It was reported that he built a mosque every Friday. Ibn Battuta mentions that the value of salt increased fourfold when transported between Oualata and the Malian capital. [83] This term was used interchangeably with dinar, though it is unclear if coined currency was used in the empire. That same year, Mahmud II sent another envoy to the Portuguese proposing alliance against the Fula. Mansa Musa eventually gained the throne owing to a strange sequence of events that turned in his favor. [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. In 1203, the Sosso king Soumaoro of the Kant clan came to power and reportedly terrorised much of Manden stealing women and goods from both Dodougou and Kri. Ibn Battuta observed the employment of servants in both towns. [78] There was evidently a power struggle of some kind involving the gbara or great council and donson ton or hunter guilds. to 1337 C.E. [40] In fact, there is a conspicuous absence of archaeological samples of any kind from Niani dated to the late 13th through early 15th centuries, suggesting that Niani may have been uninhabited during the heyday of the Mali Empire. [40], Various sources cite several other cities as capitals of the Mali Empire, some in competition with the Niani hypothesis and others addressing different time periods. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. 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. The Joma area, governed from Siguiri, controlled the central region, which encompassed Niani. 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]. [58] This area was composed of mountains, savannah and forest providing ideal protection and resources for the population of hunters. The third great account is that of Ibn Khaldun, who wrote in the early 15th century. The Royal Kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay: Life in Medieval Africa By Patricia McKissack, Fredrick McKissack Page 60, "The richest person who ever lived had unimaginable wealth. 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. Traveling separately from the main caravan, their return journey to Cairo was struck by catastrophe. [95] When he passed through Cairo, historian al-Maqrizi noted "the members of his entourage proceeded to buy Turkish and Ethiopian slave girls, singing girls and garments, so that the rate of the gold dinar fell by six dirhams.". The entire nation was mobilised, with each clan obligated to provide a quota of fighting-age men. Musa stayed in the Qarafa district of Cairo, and befriended its governor, Ibn Amir Hajib, who learned much about Mali from him. [133], There was no standard currency throughout the realm, but several forms were prominent by region. [15], Musa ascended to power in the early 1300s[i] under unclear circumstances. The empire taxed every ounce of gold, copper and salt that entered its borders. Embedded by Arienne King, published on 17 October 2020. The Cairo that Mansa Ms visited was ruled by one of the greatest of the Mamlk sultans, Al-Malik al-Nir. The reign of Mari Djata Keita II was ruinous and left the empire in bad financial shape, but the empire itself passed intact to the dead emperor's brother. While in Mecca, conflict broke out between a group of Malian pilgrims and a group of Turkic pilgrims in the Masjid al-Haram. [26][17] Ibn Khaldun said that he "was an upright man and a great king, and tales of his justice are still told."[101]. [89] This claim is often sourced to an article in CelebrityNetWorth,[89] which claims that Musa's wealth was the equivalent of US$400 billion. There was also a palace conspiracy to overthrow him hatched by the Qasa (the Manding term meaning Queen) Kassi and several army commanders. [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". Al-Umari reported that Mali had fourteen provinces. Sundiata's mother was Maghan Kon Fatta's second wife, Sogolon Kdjou. An army was required to guard the borders to protect its flourishing trade. Biti, Buti, Yiti, Tati). Today, his net worth is estimated to have been $400 billion. The Catalan Atlas, published in 1375, depicts the richest man of his day: Mansa Musa, the emperor of 14th-century Mali. The "Qur'an" had a great importance to Mansa Musa as it states "God loves the charitable" (Document D). [135] Gold nuggets were the exclusive property of the mansa and were illegal to trade within his borders. This website claims no authorship of this content; we are republishing it for educational purposes. He also states that Djata or "Jatah" means "lion". [70] However, once Sundiata did gain use of his legs he grew strong and very respected. Mansa Musa ruled over the Mali empire in the 14th Century, and his incredible access to gold made him arguably . 