually second-hand. The ton-tigi belonged to an elite force of cavalry commanders called the farari ("brave men"). Its first meeting, at the famous Kouroukan Fouga (Division of the World), had 29 clan delegates presided over by a belen-tigui (master of ceremony). and transl. The 1375 Catalan Atlas portrayed a "city of Melly" (Catalan: ciutat de Melly) in West Africa. Mansa Musa was a smart, powerful, competent Islamic autocrat who ruled over and expanded the Malian empire. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) was the ruler of the kingdom of Mali from 1312 C.E. [88], Mansa Musa is renowned for his wealth and generosity. The conquest of Sosso in c. 1235 gave the Mali Empire access to the trans-Saharan trade routes. [16] However, al-Umari gives Mali as the name of the capital province and Ibn Khaldun refers to Mali as a people, with each giving different names for the capital city itself. In their own country they use only slave women and men for transport, but for long journeys such as pilgrimages they have mounts. The reign of Mari Djata Keita II was ruinous and left the empire in bad financial shape, but the empire itself passed intact to the dead emperor's brother. 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. UsefulCharts, . Mali's Timbuktu was known for its schools and libraries. Mali Empire - Wikipedia He built mosques and large public buildings in cities like Gao and, most famously, Timbuktu. The farba could also take power away from the native administration if required and raise an army in the area for defence or putting down rebellions.[130]. by UsefulCharts. "Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali." Intro music: "Lord of the Land" by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution license 4.0. Mansa Musa also known as Musa I of Mali and was the ninth Islamic ancient Emperor of West Africa in a kingdom known as the Mali Empire. [10], Mali, Mand, Manden, and Manding are all various pronunciations of the same word across different languages and dialects. While in Mecca, conflict broke out between a group of Malian pilgrims and a group of Turkic pilgrims in the Masjid al-Haram. In 1542, the Songhai invaded the capital city but were unsuccessful in conquering the empire. 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. [86] Qu was succeeded by his son Muhammad, who launched two voyages to explore the Atlantic Ocean. Still, by the time of Mansa Musa Keita II's death in 1387, Mali was financially solvent and in control of all of its previous conquests short of Gao and Dyolof. The Story Of Mansa Musa, The Real 'Black Panther' - VIBE.com [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. 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. to 1337 C.E. In Ibn Khaldun's account, Sundjata is recorded as Mari Djata with "Mari" meaning "Amir" or "Prince". Three bowmen supporting one spearman was the ratio in Kaabu and the Gambia by the mid-16th century. Mansa Musa began extending the shores of the empire alongside amassing great wealth and riches. In this lesson, students read one recent blog post about Musa I of Mali's wealth, followed by two historical documents from the fourteenth-century, to answer the question: Was Mansa Musa the richest person ever? 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. [44] Niani's reputation as an imperial capital may derive from its importance in the late imperial period, when the Songhai Empire to the northeast pushed Mali back to the Manding heartland. Rather, authority would rest with the mansa and his court, wherever he went. During the 17th century, the Mali Empire faced incursions from the Bamana Empire. Dates: 4001591 C. E.", "Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived? In 1645, the Bamana attacked Manden, seizing both banks of the Niger right up to Niani. Musa embarked on a large building program, raising mosques and madrasas in Timbuktu and Gao. 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. Mansa Musa came from his country with 80 loads of gold dust (tibr), each load weighing three qintars. Facts About Mansa Musa - The Richest Human Being Who Ever Lived Mansa Musa, also known as Musa Keita I of Mali, was the tenth Sultan of the Mali Empire. 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. The Gbara or Great Assembly would serve as the Mandinka deliberative body until the collapse of the empire in 1645. Ms I of Mali, Ms also spelled Musa or Mousa, also called Kankan Ms or Mansa Musa, (died 1332/37? 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. Mansa Musa Keita's crowning achievement was his famous pilgrimage to Mecca, which started in 1324 and concluded with his return in 1326. 