Ibn Khaldun claims Musa reigned for 25 years, so his accession is dated to 25 years before his death. The family tree of Mansa Musa. Longman, 1995. 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, who is . You cannot download interactives. The wooden window frames of an upper storey were plated with silver foil; those of a lower storey with gold. We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. The only major setback to his reign was the loss of Mali's Dyolof province in Senegal. After the victory, King Soumaoro disappeared, and the Mandinka stormed the last of the Sosso cities. Nelson, 1971. 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. In the early 15th century, Mali was still powerful enough to conquer and settle new areas. 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]. More than sixty years after the reign of Sundiata Keita, one of his descendants rose to become the King of Mali. [15] He is also called Hidji Mansa Musa in oral tradition in reference to his hajj. [86] Qu was succeeded by his son Muhammad, who launched two voyages to explore the Atlantic Ocean. Provinces picked their own governors via their own custom (election, inheritance, etc.). Kangaba, the de facto capital of Manden since the time of the last emperor, became the capital of the northern sphere. The richest person who ever lived - BBC Reel The Bamana, likewise, vowed not to advance farther upstream than Niamina. Mans third spouse tells court he was a despot, Woman describes treatment in Aguanga torture trial, Social worker: Children in torture case appeared happy, healthy, Calif. torture trial airs family horror stories, Polygamist who tortured his family is sentenced to 7 life terms, Aguanga man to serve seven life sentences, Emerging from a notorious hell of abuse to counsel others, Laura Cowan, Mansa Musa Muhummed: Sex, Torture, Beatings In Muslim Cult, Former Polygamy Wife Speaks Out On Justice By Any Means. 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. 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. They also used flaming arrows for siege warfare. The House of Saud is ruled by the descendants of King Abdulaziz, who founded and unified Saudi Arabia in 1932. [73], Prince Sundjata was prophesied to become a great conqueror. We care about our planet! Cairo and Mecca received this royal personage, whose glittering procession, in the superlatives employed by Arab chroniclers, almost put Africas sun to shame. Mansa Musa of the Mali Empire was the Richest king in history - iwish2click The ancient kingdom of Mali spread across parts of modern-day Mali, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso. [135] Gold nuggets were the exclusive property of the mansa and were illegal to trade within his borders. [81] He was replaced by Abu Bakr, a son of Sunjata's daughter. 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. Mama Maghan, mansa of Kangaba, campaigned against the Bamana in 1667 and laid siege to SegouKoro for a reported three years. Intro animation: Syawish Rehman. These oral stories . Last modified October 17, 2020. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. At Taghaza, for example, salt was exchanged; at Takedda, copper. [93] Sandaki Keita should not however be taken to be this person's name but a title. However, it went through radical changes before reaching the legendary proportions proclaimed by its subjects. The post of a farba was very prestigious, and his descendants could inherit it with the mansa's approval. The Wangara, an Old Soninke Diaspora in West Africa? His reign saw the first in a string of many great losses to Mali. During most of his journey, Ibn Battuta travelled with a retinue that included servants, most of whom carried goods for trade. Timbuktu was a place of trade, entertainment, and education. He describes it as being north of Mali but under its domination implying some sort of vassalage for the Antasar, Yantar'ras, Medussa and Lemtuna Berber tribes. They tell of his hardships as a boy before he came to the throne. Wagadou and Mema became junior partners in the realm and part of the imperial nucleus. [83] He is criticized for being unfaithful to tradition, and some of the jeliw regard Musa as having wasted Mali's wealth. Only sofa were equipped by the state, using bows and poisoned arrows. The University of Sankore in Timbuktu was restaffed under Musa's reign with jurists, astronomers, and mathematicians. [56], In the 1960s, archaeological work at Niani village, reputed to be the capital of the Mali Empire, by Polish and Guinean archaeologists revealed the remains of a substantial town dating back as far as the 6th century. [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. 24 June, 2022. 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. The people of the south needed salt for their diet, but it was extremely rare. 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. 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. [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. The Mali Empire consisted of land that is now part of Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, The Gambia, and the modern state of Mali. Musa embarked on a large building program, raising mosques and madrasas in Timbuktu and Gao. 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. At the height of its power, Mali had at least 400 cities, and the interior of the Niger Delta was very densely populated. 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. Musa gave the gold to the poor he met along his route. [59] Those not living in the mountains formed small city-states such as Toron, Ka-Ba and Niani. Sundjata is credited with at least the initial organisation of the Manding military. Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived? - BBC News In 1542, the Songhai invaded the capital city but were unsuccessful in conquering the empire. 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. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. 4. The Joma area, governed from Siguiri, controlled the central region, which encompassed Niani. Forty years after the reign of Mansa Musa Keita I, the Mali Empire still controlled some 1,100,000 square kilometres (420,000sqmi) of land throughout Western Africa.