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. [122] This campaign gutted Manden and destroyed any hope of the three mansas cooperating to free their land. . The growing trade in Mali's western provinces with Portugal witnessed the exchange of envoys between the two nations. [79] Some oral traditions agree with Ibn Khaldun in indicating that a son of Sunjata, named Yerelinkon in oral tradition and Wali in Arabic, took power as Sunjata's successor. Each representative or ton-tigi ("quiver-master") provided counsel to the mansa at the Gbara, but only these two ton-tigi held such wide-ranging power. [76] The latter possibility is corroborated by Ibn Khaldun calling Suleyman Musa's son in that passage, suggesting he may have confused Musa's brother Suleyman with Musa's son Maghan. In Mali he promoted trans-Saharan trade that further increased the empires wealth. [108], Despite their power in the west, Mali was losing the battle for supremacy in the north and northeast. 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. [93], Following Musa Keita III's death, his brother Gbr Keita became emperor in the mid-15th century. The Keitas retreated to the town of Kangaba, where they became provincial chiefs. Gold dust was used all over the empire, but was not valued equally in all regions. [90][91] His reign is considered the golden age of Mali. He became emperor in 1307. Mali's Timbuktu was known for its schools and libraries. Longman, 1995. Returning with the combined armies of Mema, Wagadou and all the rebellious Mandinka city-states, Maghan Sundiata led a revolt against the Kaniaga Kingdom around 1234. [145] Another common weapon of Mandekalu warriors was the poison javelin used in skirmishes. Musa's death may have occurred in 1337, 1332, or possibly even earlier, giving 1307 or 1312 as plausible approximate years of accession. They also used flaming arrows for siege warfare. Lange, Dierk (1996), "The Almoravid expansion and the downfall of Ghana", Der Islam 73 (2): 313351. Stories of his fabulous wealth even reached Europe. [81] He was replaced by Abu Bakr, a son of Sunjata's daughter. [59] Those not living in the mountains formed small city-states such as Toron, Ka-Ba and Niani. Mansa Ms, whose empire was one of the largest in the world at that time, is reported to have observed that it would take a year to travel from one end of his empire to the other. Umari also describes the empire as being south of Marrakesh and almost entirely inhabited except for few places. 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. It is not known if this was an attempt to correct the depreciation of gold in the area due to his spending,[7] or if he had simply run out of the funds needed for the return trip. [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 gave the gold to the poor he met along his route. This region straddles the border between what is now southern Mali and northeastern Guinea. The wooden window frames of an upper storey were plated with silver foil; those of a lower storey with gold. 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. Ms I of Mali, Ms also spelled Musa or Mousa, also called Kankan Ms or Mansa Musa, (died 1332/37? Musa I (known more commonly as Mansa Musa) was the tenth Mansa (a Mandinka word for "emperor") of the Mali Empire. The Rock art in the Sahara suggests that northern Mali has been inhabited since 10,000 BC, when the Sahara was fertile and rich in wildlife. Islamic studies flourished thereafter. His skillful administration left his empire well-off at the time of his death, but eventually, the empire fell apart. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/video/2147/mansa-musa-family-tree--empire-of-mali/. Ms Is hajj left a lasting impression of Malis splendour on both the Islamic and European worlds. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. To Musa, Islam was "an entry into the cultured world of the Eastern Mediterranean". [3] During the 11th and 12th centuries, an empire began to develop following the decline of the Ghana Empire, or Wagadu, to the north. His elaborate pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca in 1324 introduced him to rulers in the Middle East and in Europe. [39] Her jamu (clan name) Konte is shared with both Sunjata's mother Sogolon Konte and his arch-enemy Sumanguru Konte. Ibn Battuta comments on festival demonstrations of swordplay before the mansa by his retainers including the royal interpreter. "[65], It is recorded that Mansa Musa traveled through the cities of Timbuktu and Gao on his way to Mecca, and made them a part of his empire when he returned around 1325. In 1481, Fula raids against Mali's Tekrur provinces began. Al-Nasir expected Musa to prostrate himself before him, which Musa initially refused to do. [77] Alternatively, it is possible that the four-year reign Ibn Khaldun credits Maghan with actually referred to his ruling Mali while Musa was away on the hajj, and he only reigned briefly in his own right. [93] Mansa Souleyman's generals successfully fought off the military incursions, and the senior wife Kassi behind the plot was imprisoned. Wagadou's control over Manden came to a halt after internal instability lead to its decline. [45], Many oral histories point to a town called Dakajalan as the original home of the Keita clan and Sundiata's childhood home and base of operations during the war against the Soso. harvnb error: no target: CITEREFKi-ZerboNiane (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFLevztionHopkins2000 (. 