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. Consequently, the name of Mali and Timbuktu appeared on 14th century world maps. It contained three immense gold mines within its borders unlike the Ghana Empire, which was only a transit point for gold. Mansa Musa | Stanford History Education Group They are descendants of. [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. Around 1550, Mali attacked Bighu in an effort to regain access to its gold. Candice Goucher, Charles LeGuin, and Linda Walton. Mansa Musa: The Financial Recklessness of the Richest Man in History How Europe Planned to Steal from African King Mansa Musa - YouTube The Manding languages were spoken in the empire. Mansa Musa's Pilgrimage to Mecca - Amazing Bible Timeline Mansa Musa - Wikipedia The family tree of Mansa Musa. The Joma area, governed from Siguiri, controlled the central region, which encompassed Niani. Mansa Musa's personal name was Musa (Arabic: , romanized:Ms), the Arabic form of Moses. [51] Musa made a major point of showing off his nation's wealth. Mansa Musa (Civ6) | Civilization Wiki | Fandom [43] In 1324, while in Cairo, Musa said that he had conquered 24 cities and their surrounding districts.[44]. [70] Little is known of him except that he only reigned two years. [54] Despite this initial awkwardness, the two rulers got along well, and exchanged gifts. Much of the history is oral, given by professional "historians". Mali flourished especially when Timbuktu came under Mansa Musa's control. [56] Musa and his entourage lingered in Mecca after the last day of the hajj. Stories of his fabulous wealth even reached Europe. [77] Alternatively, it is possible that the four-year reign Ibn Khaldun credits Maghan with actually referred to his ruling Mali while Musa was away on the hajj, and he only reigned briefly in his own right. 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. Lange, Dierk (1996), "The Almoravid expansion and the downfall of Ghana", Der Islam 73 (2): 313351. His riches came from mining significant salt and gold deposits in the Mali kingdom. To his parents' dread, the prince did not have a promising start. [citation needed]. Mansa Musa ruled over the Mali empire in the 14th Century, and his incredible access to gold made him arguably . [60] Other scholars whom Musa brought to Mali included Maliki jurists. This process was essential to keep non-Manding subjects loyal to the Manding elites that ruled them. From the Mamma Haidara Commemorative Library, Timbuktu. The oldest brother, Srbandjougou Keita, was crowned Mansa Foamed or Mansa Musa Keita III. Like the Great Mosque, a contemporaneous and grandiose structure in Timbuktu, the Hall was built of cut stone. [70] However, once Sundiata did gain use of his legs he grew strong and very respected. Following the death of Sundiata Keita in c. 1255, the kings of Mali were referred to by the title mansa. [61], According to the Tarikh al-Sudan, the cities of Gao and Timbuktu submitted to Musa's rule as he traveled through on his return to Mali. He is believed to be one of the richest individuals to have walked on this planet. Mansa Musa's reign itself was 25 years long. Atlantic voyage of the predecessor of Mansa Musa - Wikipedia [67] News of the Malian empire's city of wealth even traveled across the Mediterranean to southern Europe, where traders from Venice, Granada, and Genoa soon added Timbuktu to their maps to trade manufactured goods for gold.[68]. 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. The empire began as a small Mandinka kingdom at the upper reaches of the Niger River, centered around the Manding region. The other account claims that Gao had been conquered during the reign of Mansa Sakura. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Captivation History summarizes Mansa Musa's story from his ancestors to his descendants as they reigned over the Mali Empire beginning in the 1300s. At each halt, he would regale us [his entourage] rare foods and confectionery. [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. [132], The Mali Empire flourished because of its trade above all else. Last modified October 17, 2020. [116] Songhai authority over Bendugu and Kala declined by 1571, and Mali may have been able to reassert some authority over them. 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. Traveling separately from the main caravan, their return journey to Cairo was struck by catastrophe. The other major source of information comes from Mandinka oral tradition, as recorded by storytellers known as griots.[5]. Konkodougou Kamissa Keita, named for the province he once governed,[70] was crowned as Mansa Mari Djata Keita II in 1360. The Gao mosque was built of burnt bricks, which had not, until then, been used as a material for building in West Africa. In the 17th year of his reign (1324), he set out on his famous pilgrimage to Mecca. 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. [98] Musa's hajj, and especially his gold, caught the attention of both the Islamic and Christian worlds. 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. The Mali Empire (Manding: Mand[3] or Manden; Arabic: , romanized:Ml) was an empire in West Africa from c. 1226 to 1670. 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.
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