Emperor Mansa Musa I African King from the Late 13Th Century Contents
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Emperor Mansa Musa I African king from the late 13th century Contents 1 Musa I of Mali 1 1.1 Nomenclature ............................................. 1 1.2 Lineage and accession to the throne .................................. 1 1.3 Islam and pilgrimage to Mecca .................................... 2 1.4 Later reign ............................................... 2 1.4.1 Construction in Mali ..................................... 2 1.4.2 Influence in Timbuktu ..................................... 2 1.5 Death ................................................. 3 1.6 See also ................................................ 3 1.7 Notes ................................................. 3 1.8 References ............................................... 3 1.9 Bibliography .............................................. 3 1.10 External links ............................................. 4 2 Mansa 5 2.1 See also ................................................ 5 3 Mali Empire 6 3.1 The Mali Empire ........................................... 6 3.2 Pre-Imperial Mali ........................................... 6 3.2.1 The Kangaba Province .................................... 7 3.2.2 The Two Kingdoms ...................................... 7 3.2.3 The Kaniaga Rulers ...................................... 7 3.2.4 The Hungering Lion ..................................... 7 3.2.5 Organization ......................................... 8 3.3 Imperial Mali ............................................. 8 3.4 The Emperors of Mali ......................................... 9 3.4.1 The Djata Lineage 1250–1275 ................................ 9 3.4.2 The Court Mansas 1275–1300 ................................ 9 3.4.3 The Kolonkan Lineage 1300–1312 .............................. 10 3.4.4 The Laye Lineage 1312–1389 ................................ 12 3.4.5 The Obscure Lineages 1389–1545 .............................. 15 3.5 Late Imperial Mali ........................................... 16 i ii CONTENTS 3.5.1 Mansa Mahmud IV ...................................... 16 3.6 Collapse ................................................ 16 3.6.1 Manden Divided ....................................... 17 3.6.2 The Bamana Jihad ...................................... 17 3.7 See also ................................................ 17 3.8 References ............................................... 17 3.9 Sources ................................................ 19 3.10 Further reading ............................................ 19 3.11 External links ............................................. 19 4 Timbuktu 20 4.1 Toponymy ............................................... 20 4.2 Prehistory ............................................... 21 4.3 History ................................................. 21 4.3.1 Sources ............................................ 22 4.3.2 Origins ............................................ 22 4.3.3 Rise of the Mali Empire ................................... 22 4.3.4 Tuareg rule and the Songhaian Empire ............................ 23 4.3.5 Moroccan conquest ...................................... 23 4.3.6 Intercontinental communication ............................... 24 4.3.7 French colonial rule ...................................... 24 4.3.8 World War II ......................................... 25 4.3.9 Independence and onwards .................................. 25 4.3.10 Timbuktu today ........................................ 25 4.3.11 Malian civil war ........................................ 25 4.4 Geography ............................................... 26 4.5 Climate ................................................ 26 4.6 Economy ............................................... 26 4.6.1 Salt trade ........................................... 26 4.6.2 Agriculture .......................................... 27 4.6.3 Tourism ............................................ 27 4.7 Legendary tales ............................................ 27 4.7.1 Leo Africanus ......................................... 27 4.7.2 Shabeni ............................................ 28 4.8 In popular culture ........................................... 28 4.9 Arts and culture ............................................ 29 4.9.1 Cultural events ........................................ 29 4.9.2 World Heritage Site ...................................... 29 4.9.3 Islamist attacks ........................................ 29 4.10 Education ............................................... 30 4.10.1 Centre of learning ....................................... 30 4.10.2 Manuscripts and libraries ................................... 30 CONTENTS iii 4.11 Language ............................................... 