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. During his reign, the Mossi emperor Bonga of Yatenga raided into Mali and plundered Macina. [43] Djibril Tamsir Niane, a Guinean historian, has been a forceful advocate of this position in recent decades. They founded the first village of the Manding, Kirikoroni, then Kirina, Siby, Kita. Musa is reported to have reigned for 25 years, and different lines of evidence suggest he died either. 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. [81] He went on the hajj during the reign of Mamluk sultan Baibars (12601277). While the accounts are of limited length, they provide a fairly good picture of the empire at its height. [14], Medieval sources are divided over whether Mali is the name of a town or a region. Mali's domain also extended into the desert. ", "Recherches sur l'Empire du Mali au Moyen Age", "Towards a New Study of the So-Called Trkh al-fattsh", World History Encyclopedia Mansa Musa I, History Channel: Mansa Moussa: Pilgrimage of Gold, Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time: Art, Culture, and Exchange across Medieval Saharan Africa, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mansa_Musa&oldid=1142573327, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Mansa Musa was portrayed in two games in the, Mansa Musa was portrayed in the episode ", This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 05:05. Another testimony from Ibn Khaldun describes the grand pilgrimage of Mansa Musa consisting of 12,000 slaves: "He made a pilgrimage in 724/1324 []. [123] Either as a counter-attack or simply the progression of pre-planned assaults against the remnants of Mali, the Bamana sacked and burned Niani in 1670. With trade being disrupted by wars, there was no way for the economy to continue to prosper. Its first meeting, at the famous Kouroukan Fouga (Division of the World), had 29 clan delegates presided over by a belen-tigui (master of ceremony). When he did finally bow, he said he was doing so for God alone. Evidence of cavalry in terracotta figures suggest the empire's prosperous economy as horses are not indigenous to Africa. Musa was a very successful military leader. [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. His 25-year reign (1312-1337 CE) is described as "the golden age of . [99] Mosques were built in Gao and Timbuktu along with impressive palaces also built in Timbuktu. In the interregnum following Sunjata's death, the jomba or court slaves may have held power. In the event of conquest, farins took control of the area until a suitable native ruler could be found. And so the name Keita became a clan/family and began its reign.[70]. Then, in 1630, the Bamana of Djenn declared their version of holy war on all Muslim powers in present-day Mali. https://www.worldhistory.org/video/2147/mansa-musa-family-tree--empire-of-mali/. His information about the empire came from visiting Malians taking the hajj, or pilgrim's voyage to Mecca. Updates? [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". In his lifetime and beyond, he was known for his extravagant wealth and spending, funded by his kingdom's vast salt and gold mines. [112] Still, no help came from the envoy and further possessions of Mali were lost one by one. Khalifa would shoot arrows at his subjects, so he was overthrown and killed. In that year he succeeded his father, Abu Bakr II, to the throne and thus gained the hereditary title of mansa. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Mansa Musa turned the kingdom of Mali into a sophisticated center of learning in the Islamic world.Mansa Musa came to power in 1312 C.E., after the previous king, Abu Bakr II, disappeared at sea. 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,. [70] The mansa lost control of Jalo during this period. The Bamana, likewise, vowed not to advance farther upstream than Niamina. Bukar professed his support, but believing Mahmud's situation to be hopeless, secretly went over to the Moroccans. The city's water supply was a leading cause to its successes in trade. Mansa Musa also known as Musa I of Mali and was the ninth Islamic ancient Emperor of West Africa in a kingdom known as the Mali 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. [93] Musa may have brought as much as 18 tons of gold on his hajj,[94] equal in value to over US$957million in 2022. [137], Copper was also a valued commodity in imperial Mali. World History Encyclopedia, 17 Oct 2020. His reign came with huge physical, economic and intellectual development in the Mali Empire. The new Songhai Empire conquered Mema,[93] one of Mali's oldest possessions, in 1465. 