[12] However, these hypotheses have been rejected by locals and are inconsistent with the apparent cognate status of Mali and Mand.[19]. [81] He went on the hajj during the reign of Mamluk sultan Baibars (12601277). by Spanish cartographers, shows West Africa dominated by a depiction of Mansa Musa sitting on a throne, holding a nugget of gold in one hand and a golden staff in the other. During the 17th century, the Mali Empire faced incursions from the Bamana Empire. This region straddles the border between what is now southern Mali and northeastern Guinea. 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. All rights reserved. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. The Rock art in the Sahara suggests that northern Mali has been inhabited since 10,000 BC, when the Sahara was fertile and rich in wildlife. His religious devotion contributed to the spread of Islam across West Africa. At the local level (village, town and city), kun-tiguis elected a dougou-tigui (village-master) from a bloodline descended from that locality's semi-mythical founder. Evidence of cavalry in terracotta figures suggest the empire's prosperous economy as horses are not indigenous to Africa. [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. [54] Despite this initial awkwardness, the two rulers got along well, and exchanged gifts. What made this possible was the decentralised nature of administration throughout the state. Why did Ms I make a pilgrimage to Mecca? 1312 is the most widely accepted by modern historians. Mansa Ms, whose empire was one of the largest in the world at that time, is reported to have observed that it would take a year to travel from one end of his empire to the other. Combined in the rapidly spoken language of the Mandinka, the names formed Sondjata, Sundjata or Sundiata Keita. [40], Various sources cite several other cities as capitals of the Mali Empire, some in competition with the Niani hypothesis and others addressing different time periods. [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". His riches came from mining significant salt and gold deposits in the Mali kingdom. While the accounts are of limited length, they provide a fairly good picture of the empire at its height. Gold dust was used all over the empire, but was not valued equally in all regions. Scholars have located the capital in Niani, or somewhere on the Niger, or proposed that it changed several times, that there was no true capital, or even that it lay as far afield as the upper Gambia River in modern-day Senegal. 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. 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. It was reported that he built a mosque every Friday. The Gbara or Great Assembly would serve as the Mandinka deliberative body until the collapse of the empire in 1645. The family tree of Mansa Musa. Islamic studies flourished thereafter. [93] Only at the state or province level was there any palpable interference from the central authority in Niani. Mali Emperors Family Tree | Mansa Musa - The Richest Man in World History 71,113 views Nov 27, 2019 1.8K Dislike Share Save UsefulCharts 1.08M subscribers Watch the map animation on From. By the time they reached Suez, many of the Malian pilgrims had died of cold, starvation, or bandit raids, and they had lost many of their supplies. With a global population of some 11 million, the Mandinka are the best-known ethnic group of the Mande peoples, all of whom speak different dialects of the Mande language. 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. The farimba operated from a garrison with an almost entirely slave force, while a farima functioned on field with virtually all freemen. The University of Sankore in Timbuktu was restaffed under Musa's reign with jurists, astronomers, and mathematicians. Captivation History summarizes Mansa Musa's story from his ancestors to his descendants as they reigned over the Mali Empire beginning in the 1300s. Mansa Musa is potentially the richest person to ever live; as ruler of Mali from 1312 to 1337, he came into power after his brother, King Abu Bakr the Second, vanished on an oceanic voyage. Embedded by Arienne King, published on 17 October 2020. The family tree of Mansa Musa. The Joma area, governed from Siguiri, controlled the central region, which encompassed Niani. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He sought closer ties with the rest of the Muslim world, particularly the Mamluk and Marinid Sultanates. At the age of 18, he gained authority over all the 12 kingdoms in an alliance that would become the Mali Empire. [24] The empire's total area included nearly all the land between the Sahara Desert and coastal forests. Around 1550, Mali attacked Bighu in an effort to regain access to its gold. Despite the faama of Niani's wishes to respect the prophecy and put Sundiata on the throne, the son from his first wife Sassouma Brt was crowned instead. The ancient kingdom of Mali spread across parts of modern-day Mali, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso. As a result of this the empire fell. He has sometimes been called the wealthiest person in history. The Black emperors great civility notwithstanding, the meeting between the two rulers might have ended in a serious diplomatic incident, for so absorbed was Mansa Ms in his religious observances that he was only with difficulty persuaded to pay a formal visit to the sultan. 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). [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]. Maghan Sundiata was declared "faama of faamas" and received the title "mansa", which translates as "king". The people of the south needed salt for their diet, but it was extremely rare. If Dakajalan was, in fact, situated near Kangaba, this may also have contributed to their conflation, beginning with Delafosse's speculation that the latter may have begun as a suburb of the former. No single Keita ever ruled Manden after Mahmud Keita IV's death, resulting in the end of the Mali Empire. 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. He ruled the nation for nearly 25 years until his death in 1337 and is . 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. During his monarchy Musa or Musa, I was highly powered and the richest individual king Mansa Musa the . [93] Dyamani-tiguis had to be approved by the mansa and were subject to his oversight. by UsefulCharts. 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 . [72], According to Niane's version of the epic, during the rise of Kaniaga, Sundiata of the Keita clan was born in the early 13th century. [6] The early history of the Mali Empire (before the 13th century) is unclear, as there are conflicting and imprecise accounts by both Arab chroniclers and oral traditionalists. 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. The Cairo that Mansa Ms visited was ruled by one of the greatest of the Mamlk sultans, Al-Malik al-Nir. [69] The university became a center of learning and culture, drawing Muslim scholars from around Africa and the Middle East to Timbuktu. [70] Two noble brothers from Niani, of unknown lineage, went to Dioma with an army and drove out the Fula Wassoulounk. Musa is known for his wealth and generosity. [78] There was evidently a power struggle of some kind involving the gbara or great council and donson ton or hunter guilds. The value of the salt was chiefly determined by the transport costs. Oral tradition states that he had three sons who fought over Manden's remains. [3] During the 11th and 12th centuries, an empire began to develop following the decline of the Ghana Empire, or Wagadu, to the north. The growing trade in Mali's western provinces with Portugal witnessed the exchange of envoys between the two nations. The bow figured prominently in Mandinka warfare and was a symbol of military force throughout the culture. Watch the map animation on From Nothing:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOexUoPc6YUBe sure to subscribe to From Nothing for more African History:https://www.. U UsefulCharts 0 followers More information Mansa Musa Family Tree Rich Man He could read and write Arabic and took an interest in the scholarly city of Timbuktu, which he peaceably annexed in 1324. [33] Some modern historians have cast doubt on Musa's version of events, suggesting he may have deposed his predecessor and devised the story about the voyage to explain how he took power. His skillful administration left his empire well-off at the time of his death, but eventually, the empire fell apart. . 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 Mali Empire reached its largest area under the Laye Keita mansas. Well after his death, Mansa Musa remained engrained in the imagination of the world as a symbol of fabulous wealth. Stories of his fabulous wealth even reached Europe. 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. [43] In 1324, while in Cairo, Musa said that he had conquered 24 cities and their surrounding districts.[44]. Al-Qalqashandi quotes al-'Umari as spelling it. [45] Those animals included 80 camels which each carried 23136kg (50300lb) of gold dust. Mansa Musa's personal name was Musa (Arabic: , romanized:Ms), the Arabic form of Moses. The next great unit of exchange in the Mali Empire was salt. The Wolof populations of the area united into their own state known as the Jolof Empire in the 1350s. [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. [92] Furthermore, it is difficult to meaningfully compare the wealth of historical figures such as Mansa Musa, due to the difficulty of separating the personal wealth of a monarch from the wealth of the state and the difficulty of comparing wealth in highly different societies. [110] Meanwhile, Songhai seized the salt mines of Taghazza in 1493. He ruled oppressively and nearly bankrupted Mali with his lavish spending. [86] As Fajigi, Musa is sometimes conflated with a figure in oral tradition named Fakoli, who is best known as Sunjata's top general. What is evident is that there is no steady lineage governing the empire. Ibn Khaldun claims Musa reigned for 25 years, so his accession is dated to 25 years before his death. Each representative or ton-tigi ("quiver-master") provided counsel to the mansa at the Gbara, but only these two ton-tigi held such wide-ranging power. Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali Server Costs Fundraiser 2023 Running a website with millions of readers every month is expensive. 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. He was an extremely successful military leader 24 June, 2022. The army of the Mali Empire used of a wide variety of weapons depending largely on where the troops originated. [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. [75] When the campaigning was done, his empire extended 1,000 miles (1,600km) east to west with those borders being the bends of the Senegal and Niger rivers respectively. Very little is known about the life of Mansa Musa before 1312. It was "an admirable Monument", surmounted by a dome and adorned with arabesques of striking colours. Mansa Mari Djata, later named Sundiata Keita, saw the conquest of several key locals in the Mali Empire. Sakura was able to stabilize the political situation in Mali. the descendants of the nearly 1,000-year-old objects made in Africa. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036. [90][91] His reign is considered the golden age of Mali. [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. [140], The Mali Empire maintained a semi-professional, full-time army in order to defend its borders. This process was essential to keep non-Manding subjects loyal to the Manding elites that ruled them. There is some ambiguity over the identity of the mansa responsible for the voyages. Al-Umari reported that Mali had fourteen provinces. The post of a farba was very prestigious, and his descendants could inherit it with the mansa's approval. In oral tradition and the Timbuktu Chronicles, Musa is known as Kanku Musa. Mansa Musa developed cities like Timbuktu and Gao into important cultural centers. Musa made his pilgrimage between 1324 and 1325 spanning 2,700 miles. The oldest brother, Srbandjougou Keita, was crowned Mansa Foamed or Mansa Musa Keita III. Returning with the combined armies of Mema, Wagadou and all the rebellious Mandinka city-states, Maghan Sundiata led a revolt against the Kaniaga Kingdom around 1234. He became emperor in 1307. [99] Mosques were built in Gao and Timbuktu along with impressive palaces also built in Timbuktu. But more reasoned analysis suggests that his role, if any, was quite limited. The fame of Mansa Musa and his phenomenal wealth spread as he traveled on his hajjto Mecca. The army of the Mali Empire during the 14th century was divided into northern and southern commands led by the Farim-Soura and Sankar-Zouma, respectively. The empire began as a small Mandinka kingdom at the upper reaches of the Niger River, centered around the Manding region. According to Burkinab writer Joseph Ki-Zerbo, the farther a person travelled from Niani, the more decentralised the mansa's power became. 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. In addition, the moral and religious principles he had taught his subjects endured after his death. Ms I is widely considered the wealthiest man in history. It was this pilgrimage that awakened the world to the stupendous wealth of Mali. 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? In addition, Mansa Ms had a baggage train of 80 camels, each carrying 300 pounds of gold. In 1645, the Bamana attacked Manden, seizing both banks of the Niger right up to Niani. [75] It is possible that it was actually Musa's son Maghan who congratulated Abu al-Hasan, or Maghan who received Abu al-Hasan's envoy after Musa's death. 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. Accounts of how many people and how much gold he spent vary. 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. The date of Mahmud's death and identity of his immediate successor are not recorded, and there is a gap of 65 years before another mansa's identity is recorded. The Mansa led the second expedition himself, and appointed Musa as his deputy to rule the empire until he returned. However, many believe Mansa Musa's wealth outdoes that of all modern billionaires. Imperial Mali is best known through three primary sources: the first is the account of Shihab al-'Umari, written in about 1340 by a geographer-administrator in Mamluk Egypt. 