31 4.12 Infrastructure ............................................. 31 4.13 Sister cities .............................................. 31 4.14 See also ................................................ 32 4.15 Notes ................................................. 32 4.16 References ............................................... 35 4.17 Further reading ............................................ 37 4.18 External links ............................................. 37 4.19 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses .......................... 39 4.19.1 Text .............................................. 39 4.19.2 Images ............................................ 41 4.19.3 Content license ........................................ 43 Chapter 1 Musa I of Mali Musa I (c. 1280 – c. 1337) was the tenth Mansa, a brother of Sundiata Keita, the founder of the Malian which translates as "King of Kings" or “Emperor”, of the Empire as recorded through oral histories. Abu-Bakr did wealthy Mali Empire. At the time of Musa’s rise to the not ascend the throne, and his son, Musa’s father, Faga throne, the Malian Empire consisted of territory formerly Laye, has no significance in the History of Mali.[8] belonging to the Ghana Empire in present-day southern Mansa Musa came to the throne through a practice of Mauritania and in Melle (Mali) and the immediate sur- appointing a deputy when a king goes on his pilgrimage rounding areas. Musa held many titles, including Emir to Mecca or some other endeavor, and later naming the of Melle, Lord of the Mines of Wangara, Conqueror of deputy as heir. According to primary sources, Musa was Ghanata, and at least a dozen others.[1] He is widely re- [2][3][4] appointed deputy of Abubakari II, the king before him, garded as the richest human being in all history. who had reportedly embarked on an expedition to explore the limits of the Atlantic Ocean, and never returned. The Arab-Egyptian scholar Al-Umari quotes Mansa Musa as 1.1 Nomenclature follows: Musa was referred to (and is most commonly found as) The ruler who preceded me did not believe Mansa Musa in Western manuscripts and literature. His that it was impossible to reach the extremity of name also appears as Kankou Musa, Kankan Musa, and the ocean that encircles the earth (the Atlantic Kanku Musa, which means “Musa, son of Kankou”.[note 1] Ocean). He wanted to reach that (end) and was Other alternatives are Mali-koy Kankan Musa, Gonga determined to pursue his plan. So he equipped Musa, and the Lion of Mali.[5][6] two hundred boats full of men, and many oth- ers full of gold, water and provisions sufficient for several years. He ordered the captain not to 1.2 Lineage and accession to the return until they had reached the other end of throne the ocean, or until he had exhausted the provi- sions and water. So they set out on their jour- ney. They were absent for a long period, and, at last just one boat returned. When questioned the captain replied: 'O Prince, we navigated for a long period, until we saw in the midst of the ocean a great river which was flowing massively.. My boat was the last one; others were ahead of me, and they were drowned in the great whirlpool and never came out again. I sailed back to escape this current.' But the Sultan would not believe him. He ordered two Genealogy of the kings of the Mali Empire based on the chronicle thousand boats to be equipped for him and his of Ibn Khaldun[7] men, and one thousand more for water and pro- visions. Then he conferred the regency on me What is known about the kings of the Malian Empire is for the term of his absence, and departed with taken from the writings of Arab scholars, including Al- his men, never to return nor to give a sign of Umari, Abu-sa'id Uthman ad-Dukkali, Ibn Khaldun, and life.[9] Ibn Battuta. According to Ibn-Khaldun’s comprehensive history of the Malian kings, Mansa Musa’s grandfather was Abu-Bakr (the Arabic equivalent to Bakari or Bogari, Musa’s son and successor, Mansa Magha, was also ap- original name unknown − not the sahabiyy Abu Bakr), pointed deputy during Musa’s pilgrimage.[10] 1 2 CHAPTER 1. MUSA I OF MALI 1.3 Islam and pilgrimage to Mecca trousers...The greater the number of a Dogari’s exploits, the bigger the size of his trousers. From the far reaches of the Mediterranean Sea to the Indus Al-Dukhari, observation of the court of Mansa Musa in River, the faithful approached the city of Mecca. All had Timbuktu[15] the same objective to worship together at the most sacred shrine of Islam, the Kaaba in Mecca. One such trav- During his long return journey from Mecca in 1325, eler was Mansa Musa, Sultan of Mali in Western Africa. Musa heard news that his army had recaptured Gao. Sag- Mansa Musa had prepared carefully for the long journey mandia, one of his generals, led the endeavor. The city he and his