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,. He is believed to be one of the richest individuals to have walked on this planet. [102], The Songhai settlement effectively shook off Mali's authority in 1375. 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. The Camara (or Kamara) are said to be the first family to have lived in Manding, after having left, due to the drought, Ouallata, a region of Wagadou, in the south-east of present-day Mauritania. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. Hunters from the Ghana Empire (or Wagadou), particularly mythical ancestors Kontron and Sanin, founded Manding and the Malink and Bambaras hunter brotherhood. Musa made his pilgrimage between 1324 and 1325 spanning 2,700 miles. (2020, October 17). As soon as Sassouma's son Dankaran Touman took the throne, he and his mother forced the increasingly popular Sundjata into exile along with his mother and two sisters. As founded by Mari Djata, it was composed of the "three freely allied states" of Mali, Mema and Wagadou plus the Twelve Doors of Mali.[60]. He has sometimes been called the wealthiest person in history. Mansa Musa's personal name was Musa (Arabic: , romanized:Ms), the Arabic form of Moses. Contemporary sources claim 60 copper bars traded for 100 dinars of gold. Under his reign, Mali conquered the neighbouring kingdom of Songhai. [49] It has been suggested that the name given in the Arabic sources for the capital of Mali is derived the Manding word "bambi", meaning "dais", and as such refers to the "seat of government" in general rather than being the name of a specific city. [149], Imperial banner carried with Musa I in 1325 Hajj, Social, economic and governmental reformation. The kingdom of Mali reached its greatest extent around the same time, a bustling, wealthy kingdom thanks to Mansa Musas expansion and administration.Mansa Musa died in 1337 and was succeeded by his sons. Constant civil war between leaders led to a weakened state. the descendants of the nearly 1,000-year-old objects made in Africa. At the age of 18, he gained authority over all the 12 kingdoms in an alliance that would become the Mali Empire. He did however, maintain contacts with Morocco, sending a giraffe to King Abu Hassan. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. In addition, the moral and religious principles he had taught his subjects endured after his death. [28] The Tarikh al-fattash claims that Musa accidentally killed Kanku at some point prior to his hajj. Ibn Khaldun in Levtzion and Hopkins, eds. Wali was succeeded by his brother Wati, about whom nothing is known,[82][83] and then his brother Khalifa. The fame of Mansa Musa and his phenomenal wealth spread as he traveled on his hajjto Mecca. Omissions? [60] She was a hunchback from the land of Do, south of Mali. Still, throne names do not usually indicate blood relations. He intended to abdicate the throne and return to Mecca but died before he was able to do so. [citation needed]. Mansa Musa began extending the shores of the empire alongside amassing great wealth and riches. King of Kings in the Mandinka language a reference to a great ruler in the Mali Empire of ancient Africa. 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. 1312 is the most widely accepted by modern historians. [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. Alternate titles: Kankan Ms, Mansa Musa, Mousa, Musa. Songhai forces under the command of Askia Muhammad I defeated the Mali general Fati Quali Keita in 1502 and seized the province of Diafunu. [15] He is also called Hidji Mansa Musa in oral tradition in reference to his hajj. Gold dust had been weighed and bagged for use at least since the time of the Ghana Empire. Ms I is widely considered the wealthiest man in history. Very little is known about the life of Mansa Musa before 1312. En route, he spent time in Cairo, where his lavish gift-giving is said to have noticeably affected the value of gold in Egypt and garnered the attention of the wider Muslim world. Available from http://incompetech.com. 