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. He also states that Djata or "Jatah" means "lion". The kingdom of Mali was relatively unknown outside of West Africa until this event. The Mali Empire began in and was centered around the Manding region in what is now southern Mali and northeastern Guinea. One of these was Dioma, an area south of Niani populated by Fula Wassoulounk. Like two mansolu (rulers of Mali) before him, Ms I undertook the hajj as an act of devotion in line with Islamic tradition. [51] Musa made a major point of showing off his nation's wealth. Mansa Musa ruled the Malian empire from 1312-1337 CE. Mama Maghan, mansa of Kangaba, campaigned against the Bamana in 1667 and laid siege to SegouKoro for a reported three years. [93] He did not, however, hold the power of previous mansas because of the influence of his kankoro-sigui. Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca happened between 1324 and 1325. The child of this marriage received the first name of his mother (Sogolon) and the surname of his father (Djata). There are a few references to Mali in early Islamic literature. The Mali Empire covered a larger area for a longer period of time than any other West African state before or since. "[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. [119], It would be the Mandinka themselves that would cause the final destruction of the empire. Mali flourished especially when Timbuktu came under Mansa Musa's control. The kingdom of Mali reached its greatest extent around the same time, a bustling, wealthy kingdom thanks to Mansa Musas expansion and administration.Mansa Musa died in 1337 and was succeeded by his sons. [39], The identity of the capital city of the Mali Empire is a matter of dispute among historians. Ibn Battuta comments on festival demonstrations of swordplay before the mansa by his retainers including the royal interpreter. 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. However, it went through radical changes before reaching the legendary proportions proclaimed by its subjects. Around 1610, Mahmud Keita IV died. Lange, Dierk (1996), "The Almoravid expansion and the downfall of Ghana", Der Islam 73 (2): 313351. [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. "Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali." 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. 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. Imperial Malian architecture was characterised by Sudano-Sahelian architecture with a Malian substyle, which is exemplified by the Great Mosque of Djenne. After the loyalty or at least the capitulation of an area was assured, it was allowed to select its own dyamani-tigui. The history of the Mandinka started in Manding region. Editing: Jack Rackam. Ms Is hajj left a lasting impression of Malis splendour on both the Islamic and European worlds. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. He made a pilgrimage to Mecca during the reign of Mamluk Sultan An-Nasir Muhammad (r. 12981308), but died on his voyage home. To Musa, Islam was "an entry into the cultured world of the Eastern Mediterranean". [135] Gold nuggets were the exclusive property of the mansa and were illegal to trade within his borders. [12][h] Ibn Battuta, who visited Mali during the reign of Musa's brother Sulayman, said that Musa's grandfather was named Sariq Jata. Timbuktu was a place of trade, entertainment, and education. The Mali Empire consisted of land that is now part of Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, The Gambia, and the modern state of Mali. Songhai forces under the command of Askia Muhammad I defeated the Mali general Fati Quali Keita in 1502 and seized the province of Diafunu. Al-Umari's list, which is quoted with slight differences by al-Qalqashandi, is as follows: Al-Umari also indicates that four Amazigh tribes were subjects of Mali: Gomez instead suggests that these tribes would have inhabited territory in the vicinity of Mema, Ghana, and Diafunu. He is the resurrected spirit of Masuta the Ascended, the second boss in the first elite dungeon, Temple of Aminishi . Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali. One of the five pillars of Islam states that Muslims should embark on a pilgrimage known as Hajj, to the holy city of Mecca.. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Muhummed's three wivesMarva Barfield, Laura Cowan, and Adrienne Easterwere also sexually assaulted, beaten, and imprisoned; Barfield participated in the children's abuse at Muhummed's instruction, and Cowan has also been accused of participating in the abuse. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. Sundjata is credited with at least the initial organisation of the Manding military. Who would native Malians have considered their greatest ruler? The three states warred with each other as much, if not more, than they did against outsiders, but rivalries generally stopped when faced with invasion.