Video Lesson

Lesson Objectives

After learning this lesson, you will be able to:

• explain the economic means of the empire of Empire of Ghana, Mali, Songhai Kanem-Bornu and Hausa City States
• make a list of cities established by the empire of Ghana and Mali
• appreciate the leadership qualities of the kings of Songhai in making the city of Timbuktu the center of intellectual life;
• explain the kind of relationship that existed between the different Hausa city states;
• explain the ways through which Islam reached and spread West Africa;
• draw a sketch map of Africa and indicate the area of Empire of Ghana, Mali, Songhai Kanem-Bornu and Hausa City States.

Brainstorming Questions

• Who were the Soninke? What was their role in the history of Ancient Ghana?
• What fascinating stories can you make on the pilgrimage of Mali’s strongest ruler?
• What do you understand by an empire? What was the largest of West African empires?
• Can you mention three Hausa city states?
• How do you explain the political and social importance of Islam in West Africa?

Key Terms

Empire of Ghana

The ancient kingdom of Ghana, founded around the 4th century by the Soninke people, reached its zenith of power around 1000 A.D. Ghana’s prosperity and influence were primarily derived from its strategic location on the Trans-Saharan Trade routes between North Africa and the forested regions to the south. This positioning allowed Ghanaian merchants to thrive as intermediaries in trade, facilitating the exchange of gold, ivory, and other commodities. The wealth generated from trade enabled Ghana’s rulers to establish a strong centralized government that maintained peace and security within the kingdom. A formidable army was also organized, which contributed to the expansion of Ghanaian territory through conquests of neighboring peoples. Additionally, Ghanaian craftsmen were renowned for their skill in ironworking, giving them a technological advantage over neighboring societies. These factors collectively enabled Ghana to establish a vast empire that encompassed much of present-day Mali and Mauritania.

The decline of the empire of Ghana came in the 11th century following the Almoravid attack. In 1054, they controlled Awadaghust, Ghana’s economic center, which significantly
sapped its treasury. The control of her political center, Kumbi Saleh, in 1076, by the Almoravids marked the end of the empire of Ghana.

Empire of Mali

Mansa Musa, who reigned over Mali from 1312 to 1337, ascended to power during a period of significant expansion and prosperity for the empire. His predecessor, Sundiata, had laid the foundation by consolidating power and securing control over the lucrative gold trade routes in West Africa. However, it was under Mansa Musa’s rule that Mali reached its pinnacle of wealth and influence. Mansa Musa was renowned not only for his leadership but also for being the first Mali ruler to embrace Islam, a faith that would significantly shape the empire’s cultural and political trajectory. In 1324, Mansa Musa undertook a legendary pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the Hajj, during which he showcased Mali’s immense wealth to the world. Accompanied by a vast retinue and carrying substantial quantities of gold, Mansa Musa distributed generous amounts of gold along his journey, leaving a lasting impression of Mali’s opulence and power throughout the Islamic world and beyond.

After the death of Mansa Musa, Mali experienced a gradual decline attributed to several factors. Weak leadership among subsequent rulers led to ineffective governance and an inability to manage Mali’s vast territory effectively. Internal power struggles further weakened the empire, creating divisions that undermined its stability. Additionally, Mali faced external threats, including attacks from the Berbers in the north and the Songhai people from the east, who challenged Mali’s authority and contributed to its diminishing influence. Despite these challenges, Mali persisted as an entity until around 1550, although by then, its kings wielded nominal power, marking the final phase of the empire’s decline.

Empire of Songhai

In the 1400s, Mali weakened due to succession disputes among its rulers, causing the empire to contract. By the 1460s, Gao emerged as the capital of the growing Songhai Kingdom in West Africa, situated in the fertile Niger River bend spanning present-day Mali and Niger. Between 1464 and 1492, Sunni Ali established the largest state ever in West Africa, consolidating trade routes and incorporating wealthy cities like Timbuktu into his domain. Sunni Ali practiced an indigenous religion, unlike Mali’s rulers, but after his death in 1492, Askia Muhammad established a Muslim dynasty. Askia Muhammad expanded Songhai’s territory, enhanced governance by establishing bureaucratic departments for agriculture, military, and treasury, each overseen by appointed officials. He strengthened ties with the Muslim world through a pilgrimage to Mecca, attracting scholars to Gao, where mosques and Quranic schools were established across Songhai’s towns and cities.

After the death of Askia Muhammad in 1528, Songhai continued to prosper initially, but succession disputes led to frequent changes in leadership. In 1549, Askia Daud ascended as emperor, bringing a period of relative peace. However, after his death in 1582, succession struggles intensified, plunging the empire into civil war. Taking advantage of this internal strife, the Sultan of Morocco, Ahmed al-Mansur, dispatched his army southwards to seize control of Songhai’s valuable gold and salt mines. In 1591, utilizing gunpowder weaponry, the Moroccan forces conquered the empire. Similar to previous invaders, such as the Almoravids who conquered Ghana, the Moroccans struggled to effectively govern an empire spanning the Sahara Desert. Despite their control, Songhai’s former glory could not be revived, marking the end of its prominent role in West African history.