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. [119], It would be the Mandinka themselves that would cause the final destruction of the empire. During the 17th century, the Mali Empire faced incursions from the Bamana Empire. After the victory, King Soumaoro disappeared, and the Mandinka stormed the last of the Sosso cities. Several of the names are spelled in a variety of ways in different manuscripts. He was deposed in 1389, marking the end of the Faga Laye Keita mansas. [122] They targeted Moroccan pashas still in Timbuktu and the mansas of Manden. He made his wealth and that of Mali known through a long and extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, the 17th year of his reign as emperor of Mali. Musa stayed in Cairo for three months, departing on 18 October[k] with the official caravan to Mecca. Musa went on hajj to Mecca in 1324, traveling with an enormous entourage and a vast supply of gold. Mansa Musa ruled the Malian empire from 1312-1337 CE. The family tree of Mansa Musa. 1996 - 2023 National Geographic Society. The northern commercial towns of Oualata and Audaghost were also conquered and became part of the new state's northern border. He stopped in Cairo along the way, and his luxurious spending and gift giving was so extensive that he diluted the value of gold by 10 to 25 percent and impacted Cairos economy for at least 12 years afterward. Combined in the rapidly spoken language of the Mandinka, the names formed Sondjata, Sundjata or Sundiata Keita. It may have been located close to modern Kangaba. There are a few references to Mali in early Islamic literature. Mali flourished especially when Timbuktu came under Mansa Musa's control. [43] In 1324, while in Cairo, Musa said that he had conquered 24 cities and their surrounding districts.[44]. Yet native sources seem to pay him little attention. Mansa Ms, either the grandson or the grandnephew of Sundiata, the founder of his dynasty, came to the throne in 1307. [8] Suleyman's death marked the end of Mali's Golden Age and the beginning of a slow decline. In search of a status discourse for Mande". During this period, there was an advanced level of urban living in the major centers of Mali. Like the Great Mosque, a contemporaneous and grandiose structure in Timbuktu, the Hall was built of cut stone. A manuscript page from Timbuktu showing a table of astronomical information. By the beginning of the 14th century, Mali was the source of almost half the Old World's gold exported from mines in Bambuk, Boure and Galam. She or he will best know the preferred format. All rights reserved. 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. Musa is known for his wealth and generosity. [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. [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. Last modified October 17, 2020. 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. The oldest brother, Srbandjougou Keita, was crowned Mansa Foamed or Mansa Musa Keita III. [60] In return for their submission, they became "farbas", a combination of the Mandinka words "farin" and "ba" (great farin). The only real requirement was that the mansa knew he could trust this individual to safeguard imperial interests. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The conquest of Sosso in c. 1235 gave the Mali Empire access to the trans-Saharan trade routes. [136] One particular source of salt in the Mali Empire was salt-mining sites located in Taghaza. Bowmen formed a large portion of the field army as well as the garrison. [93] He did not, however, hold the power of previous mansas because of the influence of his kankoro-sigui. Extensive archaeological digs have shown that the area was an important trade and manufacturing center in the 15th century, but no firm evidence of royal residence has come to light. [7] Maghan I succeeded his father as mansa in 1337, but was deposed by his uncle Suleyman in 1341. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. Well after his death, Mansa Musa remained engrained in the imagination of the world as a symbol of fabulous wealth. "Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali." Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Your email address will not be published. It is unknown from whom he descended; however, another emperor, Mansa Maghan Keita III, is sometimes cited as Mansa Mahmud Keita I. Al-Qalqashandi quotes al-'Umari as spelling it. Mansa Musa brought the architect back to Mali to beautify some of the cities. His reign is associated with numerous construction projects, including part of Djinguereber Mosque in Timbuktu. Mansa Musa (about 1280 - about 1337) was an emperor (mansa) of the Mali Empire during the 14th century. published on 17 October 2020. He brought a large entourage with him which impressed people everywhere they went. Cairo and Mecca received this royal personage, whose glittering procession, in the superlatives employed by Arab chroniclers, almost put Africas sun to shame. Mali was thriving for a long time, but like other west African kingdoms, Mali began to fall. 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. [88], Mansa Musa is renowned for his wealth and generosity. This enabled him to rule over a realm larger than even the Ghana Empire in its apex. [93] Emperor Bonga did not appear to hold the area, and it stayed within the Mali Empire after Maghan Keita III's death in 1400.
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