While in Cairo during his hajj, Musa befriended officials such as Ibn Amir Hajib, who learned about him and his country from him and later passed on that information to historians such as Al-Umari. However, Al-Nasir Muhammad returned Musa's earlier show of generosity with gifts of his own. Ibn Battuta observed the employment of servants in both towns. He made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca from 1324 to 1326. He recruited scholars from the wider Muslim world to travel to Mali, such as the Andalusian poet Abu Ishaq al-Sahili, and helped establish Timbuktu as a center of Islamic learning. Mahmud Keita, possibly a grandchild or great-grandchild of Mansa Gao Keita, was crowned Mansa Maghan Keita III in 1390. However, many believe Mansa Musa's wealth outdoes that of all modern billionaires. Traveling separately from the main caravan, their return journey to Cairo was struck by catastrophe. Mansa Musa was very wealthy and religious man who went on his Hajj for religious reasons and to also help people from his empire make the holy trip to Mecca for the god Allah. Swords were drawn, but before the situation escalated further, Musa persuaded his men to back down. But more reasoned analysis suggests that his role, if any, was quite limited. As a result of this the empire fell. [128] Nevertheless, the mansa managed to keep tax money and nominal control over the area without agitating his subjects into revolt. Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) was the king of the ancient empire of Mali in West Africa. 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. They are descendants of. [71] The tiny kingdom of Niani was one of several in the Kri area of Manden. "Mansa Musa Family Tree | Empire of Mali." If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. Constant civil war between leaders led to a weakened state. [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. What made this possible was the decentralised nature of administration throughout the state. The House of Saud is ruled by the descendants of King Abdulaziz, who founded and unified Saudi Arabia in 1932. Mansa Mari Djata, later named Sundiata Keita, saw the conquest of several key locals in the Mali Empire. The Catalan Atlas, published in 1375, depicts the richest man of his day: Mansa Musa, the emperor of 14th-century Mali. The wooden window frames of an upper storey were plated with silver foil; those of a lower storey with gold. UsefulCharts, . [78] Nehemia Levtzion regarded 1337 as the most likely date,[72] which has been accepted by other scholars. [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. [58] This area was composed of mountains, savannah and forest providing ideal protection and resources for the population of hunters. One of the five pillars of Islam states that Muslims should embark on a pilgrimage known as Hajj, to the holy city of Mecca.. In addition, Mansa Ms had a baggage train of 80 camels, each carrying 300 pounds of gold. Through the oral tradition of griots, the Keita dynasty, from which nearly every Mali emperor came, claims to trace its lineage back to Lawalo, one of the sons of Bilal,[60] the faithful muezzin of Islam's prophet Muhammad, who was said to have migrated into Mali and his descendants established the ruling Keita dynasty through Maghan Kon Fatta, father of Sundiata Keita.[61]. According to Musa's own account, his predecessor as Mansa of Mali, presumably Muhammad ibn Qu,[31] launched two expeditions to explore the Atlantic Ocean (200 ships for the first exploratory mission and 2,000 ships for the second). Nobody lived in the area except the Musafa servants who worked to dig the salts and lived on dates imported from Sijilmasa and the Dar'a valley, camel meat and millet imported from the Sudan. [22], Genealogy of the mansas of the Mali Empire up to Magha II (d.c.1389), based on Levtzion's interpretation of Ibn Khaldun. [20] Additional information comes from two 17th-century manuscripts written in Timbuktu, the Tarikh Ibn al-Mukhtar[c] and the Tarikh al-Sudan. The next great unit of exchange in the Mali Empire was salt. During his reign, the Mossi emperor Bonga of Yatenga raided into Mali and plundered Macina. [41] Given the grandeur of his subsequent hajj, it is likely that Musa spent much of his early reign preparing for it. 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. 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. [51] Musa made a major point of showing off his nation's wealth. At the height of its power, Mali had at least 400 cities, and the interior of the Niger Delta was very densely populated. Most West African canoes were of single-log construction, carved and dug out from one massive tree trunk.[144]. 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. Included in al-Qalqashandi's quotation of al-'Umari, but not in any manuscript of al-'Umari's text itself, which only list thirteen provinces despite saying there are fourteen. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [70][141] With the help of the river clans, this army could be deployed throughout the realm on short notice. Sundjata is credited with at least the initial organisation of the Manding military. [93] Mansa Maghan Keita I spent wastefully and was the first lacklustre emperor since Khalifa Keita. Biti, Buti, Yiti, Tati). National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. 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. The Manding languages were spoken in the empire. The date of Mansa Musa's death is not certain. We care about our planet! His generous gifts to Mamluk Egypt and his expenditure of gold caused significant inflation in Egypt. After a mere nine months of rule, Mansa Camba Keita was deposed by one of Maghan Keita I's three sons. Ms Is pilgrimage caravan to Mecca in 1324 comprised some 60,000 people and an immeasurable amount of gold. Candice Goucher, Charles LeGuin, and Linda Walton. One of these was Dioma, an area south of Niani populated by Fula Wassoulounk. The most common measure for gold within the realm was the ambiguous mithqal (4.5grams of gold). The mansa could also replace a farba if he got out of control, as in the case of Diafunu. 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 . Side by side with the encouragement of trade and commerce, learning and the arts received royal patronage. published on 17 October 2020. Consequently, the name of Mali and Timbuktu appeared on 14th century world maps. Kankoro-sigui Mari Djata, who had no relation to the Keita clan, essentially ran the empire in Musa Keita II's stead. We all know of Mansa Musa, possibly the richest man to ever exist. [59], On his return journey, Musa met the Andalusian poet Abu Ishaq al-Sahili, whose eloquence and knowledge of jurisprudence impressed him, and whom he convinced to travel with him to Mali. In 1542, the Songhai invaded the capital city but were unsuccessful in conquering the empire. 