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the descendants of the nearly 1,000-year-old objects made in Africa. [39] Her jamu (clan name) Konte is shared with both Sunjata's mother Sogolon Konte and his arch-enemy Sumanguru Konte. Who would native Malians have considered their greatest ruler? 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). [56] Musa and his entourage lingered in Mecca after the last day of the hajj. He had so much gold that during his hajj to Mecca, the Mansa passed out gold to all the poor along the way. [120], The old core of the empire was divided into three spheres of influence. Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali Server Costs Fundraiser 2023 Running a website with millions of readers every month is expensive. [88], Mansa Musa is renowned for his wealth and generosity. He could read and write Arabic and took an interest in the scholarly city of Timbuktu, which he peaceably annexed in 1324. [40] Ibn Battuta and Leo Africanus both call the capital "Mali. 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. [57], Modern oral traditions also related that the Mandinka kingdoms of Mali or Manden had already existed several centuries before Sundiata's unification as a small state just to the south of the Sonink empire of Wagadou, better known as the Ghana Empire. However, it went through radical changes before reaching the legendary proportions proclaimed by its subjects. The fame of Mansa Musa and his phenomenal wealth spread as he traveled on his hajjto Mecca. 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. It was "an admirable Monument", surmounted by a dome and adorned with arabesques of striking colours. Musa expanded the borders of the Mali Empire, in particular incorporating the cities of Gao and Timbuktu into its territory. [70] The mansa lost control of Jalo during this period. A city called Dieriba or Dioliba is sometimes mentioned as the capital or main urban center of the province of Mande in the years before Sundiata, that was later abandoned. The current King, Salman bin Abdulaziz, is the 25th son of King Abdulaziz and has continued to maintain the . to 1337 C.E. [93] Only at the state or province level was there any palpable interference from the central authority in Niani. [86], The name "Musa" has become virtually synonymous with pilgrimage in Mand tradition, such that other figures who are remembered as going on a pilgrimage, such as Fakoli, are also called Musa. When Musa departed Mali for the hajj, he left his son Muhammad to rule in his absence. The Venetian explorer Alvise Cadamosto and Portuguese traders confirmed that the peoples of the Gambia were still subject to the mansa of Mali. [9] Upon Leo Africanus's visit at the beginning of the 16th century, his descriptions of the territorial domains of Mali showed that it was still a kingdom of considerable size. [132], The Mali Empire flourished because of its trade above all else. Sundiata Keita was a warrior-prince of the Keita dynasty who was called upon to free the local people from the rule of the king of the Sosso Empire, Soumaoro Kant. They founded the first village of the Manding, Kirikoroni, then Kirina, Siby, Kita. Mali's domain also extended into the desert. Musa made his pilgrimage between 1324 and 1325 spanning 2,700 miles. While the accounts are of limited length, they provide a fairly good picture of the empire at its height. Via one of the royal ladies of his court, Musa transformed Sankore from an informal madrasah into an Islamic university. [51] Musa made a major point of showing off his nation's wealth. Editing: Jack Rackam. [98], The wealth of the Mali Empire did not come from direct control of gold-producing regions, but rather trade and tribute. He had first-hand information from several sources, and from a second-hand source, he learned of the visit of Mansa Musa. The salt was dug from the ground and cut into thick slabs, two of which were loaded onto each camel where they would be taken south across the desert to Oualata and sold. Musa's name Kanku Musa means "Musa son of Kanku", but the genealogy may not be literal. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. All rights reserved. Biti, Buti, Yiti, Tati). Evidence of cavalry in terracotta figures suggest the empire's prosperous economy as horses are not indigenous to Africa. "Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali." The Mali Empire expanded through conquest or annexation. 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. [90] CelebrityNetWorth has been criticized for the unreliability of its estimates. [93] He did not, however, hold the power of previous mansas because of the influence of his kankoro-sigui. 1312 is the most widely accepted by modern historians. Thank you for your help! Three bowmen supporting one spearman was the ratio in Kaabu and the Gambia by the mid-16th century. Musa gave the gold to the poor he met along his route. [46] 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. Many houses were built by hand and during the hot weather some houses would melt so they had to be very secure, The dating of the original Great Mosque's construction is obscure (the current structure, built under French Colonial Rule, dates from 1907). Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca happened between 1324 and 1325. Dates: 4001591 C. E.", "Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived? Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. However, many believe Mansa Musa's wealth outdoes that of all modern billionaires. [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. Musa and his entourage gave and spent freely while in Cairo. [81] The territory of the Mali Empire was at its height during the reigns of Musa and his brother Sulayman, and covered the Sudan-Sahel region of West Africa. His riches came from the mining of significant gold and salt deposits in the Mali Empire, along with the slave and ivory trade.