[86], The name "Musa" has become virtually synonymous with pilgrimage in Mand tradition, such that other figures who are remembered as going on a pilgrimage, such as Fakoli, are also called Musa. 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. The wooden window frames of an upper storey were plated with silver foil; those of a lower storey with gold. Evidence of cavalry in terracotta figures suggest the empire's prosperous economy as horses are not indigenous to Africa. Musa is known for his wealth and generosity. Elephant ivory was another major source of wealth.When Mansa Musa went on a pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca in 1324 C.E., his journey through Egypt caused quite a stir. [57], Modern oral traditions also related that the Mandinka kingdoms of Mali or Manden had already existed several centuries before Sundiata's unification as a small state just to the south of the Sonink empire of Wagadou, better known as the Ghana Empire. [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". [120], The old core of the empire was divided into three spheres of influence. [128] Nevertheless, the mansa managed to keep tax money and nominal control over the area without agitating his subjects into revolt. The conquest of Sosso in c. 1235 gave the Mali Empire access to the trans-Saharan trade routes. [93] Mansa Souleyman's generals successfully fought off the military incursions, and the senior wife Kassi behind the plot was imprisoned. During the height of Sundiata's power, the land of Manden (the area populated by the Mandinka people) became one of its provinces. This style is characterised by the use of mudbricks and an adobe plaster, with large wooden-log support beams that jut out from the wall face for large buildings such as mosques or palaces. It was "an admirable Monument", surmounted by a dome and adorned with arabesques of striking colours. What did Ms I do when he returned to Mali? Musa and his entourage gave and spent freely while in Cairo. Nelson, 1971. [70][141] With the help of the river clans, this army could be deployed throughout the realm on short notice. The Sahelian and Saharan towns of the Mali Empire were organised as both staging posts in the long-distance caravan trade and trading centres for the various West African products. However, the legendary oral tradition that surrounds Keita suggests that he never turned away from his native religion. Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) was the king of the ancient empire of Mali in West Africa. jeli), also known as griots, includes relatively little information about Musa compared to some other parts of the history of Mali. Musa's death may have occurred in 1337, 1332, or possibly even earlier, giving 1307 or 1312 as plausible approximate years of accession. 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. 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. Before Dankaran Touman and his mother could enjoy their unimpeded power, King Soumaoro set his sights on Niani forcing Dankaran to flee to Kissidougou.[60]. 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. 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. 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. Biti, Buti, Yiti, Tati). In the 17th year of his reign (1324), he set out on his famous pilgrimage to Mecca. During this period only the Mongol Empire was larger. Watch the map animation on From Nothing:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOexUoPc6YUBe sure to subscribe to From Nothing for more African History:https://www.. U UsefulCharts 0 followers More information Mansa Musa Family Tree Rich Man The Venetian explorer Alvise Cadamosto and Portuguese traders confirmed that the peoples of the Gambia were still subject to the mansa of Mali. [42] Another source of income for Mali during Musa's reign was taxation of the copper trade. Musa conquered more than 20 major cities in his lifetime. Musa took out large loans from money lenders in Cairo before beginning his journey home. Dates: 4001591 C. E.", "Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived? He did however, maintain contacts with Morocco, sending a giraffe to King Abu Hassan. Mansa Musa is potentially the richest person to ever live; as ruler of Mali from 1312 to 1337, he came into power after his brother, King Abu Bakr the Second, vanished on an oceanic voyage. Muhummed's three wivesMarva Barfield, Laura Cowan, and Adrienne Easterwere also sexually assaulted, beaten, and imprisoned; Barfield participated in the children's abuse at Muhummed's instruction, and Cowan has also been accused of participating in the abuse. He encouraged his subjects immersion in scholarship, the arts, and the Qurn. [43] In 1324, while in Cairo, Musa said that he had conquered 24 cities and their surrounding districts.[44]. 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. [93] Gold mines in Boure, which is located in present-day Guinea, were discovered sometime near the end of the 12th century. The Keitas retreated to the town of Kangaba, where they became provincial chiefs. [15], Musa ascended to power in the early 1300s[i] under unclear circumstances. They camped for three days by the Pyramids of Giza, before crossing the Nile into Cairo on 19 July. Arabic sources omit Faga Leye, referring to Musa as Musa ibn Abi Bakr. [67] News of the Malian empire's city of wealth even traveled across the Mediterranean to southern Europe, where traders from Venice, Granada, and Genoa soon added Timbuktu to their maps to trade manufactured goods for gold.[68]. More than sixty years after the reign of Sundiata Keita, one of his descendants rose to become the King of Mali. [70] Both of these men were part of Mali's warrior elite known as the ton-ta-jon-ta-ni-woro ("sixteen carriers of quivers"). He ruled oppressively and nearly bankrupted Mali with his lavish spending. In 1481, Fula raids against Mali's Tekrur provinces began. Imperial Mali's horsemen also used iron helmet and mail armour for defence[146] as well as shields similar to those of the infantry. Mansa Musa was the great-great-grandson of Sunjata, who was the founder of the empire of Mali. [69] The university became a center of learning and culture, drawing Muslim scholars from around Africa and the Middle East to Timbuktu. 