African Civilization and the Spread of Islam 100 C.E-1500 C.E

1. African Civilization and the Spread of Islam100 C.E-1500 C.E DB & LS

2. African society: Diversity and similarities • Stateless Societies • Organized around kinship • Lacking political power • Forms of government • Authority held by a council of families or community • No taxation for population • Little authority • Secret societies- men and women controlled customs and beliefs • Able to limit ruler’s authority • External pressure

3. Common elements in African societies • Bantu language spread • Allowed mutual understanding between neighboring Bontu speakers • Religion- belief in power of natural forces personified as spirits of gods (animistic) • Specialists/priests- eliminated witches and protected the community • Provided cosmology- view of how the universe worked, ethnics and behavior • Family, lineage, or clan was important in dealing with gods • Agriculture – skilled ironwork, • Active, local or regional trade • Market life was important • Professional merchants • Controlled trade

4. The Arrival of Islam in North Africa • Between 640-700 C.E. • Followers of Muhammad came to north Africa from Morocco • 670 C.E.,- Muslims ruled Ifriqiya(Tunisia) • 732 C.E- Muslim advanced halted- established land in north Africa • Conversion happened rapidly • Certain political unity provided by Abbasid Dynasty • Islam offered many attractions within Africa • All Muslims are equal • acceptance of conquerors and new rulers easier • United state and religion in person of ruler appealed to some African kings • Egalitarian and utopian ideas • Social Stratification remained important

5. The Christian Kingdoms: Nubia and Ethiopia • Religion • Christian converts in Ethiopia and Egypt before Islam was in 4th century C.E. • Christian communities thrived in Egypt and Nubia • Christians of Copt and Egypt- translated the gospel and other religious lit. from Greek to Catholic • Cuptik spread into Nubia • Christians turned inward • Occupied Ethiopian highlands, lived in fortified towns • King Lalibela- 11 great churches

6. 13th century church, Bet Giorgis • represents power of early Christianity in Ethiopia

7. 13th and 14th century- Ethiopian Christian states emerged under original biblical marriage of Solomon • Ge’ez language (religious) • Amharic (common speech) • Struggle between Christians in Ethiopia and Muslims people in Somalia and Red Sea coast • Muslim States threatened with help of Turks, Portuguese expedition arrived in 1542 at Massawa • Favor of Christians • Tried to bring Ethiopian Christianity into the Roman Catholic church failed • Ethiopia remained isolated, Christian, fiercely independent

8. Kingdoms of the grasslands Empire of Western Sudan

9. Sudanic States • Patriarch or council of elders as leaders • Territorial core area- same linguistics or ethnic background • Conquest states- drew on taxes, tribute and military support • Rulers of states considered sacred • Islam became something of a royal cult

10. The empire of Mali and Sundiata, the “Lion Prince” • Empire of Mali- creation of the Malinke people • Broke away from control of Ghana in 13th century • Old forms of kinship were enforced by Islam • Rulers supported Islam by: • Building mosques, attending public prayers , and supporting preachers • Economic: agriculture • Trade • Like Ghana- gold producing areas • Malinke expansion is attributed to Sundiata- a brilliant leader whose exploits were celebrated in oral tradition • Fought to create a unified state • Became the mansa, or emperor (said that he divided up the world)- originator of social arrangements

11. Ibn Batuta • Arab traveler • Made sure that the security of travelers and their goods was an essential element in a state where commerce played an important role • Sundiata died in 1260 • Successors expanded the borders of Mali until it controlled most of Niger valley • Sumptuous court was established • Housed large number of traders

12. Mansa Kankan Musa (Musa I of Mali) • Famous African King • Went on Hajj to Mecca in 1324 • Procession included 60,000 men, 12,000 slaves, heralds, 80 camels • Brought 48,000lbs of solid gold and 4,000-24,000lbs of gold dust • Gave gold to poor people, cities, and traded it for souvenirs • Built a mosque every Friday • Ruled country of Mali, capital was Timbuktu • Brought to Mali Ishalal-Sahili • Sudanic architecture

