Originating as a smaller kingdom along the eastern side of the bend of the Niger River c. 1000 CE, the Songhai would expand their territory dramatically from the reign of King Sunni Ali (1464-1492 CE). Conquered territories fell like dominoes and were divided up into provinces and ruled by a governor appointed by the king. Songhai as a country came into existence around 1000AD, and eventually became part of the Mali Empire, one of the most long-lived African empires. Trade ' EconomyThe economy of Songhai was much like the economy of Mali and Ghana. Ghana was ruled by a single king. By conquering this major port early on in the Songhai empire's life, it established a sort of foundation. Traders also transported slaves from West Africa north across the desert to slave trading posts in North Africa. For example, the Portuguese arrival from... See full answer below. The state is known for its historiographic name, derived from the Songhai, its leading ethnic group and ruling elite. The slave trade became an important part of the Songhai Empire. One official who nobody could escape from, although the rich had to pay him more than the less well off, was the local tax collector, who gathered in goods for the crown to pay the army, court, and provide some provision for the poor. Read More on This Topic Mūsā I of Mali: Conquest of Songhai kingdom How did the Songhai empire come to an end? His special interests include pottery, architecture, world mythology and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share in common. At its peak, the Songhai city of Timbuktu became a thriving cultural and commercial center where Arab, Italian, and Jewish merchants all gathered for trade. The Songhai empire traded many items including: Gold, Kola nuts, and slaves for cowries, cloth, and salt. The gold-salt trade was an exchange of salt for gold between Mediterranean economies and West African countries during the Middle Ages. They left the Songhai Empire as a mixture of different independent kingdoms. Predominantly a Muslim community, the Songhai are found primarily throughout Nigeria and Niger in the Western sudanic region (not the country). Some Rights Reserved (2009-2021) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. The common people were poor and did all the work. Around this core was a floating suburban population living in mud and reed houses or tents. The lifestyle of the nobles and the common people began to change. As the Timbuktu chronicle, the Tarikh al-Sudan (c. 1656 CE) notes: [He reigned] for 28 years, waged 32 wars of which he won every one, always the conqueror, never the conquered. The Islamic religion, long established in other empires in the Sudan region like Ghana and Mali, had a somewhat precarious existence in the Songhai Empire, at least initially. Around 1468 CE, King Sunni Ali (aka Sonni Ali Ber) changed the traditional Songhai tactic of small and sporadic raids on its enemies to a more sustained campaign of permanent territorial expansion. During this time, he captured Timbuktu, an important trade center, and Gao, the capital city of Songhai, spreading Islam to them both. Who did the Songhai Empire trade with? Origins Of The Songhai Empire. These kingdoms continued the Trans Saharan trade with the … Products were traded with Berber societies north of the Sahara desert. The state is known by its historiographical name, derived from its leading ethnic group and ruling elite, the Songhai. This particular empire had an economy with clans, similar to caste-systems. The Songhai empire is the last in this trilogy of great West African kingdoms that were among the most prosperous, educated, and cultured civilisations in the world at the time. The Songhai army numbered some 30,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry, but their weapons were mere spears and arrows. Tomb of Askia Mohammad I, Gaoby Taguelmoust (CC BY-SA). In 1430, as the Mali’s power faded, Songhai managed to assert its independence. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. Cartwright, M. (2019, March 08). Songhai Empireby Roke~commonswiki (CC BY-SA). How did these empires and states consolidate power? In addition, Sunni Ali conquered other important trade cities, including Timbuktu and Djenné, which brought even greater wealth to his empire. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/Songhai_Empire/. They grew many crops and animals such as beans, sheep, onions, millet, and … Web. After 25 years, the Moroccans withdrew from the empire as they did not know how to maintain control of the emprise they once admired its wealth and power. Unformatted text preview: African Trading Civilizations: Ghana, Mali, Songhai Global Studies 10 Topic Review African Kingdoms All major African kingdoms controlled important trade routes and were very advanced long….. before European contact.Ghana, Mali, & Songhai All existed at different times. This was not the first time they had tried to split away from the empire, but it was the first time they had succeeded. For many years, Songhai people were ruled for many years by Mali, and were forced to pay taxes. These three Western African states dominated the trade of gold, salt, and merchandise between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. The main trade in Ghana was between salt and gold, but the trade in Songhai was more diverse. The Songhai Empire started out as a fishing and trading center on the Niger River in a place called Gao where West African and Muslim traders visited often. Written by Mark Cartwright, published on 08 March 2019 under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. The Songhai Empire was the last and largest of the three main West African Pre-Colonial Empires.. Books Islam had been introduced to the royal court of Songhai in 1019, but most people remained faithful to their traditional religion. The common people were poor and did all the work. In fact, it is worth highlighting that the Songhai Empire derives its origins from the kingdoms of Ghana and Mali that came before it. Related Content Those who were not killed in battle were driven into exile. Then the final deathblow was swift. Create your account. The majority of wealth within the Songhai kingdom was due to the massive trade within the region and to the neighboring kingdoms. All three civilizations prospered due to the Gold and salt trade. World History Encyclopedia. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. The empire’s power was linked to economic trade; their government system granted authority to local chiefs as long as they did not undermine Songhai policy and tightly controlled labor division system. Cities in the Songhai were known for their culture, strong economy, architecture and intellectual pursuits, particularly in Timbuktu. The Songhai king played on his image as a magician of the indigenous animist religion to strike fear into his enemies. The Songhai Empire during the 15th and 16th centuries was a kingdom that controlled the Western Sahel. They had war canoes along the Niger River to protect their trading cities from raiders. There were many different tribes and clans that were part of the Songhai empire. Like the Mali kings before him, Ali was a Muslim. In 1471 CE the Mossi territories south of the Niger River bend were attacked, and by 1473 CE the other major trade centre of the region, Djenne, also on the Niger, had been conquered. However, semi-independent river 'ports' like Timbuktu began to steal trade opportunities from the Mali kings further west. The common people believed in the old gods. The Songhai expanded trade to Europe and Asia, and established an elaborate system of taxation and communication to govern its large kingdom. They also were skilled farmers and agriculture was very important to them. The first emperor of Songhai was Sonni Ali, reigning from about 1464 to 1493. With an area primarily covering western Sahel, Songhai kings rose to prominence as the Mali Empire dwindled in the 15th century. The Songhai Empire (aka Songhay, c. 1460 - c. 1591 CE) replaced the Mali Empire (1240-1645 CE) as the most important state in West Africa (covering modern southern Mauritania and Mali). We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. … The fourth major city in the region, Kano, was obliged to pay a hefty tribute to the Songhai king. The Songhai traded with many merchants, explorers and travelers arriving to and living within West Africa. Timbuktu was an important trade city for the Songhai Empire. Directions: Read the documents and respond to the questions. Songhai Empire. The loss of control of a slice of West Africa’s gold trade to the Portuguese may have been one of the reasons for King Mohammad’s decision to expand the Songhai Empire interests to the southeast. Popular. Tribute was extracted from local chiefs, hostages taken and marriages of political alliance arranged, but at least Sunni Ali did build many dykes which improved the irrigation and agricultural yield of many areas. The Songhai (or Songhay) was a large West African empire during the 1400s and 1500s A.D. The kingdom of Songhai dates back to at least the 9th century CE and was contemporary with the Ghana Empire (6-13th century CE) further to the east. At the local level, there were many officials with specific duties such as policing or checking the use of official weights at trading centres, as well as heads of local craft guilds and tribal groups. Daily life was often ruled by traditions and local customs, but the law of the land was based on Islam. Daily life was often ruled by traditions and local customs, but the law of the land was based on Islam. They also were skilled farmers and agriculture was very important to them. Mohammad imposed Islamic law on his people, appointed qadis (Islamic magistrates or judges) as heads of justice at Timbuktu, Djenne and other towns, and engaged the services of the North African Mohammad al-Maghili as his government advisor. Songhay did a great job catching and trading fish. The majority of wealth within the Songhai kingdom was due to the massive trade within the region and to the neighboring kingdoms. Songhai empire, also spelled Songhay, great trading state of West Africa (flourished 15th–16th century), centred on the middle reaches of the Niger River in what is now central Mali and eventually extending west to the Atlantic coast and east into Niger and Nigeria. ( Public Domain ) The End of the Sunni Dynasty . Following the conquest of North Africa by Muslim Arabs in the 7th... UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. Why did Songhai become rich like Ghana and Mali? At around 1300, Gao had become so prosperous that it attracted the attention of the Mali Empire and its rulers. Also, what was Songhai best known for trading before it became a powerful kingdom? Who did the Songhai Empire trade with? Central to … King Sunni Ali was vehemently anti-Muslim, but King Mohammad I (as his name would suggest) was a convert and he even made the pilgrimage or hajj to Mecca where he received the honorary title of the Caliph of the Sudan. Rural communities, meanwhile, continued to be wholly dependent on agriculture, but the presence of rural markets indicates there was usually a food surplus. The loss of control of a slice of West Africa's gold trade to the Portuguese may have been one of the reasons for King Mohammad's decision to expand the Songhai Empire interests to the southeast. The Songhai grew rich from trade across the Sahara,particularly trading gold, salt, nuts and slaves and soon was the