[103][9]. Konkodougou Kamissa Keita, named for the province he once governed,[70] was crowned as Mansa Mari Djata Keita II in 1360. Sergio Domian, an Italian scholar of art and architecture, wrote of this period: "Thus was laid the foundation of an urban civilization. Then, in 1630, the Bamana of Djenn declared their version of holy war on all Muslim powers in present-day Mali. [20] Arab interest in the Mali Empire declined after the Songhai conquered the northern regions of the empire which formed the primary contact between Mali and the Arab world. And so the name Keita became a clan/family and began its reign.[70]. Available from http://incompetech.com. [27] His list does not necessarily accurately reflect the actual organization of the Mali Empire,[28] and the identification of the listed provinces is controversial. There is some ambiguity over the identity of the mansa responsible for the voyages. Dates: 4001591 C. E.", "Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived? [136] While it was as good as gold in the north, it was even better in the south. 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). [149], Imperial banner carried with Musa I in 1325 Hajj, Social, economic and governmental reformation. Musa's name Kanku Musa means "Musa son of Kanku", but the genealogy may not be literal. Equipped with two quivers and a knife fastened to the back of their arm, Mandinka bowmen used barbed, iron-tipped arrows that were usually poisoned. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [32] When he did not return, Musa was crowned as mansa himself, marking a transfer of the line of succession from the descendants of Sunjata to the descendants of his brother Abu Bakr. What made this possible was the decentralised nature of administration throughout the state. Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) - National Geographic Society King Mansa Musa is famous for his Hajj journey, during which he stopped off in Egypt and gave out so much gold that the Egyptian economy was ruined for years to come. His reign is associated with numerous construction projects, including part of Djinguereber Mosque in Timbuktu. Regardless of their title in the province, they were recognised as dyamani-tigui (province-master) by the mansa. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. [115], Mali's fortunes seem to have improved in the second half of the 16th century. [93], Following Musa Keita III's death, his brother Gbr Keita became emperor in the mid-15th century. He became emperor in 1307. Mansa Mahmud Keita II's rule was characterised by more losses to Mali's old possessions and increased contact between Mali and Portuguese explorers along the coast. While the accounts are of limited length, they provide a fairly good picture of the empire at its height. After many years in exile, first at the court of Wagadou and then at Mema, Sundiata was sought out by a Niani delegation and begged to combat the Sosso and free the kingdoms of Manden forever. Mansa Musa (about 1280 - about 1337) was an emperor (mansa) of the Mali Empire during the 14th century. [54] Despite this initial awkwardness, the two rulers got along well, and exchanged gifts. By 1350, the empire covered approximately 478,819 square miles (1,240,140km2). 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. [22], Genealogy of the mansas of the Mali Empire up to Magha II (d.c.1389), based on Levtzion's interpretation of Ibn Khaldun. 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. Ag-Amalwal. [119], It would be the Mandinka themselves that would cause the final destruction of the empire. Around 1550, Mali attacked Bighu in an effort to regain access to its gold. He was the first African ruler to be widely known throughout Europe and the Middle East. The area was famous as a hunting ground for the large amount of game that it sheltered, as well as its dense vegetation. [84] Then an enslaved court official, Sakura, seized power. UsefulCharts, . His elaborate pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca in 1324 introduced him to rulers in the Middle East and in Europe. Eventually, due to Muhammad's failure to return, Musa was recognized as mansa.[89]. Musa took out large loans from money lenders in Cairo before beginning his journey home. 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. It was during Suleyman's 19-year reign that Ibn Battuta visited Mali. Musa's death may have occurred in 1337, 1332, or possibly even earlier, giving 1307 or 1312 as plausible approximate years of accession. According to the records of Ibn Battuta,[138][139] copper which traded in bars was mined from Takedda in the north and traded in the south for gold. Although this time in the kingdom was prosperous, Mali's wealth and power soon declined. [18], In the Songhai language, rulers of Mali such as Musa were known as the Mali-koi, koi being a title that conveyed authority over a region: in other words, the "ruler of Mali". At the time of Musa's ascension to the throne, Mali in large part consisted of the territory of the former Ghana Empire, which Mali had conquered. [43] Djibril Tamsir Niane, a Guinean historian, has been a forceful advocate of this position in recent decades. Contemporary sources claim 60 copper bars traded for 100 dinars of gold. World History Encyclopedia. Captivation History summarizes Mansa Musa's story from his ancestors to his descendants as they reigned over the Mali Empire beginning in the 1300s. [102] The text of Ibn Khaldun says "Gao, at this time is devastated". KAIRO NEWS - Are Mandinkas Descendants Of Bilal? 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. To his parents' dread, the prince did not have a promising start. The other major source of information comes from Mandinka oral tradition, as recorded by storytellers known as griots.[5]. Arab writers from the time said that he travelled with an entourage of tens of thousands of people and dozens of camels, each carrying 136 kilograms (300 pounds) of gold. He also states that Djata or "Jatah" means "lion". His administration and military work allowed the empire to survive through the 16th century, solidifying him, his empire, and his family into the imaginations of storytellers around the world.