[6][7]. 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. "Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali." Bowmen formed a large portion of the field army as well as the garrison. The Catalan Atlas, published in 1375, depicts the richest man of his day: Mansa Musa, the emperor of 14th-century Mali. The tarikh states that a Sultan Kunburu became a Muslim and had his palace pulled down and the site turned into a mosque; he then built another palace for himself near the mosque on the east side. [122] Their forces marched as far north as Kangaba, where the mansa was obliged to make a peace with them, promising not to attack downstream of Mali. Omissions? [90][91] His reign is considered the golden age of Mali. Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) was the king of the ancient empire of Mali in West Africa. Al-Umari said that before Musa's arrival, a mithqal of gold was worth 25 silver dirhams, but that it dropped to less than 22 dirhams afterward and did not go above that number for at least twelve years. [140], The Mali Empire maintained a semi-professional, full-time army in order to defend its borders. After the publication of this atlas, Mansa Musa became cemented in the global imagination as a figure of stupendous wealth.After his return from Mecca, Mansa Musa began to revitalize cities in his kingdom. Mansa Musa came from his country with 80 loads of gold dust (tibr), each load weighing three qintars. [95] Musa himself further promoted the appearance of having vast, inexhaustible wealth by spreading rumors that gold grew like a plant in his kingdom. [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. Musa Keita I (c. 1280 - c. 1337), or Mansa Musa, was the ninth Mansa of the Mali Empire, one of the most powerful West African states. He also brought architects from the Middle East and across Africa to design new buildings for his cities. This was due to the tax on trade in and out of the empire, along with all the gold Mansa Musa had. [72] In contrast, al-Umari, writing twelve years after Musa's hajj, in approximately 1337,[73] claimed that Musa returned to Mali intending to abdicate and return to live in Mecca but died before he could do so,[74] suggesting he died even earlier than 1332. "[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. These oral stories . 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]. Very little is known about the life of Mansa Musa before 1312. In 1324, while staying in Cairo during his hajj, Mansa Musa, the ruler of the Mali Empire, told an Egyptian official whom he had befriended that he had come to rule when his predecessor led a fleet in an attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean and never returned. Every year merchants entered Mali via Oualata with camel loads of salt to sell in Niani. This region straddles the border between what is now southern Mali and northeastern Guinea. In 1542, the Songhai invaded the capital city but were unsuccessful in conquering the empire. Original video by UsefulCharts. However, the legendary oral tradition that surrounds Keita suggests that he never turned away from his native religion. A legend claims that Sunjata transformed into a hippopotamus. [47], According to Jules Vidal and Levtzion, citing oral histories from Kangaba and Keyla, another onetime capital was Manikoro or Mali-Kura, founded after the destruction of Niani. At its peak, Mali was the largest empire in West Africa, widely . In oral tradition and the Timbuktu Chronicles, Musa is known as Kanku Musa. Mansa Souleyman Keita (or Suleiman) took steep measures to put Mali back into financial shape, thereby developing a reputation for miserliness. Historians who lived during the height and decline of the Mali Empire consistently record its standing army peaking at 100,000, with 10,000 of that number being made up of cavalry. Each individual farariya ("brave") had a number of infantry officers beneath them called kl-koun or dknsi. It had a well-organised army with an elite corps of horsemen and many foot soldiers in each battalion. Not only do we pay for our servers, but also for related services such as our content delivery network, Google Workspace, email, and much more. [73], Prince Sundjata was prophesied to become a great conqueror. 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. While spears and bows were the mainstay of the infantry, swords and lances of local or foreign manufacture were the choice weapons of the cavalry. 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. He brought back with him descendants of Mohammed, Islamic scholars, and architect Abu Es Haq es Saheli, who went on to create the Djinguereber mosque. One of these was Dioma, an area south of Niani populated by Fula Wassoulounk. While Musa's palace has since vanished, the university and mosque still stand in Timbuktu today. Free warriors from the north (Mandekalu or otherwise) were usually equipped with large reed or animal hide shields and a stabbing spear that was called a tamba. [122] They targeted Moroccan pashas still in Timbuktu and the mansas of Manden. [57][58] Having run out of money, Musa and his entourage were forced to borrow money and re-sell much of what they had purchased while in Cairo before the hajj, and Musa went into debt to several merchants, such as Siraj al-Din. Mande bards in the region speak of the Dakajalan site, containing Sundiata's grave, as sacrosanct. [93] Dyamani-tiguis had to be approved by the mansa and were subject to his oversight. [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. This led to inflation throughout the kingdom. He has sometimes been called the wealthiest person in history. In 1645, the Bamana attacked Manden, seizing both banks of the Niger right up to Niani. The ancient kingdom of Mali spread across parts of modern-day Mali, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso. He attempted to make Islam the faith of the nobility,[93] but kept to the imperial tradition of not forcing it on the populace. Mansa Musa developed cities like Timbuktu and Gao into important cultural centers. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. The mansa also made a successful hajj, kept up correspondence with Morocco and Egypt and built an earthen platform at Kangaba called the Camanbolon where he held court with provincial governors and deposited the holy books he brought back from Hedjaz. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/video/2147/mansa-musa-family-tree--empire-of-mali/. 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,. Stories of his fabulous wealth even reached Europe. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. He has been subject to popular claims that he is the wealthiest person in history,[5] but his actual wealth is not known with any certainty. [28] The Tarikh al-fattash claims that Musa accidentally killed Kanku at some point prior to his hajj. 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? 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. At its peak, Mali was the largest empire in West Africa, widely influencing the culture of the region through the spread of its language, laws and customs. Most notably, the ancient center of learning Sankore Madrasah (or University of Sankore) was constructed during his reign. [26] Sariq Jata may be another name for Sunjata, who was actually Musa's great-uncle. Mansa Musa even built the Great Mosque of Djenn, one of the most famous mosques in Mali, to recognize his pilgrimage. While in Cairo, Mansa Musa met with the Sultan of Egypt, and his caravan spent and gave away so much gold that the overall value of gold decreased in Egypt for the next 12 years. [93] Mansa Maghan Keita I spent wastefully and was the first lacklustre emperor since Khalifa Keita. Under Mansa Ms, Timbuktu grew to be a very important commercial city having caravan connections with Egypt and with all other important trade centres in North Africa. Trade was Mali's form of income, and wealth. That same year, after the Mandinka general known as Sagmandir put down yet another rebellion in Gao,[93] Mansa Musa came to Gao and accepted the capitulation of the King of Ghana and his nobles. Songhai forces under the command of Askia Muhammad I defeated the Mali general Fati Quali Keita in 1502 and seized the province of Diafunu. 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. 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. World History Encyclopedia. You cannot download interactives. Mansa Fadima Musa Keita, or Mansa Musa Keita II, began the process of reversing his brother's excesses. In approximately 1140 the Sosso kingdom of Kaniaga, a former vassal of Wagadou, began conquering the lands of its old rulers. [83] He is criticized for being unfaithful to tradition, and some of the jeliw regard Musa as having wasted Mali's wealth. Musa not only gave to the cities he passed on the way to Mecca, including Cairo and Medina, but also traded gold for souvenirs. [70][141] With the help of the river clans, this army could be deployed throughout the realm on short notice. The empire began as a small Mandinka kingdom at the upper reaches of the Niger River, centered around the Manding region. His skillful administration left his empire well-off at the time of his death, but eventually, the empire fell apart. It was common practice during the Middle Ages for both Christian and Muslim rulers to tie their bloodline back to a pivotal figure in their faith's history, so the lineage of the Keita dynasty may be dubious at best,[62] yet African Muslim scholars like the London-based Nigerian-British cleric Sheikh Abu-Abdullah Adelabu have laid claim of divine attainments to the reign of Mansa Mousa: "in Islamic history and its science stories of Old Mali Empire and significance of Mansa Mousa by ancient Muslim historians like Shihab al-Umari, documenting histories of African legendaries like Mansa Kankan Musa did actually exist in early Arabic sources about West African history including works of the author of Subh al-a 'sha one of the final expressions of the genre of Arabic administrative literature, Ahmad al-Qalqashandi Egyptian writer, mathematician and scribe of the scroll (katib al-darj) in the Mamluk chancery in Cairo[63] as well as by the author of Kitab al-Masalik wa al-Mamalik (Book of Highways and Kingdoms) Ab Ubayd Al-Bakri, an Arab Andalusian Muslim geographer and historian emboldened Keita Dynasty", wrote Adelabu. 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. 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 Around 1550, Mali attacked Bighu in an effort to regain access to its gold. [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". Mali's Timbuktu was known for its schools and libraries. [105][106] Three years later, Oualata also fell into their hands. He's especially famous for his hajj to Mecca, during which he sponsored numerous mosques and madrases, and supposedly spent so much gold along the way that the metal was severely devalued, which for many people was not a very good thing. Musa I (Arabic: , romanized:Mans Ms, N'Ko: ; r.c.1312c.1337[a]) was the ninth[4] mansa of the Mali Empire, which reached its territorial peak during his reign. [70] These men had to be of the horon (freemen) caste and appear with their own arms. 