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. This led to inflation throughout the kingdom. According to Burkinab writer Joseph Ki-Zerbo, the farther a person travelled from Niani, the more decentralised the mansa's power became. Combined in the rapidly spoken language of the Mandinka, the names formed Sondjata, Sundjata or Sundiata Keita. Under his leadership, Mali conquered new territories and trade with North Africa increased. [93] In 1514, the Denianke dynasty was established in Tekrour. Every year merchants entered Mali via Oualata with camel loads of salt to sell in Niani. 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. However, it went through radical changes before reaching the legendary proportions proclaimed by its subjects. Mansa Musa ruled over the Mali empire in the 14th Century, and his incredible access to gold made him arguably . In 1307, Mansa Musa came to the throne after a series of civil wars and ruled for thirty years. During this period only the Mongol Empire was larger. 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? Le Plerinage La Mecque de Mansa Musa (724725/13241325) d'aprs des Nouvelles Sources", "The Big Secret of Celebrity Wealth (Is That No One Knows Anything)", The International Journal of African Historical Studies, "West African empires. He intended to abdicate the throne and return to Mecca but died before he was able to do so. His skillful administration left his empire well-off at the time of his death, but eventually, the empire fell apart. Ibn Khaldun recorded that in 776 A.H or 1374/1375 AD he interviewed a Sijilmasan scholar named Muhammad b. Wasul who had lived in Gao and had been employed in its judiciary. A Golden Age: King Mansa Musa's Reign. In Ibn Khaldun's account, Sundjata is recorded as Mari Djata with "Mari" meaning "Amir" or "Prince". Mali's Timbuktu was known for its schools and libraries. 6. The empire began as a small Mandinka kingdom at the upper reaches of the Niger River, centered around the Manding region. In his attempt to justify the importance of the Keita and their civilisation in early Arabic literatures, Adelabu, the head of Awqaf Africa in London, coined the Arabic derivatives K(a)-W(e)-Y(a) of the word Keita which in (in what he called) Arabicised Mandingo language Allah(u) Ka(w)eia meaning "Allah Creates All" as a favourable motto of reflection for Bilal Ibn Rabah, one of the most trusted and loyal Sahabah (companions) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, whom he described (quoting William Muir's book The Life of Muhammad) as 'a tall, dark, and with African feature and bushy hair'[64] pious man who overcame slavery, racism and socio-political obstacles in Arabia to achieve a lofty status in this world and in the Hereafter.[65]. [122] This campaign gutted Manden and destroyed any hope of the three mansas cooperating to free their land. [83] This term was used interchangeably with dinar, though it is unclear if coined currency was used in the empire. During Musa's 25-year-rule the Mali Empire more than tripled in size and had significant influence in several modern day countries including Mauritania, Senegal, Nigeria, Burkino Faso and Chad. [60] The anglicised version of this name, Sunjata, is also popular. [120], The old core of the empire was divided into three spheres of influence. [102], The Songhai settlement effectively shook off Mali's authority in 1375. [29] Al-Umari, who visited Cairo shortly after Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca, noted that it was "a lavish display of power, wealth, and unprecedented by its size and pageantry". Mansa Mss prodigious generosity and piety, as well as the fine clothes and exemplary behaviour of his followers, did not fail to create a most-favourable impression. [137], Copper was also a valued commodity in imperial Mali. [28] The Tarikh al-fattash claims that Musa accidentally killed Kanku at some point prior to his hajj. It was this pilgrimage that awakened the world to the stupendous wealth of Mali. This is the least known period in Mali's imperial history. Mansa Musa, also known as Musa Keita I of Mali, was the tenth Sultan of the Mali Empire. Therefore, Arabic visitors may have assigned the "capital" label merely to whatever major city the mansa was based out of at the time of their visit. Mansa Souleyman Keita (or Suleiman) took steep measures to put Mali back into financial shape, thereby developing a reputation for miserliness. Available from http://incompetech.com. This enabled him to rule over a realm larger than even the Ghana Empire in its apex. [91] Historians such as Hadrien Collet have argued that Musa's wealth is impossible to accurately calculate. Under his reign, Mali conquered the neighbouring kingdom of Songhai. This process was essential to keep non-Manding subjects loyal to the Manding elites that ruled them. His religious devotion contributed to the spread of Islam across West Africa. 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. He never took the field again after Kirina, but his generals continued to expand the frontier, especially in the west where they reached the Gambia River and the marches of Tekrur. Wagadou and Mema became junior partners in the realm and part of the imperial nucleus. [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. In 1481, Fula raids against Mali's Tekrur provinces began. [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. Around 1550, Mali attacked Bighu in an effort to regain access to its gold. [16] However, al-Umari gives Mali as the name of the capital province and Ibn Khaldun refers to Mali as a people, with each giving different names for the capital city itself. He sought closer ties with the rest of the Muslim world, particularly the Mamluk and Marinid Sultanates. [119], It would be the Mandinka themselves that would cause the final destruction of the empire. Different oral traditions conflict with each other, as well as Ibn Khaldun, about the transfer of power following Sunjata's death. [75] It is possible that it was actually Musa's son Maghan who congratulated Abu al-Hasan, or Maghan who received Abu al-Hasan's envoy after Musa's death. the descendants of the nearly 1,000-year-old objects made in Africa. Songhai forces under the command of Askia Muhammad I defeated the Mali general Fati Quali Keita in 1502 and seized the province of Diafunu. She or he will best know the preferred format. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. While Musa's palace has since vanished, the university and mosque still stand in Timbuktu today. [98] Musa's hajj, and especially his gold, caught the attention of both the Islamic and Christian worlds. He also brought architects from the Middle East and across Africa to design new buildings for his cities. 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.