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]. By the time they reached Suez, many of the Malian pilgrims had died of cold, starvation, or bandit raids, and they had lost many of their supplies. During the 17th century, the Mali Empire faced incursions from the Bamana Empire. Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim. 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. Why did Ms I make a pilgrimage to Mecca? Salt was as valuable, if not more valuable, than gold in sub-Saharan Africa. Musa's name Kanku Musa means "Musa son of Kanku", but the genealogy may not be literal. 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. The mansa also made a successful hajj, kept up correspondence with Morocco and Egypt and built an earthen platform at Kangaba called the Camanbolon where he held court with provincial governors and deposited the holy books he brought back from Hedjaz. Mansa Mahmud Keita II came to the throne in 1481 during Mali's downward spiral. These oral stories . [citation needed] The northern region on the other hand had no shortage of salt. 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. 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. . The lands of Bambougou, Jalo (Fouta Djallon), and Kaabu were added into Mali by Fakoli Koroma (Nkrumah in Ghana, Kurumah in the Gambia, Colley in Casamance, Senegal),[70] Fran Kamara (Camara) and Tiramakhan Traore (Tarawelley in the Gambia),[77] respectively Among the many different ethnic groups surrounding Manden were Pulaar speaking groups in Macina, Tekrur and Fouta Djallon. Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) was the ruler of the kingdom of Mali from 1312 C.E. He also brought architects from the Middle East and across Africa to design new buildings for his cities. [58] This area was composed of mountains, savannah and forest providing ideal protection and resources for the population of hunters. He intended to abdicate the throne and return to Mecca but died before he was able to do so. [62] According to one account given by Ibn Khaldun, Musa's general Saghmanja conquered Gao. [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. The most common measure for gold within the realm was the ambiguous mithqal (4.5grams of gold). Mansa Ms, either the grandson or the grandnephew of Sundiata, the founder of his dynasty, came to the throne in 1307. Traveling separately from the main caravan, their return journey to Cairo was struck by catastrophe. [86] After Sakura's death, power returned to the line of Sunjata, with Wali's son Qu taking the throne. [72], According to Niane's version of the epic, during the rise of Kaniaga, Sundiata of the Keita clan was born in the early 13th century. It was during Suleyman's 19-year reign that Ibn Battuta visited Mali. [116] Songhai authority over Bendugu and Kala declined by 1571, and Mali may have been able to reassert some authority over them. 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. Ms Is hajj left a lasting impression of Malis splendour on both the Islamic and European worlds. The only Mandinka power spared from the campaign was Kangaba. Oral tradition states that he had three sons who fought over Manden's remains. The other account claims that Gao had been conquered during the reign of Mansa Sakura. He was deposed in 1389, marking the end of the Faga Laye Keita mansas. 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. While in Mecca, conflict broke out between a group of Malian pilgrims and a group of Turkic pilgrims in the Masjid al-Haram. [citation needed]. Musa I (known more commonly as Mansa Musa) was the tenth Mansa (a Mandinka word for "emperor") of the Mali Empire. He is the resurrected spirit of Masuta the Ascended, the second boss in the first elite dungeon, Temple of Aminishi . His skillful administration left his empire well-off at the time of his death, but eventually, the empire fell apart. [90][91] His reign is considered the golden age of Mali. During his monarchy Musa or Musa, I was highly powered and the richest individual king Mansa Musa the . 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. His religious devotion contributed to the spread of Islam across West Africa. [70] These men had to be of the horon (freemen) caste and appear with their own arms. [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. [24] The empire's total area included nearly all the land between the Sahara Desert and coastal forests. Musa is known for his wealth and generosity. [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. [117], The swan song of the Mali Empire came in 1599, under the reign of Mansa Mahmud IV. [60] The anglicised version of this name, Sunjata, is also popular. [95] Musa himself further promoted the appearance of having vast, inexhaustible wealth by spreading rumors that gold grew like a plant in his kingdom. The earliest document mentioning the mosque is Abd al-Sadi's Tarikh al-Sudan, which gives the early history, presumably from the oral tradition as it existed in the mid seventeenth century. Intro music: "Lord of the Land" by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution license 4.0. The army of the Mali Empire during the 14th century was divided into northern and southern commands led by the Farim-Soura and Sankar-Zouma, respectively. He attempted to make Islam the faith of the nobility,[93] but kept to the imperial tradition of not forcing it on the populace. [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. [26] Sariq Jata may be another name for Sunjata, who was actually Musa's great-uncle.