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The Empire of Songhai

The Empire of Songhai. Similarities to Mali and Ghana. Songhai was made rich through trade. They owned important salt mines. They were located on important trans-Saharan trade routes. They worked with Berber caravan leaders. Songhai’s leaders were Muslims.

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The Empire of Songhai

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  1. The Empire of Songhai

  2. Similarities to Mali and Ghana • Songhai was made rich through trade. • They owned important salt mines. • They were located on important trans-Saharan trade routes. • They worked with Berber caravan leaders. • Songhai’s leaders were Muslims. • Songhai depended on the Niger River for water, trade and travel.

  3. Conflict with Mali • Mali and Songhai occupied roughly the same area. • Mansa Musa (the great leader of Mali) sent his army to conquer Songhai. Mali absorbed Songhai into their empire for a short time. • As Mali began to fail, Songhai was able to regain independence.

  4. Sunni Ali • Sunni Ali became leader of Songhai in 1464. • He strengthened Songhai and added territory (including much of Mali). • He conquered the wealthy trade cities of Djenne and Timbuktu. • He had been asked by Mali’s leaders for help against Tuareg invaders. • He drove off the invaders and kept the cities for himself. • To promote peace, he participated in both Muslim and traditional African religions.

  5. Sunni Baru • When Sunni Ali died in 1492, his son (Sunni Baru) took the throne. • Sunni Baru was not a Muslim, even though most of the people in his empire were. • Fearing that Songhai would lose power (and trading partners) with a non-Muslim leader, the people rebelled against Sunni Baru. • The leader of the rebellion against Sunni Baru was a general named, Muhammad Ture. After defeating Sunni Baru, he took the title askia (a military rank).

  6. Askia the Great • Askia the Great was a devout Muslim. • Like Mansa Musa, Askia went on a hajj. • Askia made many laws which were similar to other Muslim nations. • The picture is the 16th century mosque built by Askia the Great in Gao.

  7. Askia the Great (cont.) • Askia the Great promoted education. • He made Timbuktu a world-famous education center once again. People came from all over to study at the University of Sankore. • Djenne became a world-famous center of medicine. • Askia reorganized the government. • He divided the empire into 5 provinces. • He appointed governors and removed local leaders. • He created government departments to oversee certain areas. • He had the first standing army in West Africa.

  8. Fall of Songhai • After Askia the great, other askias ruled for a short time. • Morocco invaded to take control of Songhai’s salt mines. • Morocco needed money after years of fighting with the Portuguese and Spanish. • Morocco marched on Songhai in 1591. Some of Morocco’s soldiers were actually Portuguese and Spanish war prisoners. • Morocco had superior firepower. They carried the arquebus (early form of the gun) and even some cannons. • They attacked the trading cities of Timbuktu and Gao. • The destruction of trade finally wiped out Songhai.

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