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. [71] However, Ibn Khaldun also reports that Musa sent an envoy to congratulate Abu al-Hasan Ali for his conquest of Tlemcen, which took place in May 1337, but by the time Abu al-Hasan sent an envoy in response, Musa had died and Suleyman was on the throne, suggesting Musa died in 1337. [142][143] Numerous sources attest that the inland waterways of West Africa saw extensive use of war canoes and vessels used for war transport where permitted by the environment. The identification of Niani as imperial capital is rooted in an (possibly erroneous) interpretation of the Arab traveler al Umari's work, as well as some oral histories. It was cut into pieces and spent on goods with close to equal buying power throughout the empire. By the 6th century AD, the lucrative trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt and slaves had begun, facilitating the rise of West Africa's great empires. 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. The new Songhai Empire conquered Mema,[93] one of Mali's oldest possessions, in 1465. Mansa Ms left a realm notable for its extent and richeshe built the Great Mosque at Timbuktubut he is best remembered in the Middle East and Europe for the splendour of his pilgrimage to Mecca (1324). [97] Though this has been described as having "wrecked" Egypt's economy,[85] the historian Warren Schultz has argued that this was well within normal fluctuations in the value of gold in Mamluk Egypt. The Mansa led the second expedition himself, and appointed Musa as his deputy to rule the empire until he returned. A manuscript page from Timbuktu showing a table of astronomical information. What did Ms I do when he returned to Mali? The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. The wooden window frames of an upper storey were plated with silver foil; those of a lower storey with gold. [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 date of Mansa Musa's death is not certain. [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. By the time of his death in 1337, Mali had control over Taghazza, a salt-producing area in the north, which further strengthened its treasury. 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. This is the first account of a West African kingdom made directly by an eyewitness; the others are usually second-hand. Mansa Musa brought the architect back to Mali to beautify some of the cities. Stride, G. T., & C. Ifeka: "Peoples and Empires of West Africa: West Africa in History 10001800". Mansa Musa (about 1280 - about 1337) was an emperor (mansa) of the Mali Empire during the 14th century. Scholars who were mainly interested in history, Qurnic theology, and law were to make the mosque of Sankore in Timbuktu a teaching centre and to lay the foundations of the University of Sankore. His information about the empire came from visiting Malians taking the hajj, or pilgrim's voyage to Mecca. [34][35] Nonetheless, the possibility of such a voyage has been taken seriously by several historians. [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. Malink, also known as Mande, Mali, or Melle, was founded around 1200 CE, and under Mansa Musa's reign . When he did finally bow, he said he was doing so for God alone. If the mansa didn't believe the dyamani-tigui was capable or trustworthy, a farba might be installed to oversee the province or administer it outright. 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. As a result of this the empire fell. Sandaki likely means High Counsellor or Supreme Counsellor, from san or sanon (meaning "high") and adegue (meaning counsellor). . He intended to abdicate the throne and return to Mecca but died before he was able to do so. [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. Timbuktu became a major Islamic university center during the 14th century due to Mansa Musas developments. [78] Nehemia Levtzion regarded 1337 as the most likely date,[72] which has been accepted by other scholars. At the height of its power, Mali had at least 400 cities, and the interior of the Niger Delta was very densely populated. 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 Wangara, an Old Soninke Diaspora in West Africa? That same year, Mahmud II sent another envoy to the Portuguese proposing alliance against the Fula. [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. In addition, the moral and religious principles he had taught his subjects endured after his death. [20] For the later period of the Mali Empire, the major written primary sources are Portuguese accounts of the coastal provinces of Mali and neighboring societies.[21]. Your email address will not be published. [86] After Sakura's death, power returned to the line of Sunjata, with Wali's son Qu taking the throne. The exact date of Musa's accession is debated. [67] The Manden city-state of Ka-ba (present-day Kangaba) served as the capital and name of this province. 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. Mansa Mari Djata Keita II became seriously ill in 1372,[93] and power moved into the hands of his ministers until his death in 1374. [24] The empire's total area included nearly all the land between the Sahara Desert and coastal forests. [26][17] Ibn Khaldun said that he "was an upright man and a great king, and tales of his justice are still told."[101]. Corrections? 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). [83] This term was used interchangeably with dinar, though it is unclear if coined currency was used in the empire. [145] Another common weapon of Mandekalu warriors was the poison javelin used in skirmishes. Barring any other difficulties, the dyamani-tigui would run the province by himself collecting taxes and procuring armies from the tribes under his command.