Empire of Kanem-Bornu

The Kanem-Bornu Empire, ruled by the Saifuwa dynasty from the 9th to the 19th century, encompassed a vast territory around Lake Chad, spanning modern-day southern Chad, northern Cameroon, northeastern Nigeria, eastern Niger, and southern Libya. Founded by the Kanuri people, a mix of Negroid and Berber descent, the empire thrived primarily through the Trans-Saharan Trade. Located centrally in the Sudan region, Kanem-Bornu had extensive trade contacts with Nubia, Egypt, North African states, and its western and southern neighbors. Islam became the dominant religion in the empire by the 11th century, influencing its culture and governance. Over two centuries, the empire expanded west to the Niger River, east to Wadai, and north into Fezzan. In response to conflicts with the Bulala people in the 14th century, the capital shifted westward to Bornu, where subsequent rulers reestablished and strengthened the empire. Notably, in the 16th century, under Mai Idris Alooma, the empire experienced a period of renewed expansion and military power, aided by firearms acquired from North African Turks.

The empire declined again in the 18th century, due in part to infiltration by the Fulani from the West. In the years from 1808/’09, the empire was rocked by an Islamic revivalist movement led by Usman dan Fedio. In 1846, the Wadai kingdom absorbed Kanem, which marked the end of one of the longest surviving empires in West Africa.

Hausa City States

A city-state is a small, independent country centered around a single city, where the government exercises complete sovereignty over its territory. Originating during the classical period of Greek civilization in the 4th and 5th centuries B.C., city-states are characterized by their autonomy and ability to govern themselves without external interference. This independence distinguishes city-states from other forms of government, highlighting their unique political and administrative structure centered on a singular urban center.

The Hausa city-states in Northern Nigeria, including Daura, Gobir, Rano, Katsina, Zazzau, Kano, and Biram, emerged around 1000 A.D. as key centers of the Trans-Saharan caravan trade. These cities initially focused on trade in goods such as leather, gold, cloth, salt, kola nuts, and animal hides. Hausa merchants collected and processed these items from the southern rainforest region, levied taxes on them, and sent them northward to Mediterranean cities.

Economically, trade and agriculture were foundational to the Hausa city-states. Politically, the trade networks likely influenced development, as ideas and people from the Middle East and North Africa contributed to cultural exchange and governance. By 1200, all Hausa city-states had Muslim rulers, indicating the influence of trade on religion and governance throughout the region.

The Hausa city-states were specialized in different occupations. Kano and Katsina in the north were specialized in trade and craft technology. Daura on the other hand was specialized in iron working. Zaria located in the southernmost was the principal provider of slaves.

The Hausa city-states began as small walled villages primarily inhabited by Hausa speakers. However, trade brought immigrants from various directions—north, west, and east—who integrated into these growing urban societies. Both indigenous people and immigrants engaged in farming around the cities, providing essential food supplies in exchange for military protection from nomadic tribes and neighboring political entities.

By the 1500s, Kano emerged as the largest and most prosperous among the Hausa city-states. It thrived as a major trading hub dealing in ivory, gold, leather, and slaves. The city attracted Arab and Berber traders, alongside local merchants, and became a leading center for Islamic culture in the region, rivaled occasionally by Katsina.

Despite periodic attempts by city-states like Kano to conquer their rivals, none possessed the military or economic strength to dominate the entire region. Thus, the Hausa city-states functioned as a loose confederation, cooperating at times but more often competing economically and politically.

That rivalry, however, came to an end in 1804 when Uthman Dan Fodio, a Fulani religious
leader from Gobir, began a jihad that in 1815 swallowed all of the city states into the Sokoto Caliphate. Nearly one century later in 1903 the Hausa city states became part of the
British Empire. Today they are major cities in Northern Nigeria.

Spread of Islam in West Africa

While the presence of Islam in West Africa dates back to eighth century, the spread of the faith in the region was a gradual process. Much of what we know about the early history of West Africa comes from medieval accounts written by Arab and North African geographers and historians. The early presence of Islam in West Africa was linked to trade and commerce with North Africa. Trade between West Africa and the Mediterranean predated Islam. However, North African Muslims intensified the Trans-Saharan trade. North African traders were major actors in introducing Islam into West Africa. Several major trade routes connected Africa below the Sahara with the Mediterranean Middle East, such as Sijilmasa to wdaghust and Ghadames to Gao. These centers of trade invariably became centers of Islamic learning and civilization. In the Kingdom of Tekrur, situated on both banks of the Senegal, Islam was accepted as early as 850 A.D., by the Dya’ogo dynasty. This dynasty was the first Negro people who accepted Islam. This gave a uniform Muslim law to the people. By the time the Al- Murabitun of Almoravids began their attack on Tekrur in 1042 A.D., Islam had made a deep impact on the people of that area. In the 11th century A.D., Islam was introduced into the empire of Ghana. Sources also indicate that the rulers of Mali accepted Islam as early as the 14th century. Mansa Musa (1312-1337), the famous ruler of the empire of Mali, was a devout Muslim who, in 1324, made one of the most luxurious pilgrimages to Mecca. He is remembered for having established many magnificent Mosques in West Africa. In general, between the 8th and the 14th centuries, the religion of Islam reached and was firmly established in
areas where the ancient and medieval empires of West Africa once flourished, including the territories of the Hausa city-states in what is now Northern Nigeria.