13. Great mosque of Jenne

14. City Dwellers and Villagers • Cities of western Sudan • Towns were commercial • Craft specialties • Resident foreign merchant community • Military expansion of states such as Ghana, Mali and later Songhay contributed to commercial success • Cities such as Jenne and Timbaktu flourished due to commercial exchange • Timbaktu- population of 50,000 • Sankore mosque- contained a library and an associated university where scholars, jurists, and Muslim theologians studied • Most life in Sudan and Mali was centered on the royal court • Soils of the savanna were shallow and sandy • Polygamy was common • Man with 2 wives and unmarried sons could work more land than a man with 1 wife

15. The Songhay Kingdom • Dominated the middle area of the Niger valley • “masters of the soil” • Herders, farmers, fishers • 7th century was considered an independent kingdom • 1010 C.E., capital was at Gao • Rulers had become Muslims • Sunni Ali (1464-1492)- under him the empire of Songhay was forged • Tactical commander • Ruthless leader • Expanded borders and seized Timbaktu and Jenne • Developed system of provincial administration to mobilize recruits for army • Muhammad the Great- • extended boundaries of the empire which by mid-16th century dominated Sudan • Worship of Muslim and Pagan worship continued • Clerics wanted to impose a strict interpretation of the law of Islam • 1591 C.E.- Muslim army from Morocco defeated the large forces of Songhay

16. Sunni Ali

17. Political and Social Life in the Sudanic States • Larger states represented political aims and power of a particular group, often dominant family • Common religion and law provided trust • Literate Muslim advisors and scribes aided in government administration • Large population of Mali and Songhay never converted to Islam • Recognized the role of women within the lines of kinship • Slave trade had a huge impact on women, children • Forms of slavery existed before the Islamic influence • Muslims viewed slavery as a stage in the process of conversion • Used in variety of occupations • Soldiers • Laborers administrators • Concubines

18. The Swahili Coast of East Africa

19. The Coastal Trading Ports • Bantu migration reached ports of east Africa • Seaborne immigrants settled on large island of Madagascar • Introduced foods to the African coast • Small coastal villages of fishers and farmers • By 13th century east African trading ports developed along the coast • Shared common Bantu-based language of Swahili (coastal) • Other cultural traits but governed by separate Muslim ruling families • Ibn Batuta was impressed by towns and Kilwa was described as “one of the most beautiful and well-constructed towns in the world” • Kilwa was wealthy because of the port of Safala • Had access to gold • 13th to 15 century Kilwa flourished in trade

20. The Mixture of Cultures on the Swahili Coast • 13th century was period of great Islamic expansion • Religious bond of trust • Law that facilitated trade throughout ports of Indian Ocean • Ruling families in east Africa built mosques, trading ports and palaces • Rulers and merchants tended to be Muslim on the east African coast • Retained their previous beliefs and culture • Mud and thatch houses of the non-Muslim • Swahili culture was a dynamic hybrid • Swahili people spread their language and culture along the coast of east Africa • By 1500 C.E. Swahili culture was widely diffused

21. Artists and Kings: Yoruba and Benin • Ile-lfe- city in Nigeria • Terra-cotta and bronze portrait heads after 1200 C.E. • Greatest achievement of African art • Much of art is associated with kings and authority of kinship • Yoruba were organized in small city-states • Highly urbanized • Developed strong authoritative city-states • Regional kings were the authority and were considered divine • Council of state was made up of nobles • Advised the ruler • Limited power • Also Ogboni- secret society of religious and political leaders • Benin- large city-state • Under Ewuarethe Great (1440-1473) Benin’s control extended from Niger River to Lagos

22. Central African Kingdoms • Bontu people spread into southern reaches of rain forest along the Congo River • Began their own process of state formation

23. The Kingdoms of Kongo and MweneMutapa • By 15th century kingdom of Kongo was flourishing • Firm agricultural base • Developed skills of: • Weaving • Pottery • Blacksmithing • Carving • Sharp division of labor between men and women • Men: • Cleared forest and scrub • Producing palm oil • Palm wine • Building houses • Hunting • Long distance trade • Women: • Cultivation • Care of domestic animals • Household duties • (on seacoast women made salt from seawater and collected seashells)

24. Seashells served as currency in Kongo kingdom • Kinship of the Kongo was hereditary • Great Zimbabwe- center of the kingdom • Religious importance associated with the bird of God • By 15th century centralized states ruled from Great Zimbabwe began to form • In the 15th and 16th century kingdom faced short rapid expansion • Dominance over the source of gold • Advantage in commerce • By 16th century kingdom was split by internal divisions and rebellion • Emphasis on cattle led to soil exhaustion