Nguni Imports Presents: Virtual Africa--History of Mali

The History of Mali

Please select one of the five chapters in the history of Mali

The Ancient Empires

The Modern Era

Chapter 1:
Ghana

Chapter 2:
Mali

Chapter 3:
Songhay

Chapter 4:
Colonial Period

Chapter 5:
Mali Today

Empire of Mali Sphere of Influence

The Empire of Mali
Nobody is exactly sure when the empire of Mali was founded. Experts agree that it was the Mandinke (aka Malinke, Mandingo) people and that the kingdom emerged to prominence sometime around 1200 AD. Islamic scholars identify Mansa Barmandana as the first king. He was the first Muslim king, converted around the time of the Almoravids, but it is not known if he, in fact, founded the empire. If this is true, Bida--the snake god of Soninke oral tradition--may represent the Mandinke forerunners of the empire of Mali. The alliance between Dyabe and Bida (or the Mandinke) may well have been broken by the Mandinke acceptance--and Soninke refusal--of Islam.

Regardless of its origins, the empire of Mali filled the void left by the fall of Ghana. The Mandinke people were originally divided into 12 clans, with homelands located to the south of the empire of Ghana. The 12 clans fought amongst themselves for years until the leaders of the 12 clans met to select a "mansa", or emperor, to settle disputes. This stability allowed the Mandinke to grow for many generations. During the reign of Mansa Barmandana, a severe drought hit the country. A visitor, most likely an Almoravid, convinced Barmandana that, if he converted to Islam, the drought would be broken. Barmandana converted and the drought ended, influencing many of the Mandinke people to make the conversion as well. At the same time, Sumanguru was in the midst of his reign of terror in western Africa. Chief of the newly powerful Susu people, Sumanguru sought to aggressively expand his own empire during the late 1100s. Attacking the traditional trade routes, Sumanguru broke the remnants of the empire of Ghana. Tribute was high and retribution against political foes was harsh during his reign. While his heavy-handed tactics brought him some measure of success, resentment against him and the Susu grew.

   According to oral history, sometime around 1200 AD, the king of the ruling Mandinke clan--the Keita--had a son named Sogolon-Djata--he was given the name Sundiata, which means "The Hungering Lion". Of all his wives and children, the chief of the clan loved Sundiata and his mother most. This made his first wife--Sassouma--jealous, who wanted to make her own son, Touman, king. Sassouma was further infuriated because of Sundiata's birth defect: he couldn't walk. Insulted that the king could love an invalid over her own healthy sun, Sassouma publicly attacked and humiliated Sundiata whenever possible. When the king died, Sassouma used her influence to make Touman the king. At some point thereafter, Sumanguru conquered the Mandinke and declared himself king, sparing Touman as a figurehead leader of the Mandinke.   Sumanguru also spared Sundiata (and his mother), who became a bit of a court jester; a mocking reference to the enfeebled Mandinke people. There is no mention of what happened to the royal family, although they were likely exiled (or killed) from the empire.
    Sundiata, determined to overcome his handicap, had metal braces made for his legs and learned to walk. His mother taught him to respect his culture and his history and to have a kind heart, so, in time, he grew to be an influential member of the Mandinke community.   Threatened by his rise, Sassouma, asked the Nine Witches of Mali to kill Sundiata. They failed, but a frightened Sundiata fled with his mother to the king of Mema (believed to be ruler of what was left of Ghana). As Sundiata grew into adulthood, Sumanguru's rule over Mali became more and more oppressive. Finally, no longer able to pay tribute, Sumanguru attacked the Mandinke people, forcing Touman and Sassouma into exile.
    The remnants of the Mandinke army sent word to Mema, asking for Sundiata to return and lead his people.   The king of Mema sent Sundiata along with an army of his own to regain his throne. After a series of skirmishes with the Susu, Sundiata faced Sumanguru for the final battle.
    According to oral tradition, Sumanguru visited Sundiata in the form of an owl (believed to be a bad omen). Unshaken by the vision, the young prince confidently predicted his victory the following day. The two armies met at the plain of Kirina, where the Susu was defeated; Sumanguru fled and was never seen again. For his amazing victory, Sundiata was named Mansa of Mali and a new empire was born.

Sundiata ruled from 1230 to 1255, making the city of Niani his capital. Without the Susu or the Soninke to challenge it, the empire of Mali dominated the salt and gold trade; becoming the controlling force in west Africa. At his death, Sundiata's son, Mansa Wali, took over and led a period of expansion and increased agricultural production. In 1307, Mansa Musa took control of the empire from his father and became the empire's most aggressive ruler. In his 25 year reign, the empire grew to be as large as all of Europe--the center of global trade and culture. It is said that Mansa Musa was so rich that he took a 60,000 person caravan on a hajj (religious pilgrimage) to Mecca. When he passed through Cairo, Egypt, he was preceded by 500 slaves--each with a six pound staff of gold. They were followed by 100 camels--each with 300 pounds of gold. By the time he left, he put so much gold into the local economy that the market crashed and the value of gold plummeted (it took over a decade for the prices to return to their previous levels).
While the city of Niani was the political capital, the cities of Jenne, Gao, and Timbuktu grew powerful in their own rights. Timbuktu was the largest of the three and served as the cultural and commercial center of the empire. It boasted a population of theologians, doctors, teachers, writers, merchants and other prominent individuals. Sankore University became one of first institutions of its kind in the world, attracting Muslim scholars from all over the civilized world. Visitors to Timbuktu marveled at the hospitality of the inhabitants of Timbuktu, who virtually guaranteed a safe stay in their city.

Unfortunately, an empire as large and diverse as Mali needs a powerful king to lead it. After Mansa Musa's death in 1332, the empire fell into a rapid decline. Timbuktu was repeatedly attacked by the Mossi people, and the Songhay began asserting their authority in the city of Gao. By 1500, civil war had torn the empire apart, creating yet another power vacuum in the region.