largest of Africa's trading centers. Songhai Empire. Islam was a unifying force in the region. by UN Photo/Harandane Dicko (CC BY-NC-ND). Islam was a unifying force in the region. With its capital at Gao and managing to control trans-Saharan trade through such centres as Timbuktu and Djenne, the empire prospered throughout the 16th century CE until, ripped apart by civil wars, it was attacked and absorbed into the Moroccan Empire c. 1591 CE. Certainly, famine was a rare event during the first half of the Songhai Empire's reign, and there are no records of any peasant revolts. The Songhai kingdom was the last major one in the region. These spirits and others (notably those belonging to dead ancestors) had to be constantly kept in a good mood, hence they were made offerings of food and drink and honoured with masked dances and ceremonies. Ghana was ruled by a single king. The Songhai empire was known for its production of religious artifacts and practical tools. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Not just made up of wealthy merchants, there also sprang up a class of religious scholars whose texts not only examined the ins and outs of their religion but also produced works on many other subjects from science to history. Should a king reign long enough to benefit from it, there was an imperial council of the most senior officials which included the finance minister (kalisa farma), the admiral (hi koy) of the Songhai fleet who also supervised the regional governors, the head of the army (balama), and the minister of agriculture (fari mondzo). Songhai Empire Notes. Which group conquered the Songhai empire? During his reign Islam became more widely entrenched, trans-Saharan trade flourished, and the Saharan salt mines of Taghaza were brought within the boundaries of the empire. 27 Feb 2021. The Songhai expanded trade to Europe and Asia, and established an elaborate system of taxation and communication to govern its large kingdom. O ne of the best natural resources that Songhai kingdom had gotten, was when they finally expanded their empires territory which eventually had got them the control over the Nile River, which had to have been really good for the Songhai's farmer's crops by supplying them with lots of water, one of my other theories is that it was even better for their trade The Moroccan leader Ahmad al-Mansur al-Dhahabi (d. 1603 CE), known rather grandly as 'the Golden Conqueror', sent a small force of perhaps 4,000 men armed with muskets to attack the empire in the 1590-1 CE. License. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. This brought the two kingdoms into conflict. It was established around 1486 when the Songhai people of Gao broke away from the Mali Empire to create the Songhai Empire.. Trade and Connections with the Surrounding States. Kingdoms that survived were Guinea, Benin in Nigeria, Ashanti in present day Ghana and Dahomey, north of Benin. The Songhai Empire started out as a fishing and trading center on the Niger River in a place called Gao where West African and Muslim traders visited often. The Songhai people settled along the middle area of the Niger River. All rights reserved. With your help we create free content that helps millions of people learn history all around the world. Songhai had many natural resources with the Niger River being the most important because it could control the going and coning of trade. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Unfortunately for Sunni Ali though, all this new territory did not give him access to the gold fields of the southern coast of West Africa that both the Ghana and Mali rulers had grown rich on. One particular rivalry, between Mohammad IV Bano (r. from 1586 CE) and his brothers, effectively divided the empire in half. Slaves The slave trade became an important part of the Songhai Empire. From a centralized base in the capital Gao, famous and wise Songhai kings such as Sunni Ali and Mohammad I were phenomenal in turning the empire into a dominant force in trade, education, science and military. ArchitectureThe architecture of Songhai was also very creative and innovative. These trades date back as early as 300 c.e and ended with the conquest of Songhai by Morocco in the 16th-century c.e. By controlling this port along with a few other key cities, they basically dominated the trans-Saharan trade. The Songhai Empire was located in south of the Sahara Desert They grew many crops and animals such as beans, sheep, onions, millet, and … In this lesson, you will learn about the origins of the Songhai Empire, the way the Songhai governed their empire, and their trade. They relied on trade and the taxes on trade. Mark is a history writer based in Italy. Worse was to come, though, with the rise of the Songhai Empire, an ancient kingdom but now more powerful than ever. The Songhai kings made regular raids on Mali urban centres from the early 15th century CE and ultimately won their independence as the Mali kings lost their grip on several smaller subjugated kingdoms on the periphery of their empire. For example, the Portuguese arrival from... Our experts can answer your tough homework and study questions. For many years, Songhai people were ruled for many years by Mali, and were forced to pay taxes. Ghana was ruled by a single king. The Mali Empire, located along the savannah belt between the Sahara desert to the north and the forests of southern West Africa (often referred to as the Sudan region), had prospered through its control of local and international trade, especially in gold and salt, since the mid-13th century CE. The Songhai Empire. Who did Songhai trade with? They left the Songhai Empire as a mixture of different independent kingdoms. By 1469 CE the Songhai had control of the important trade ‘port’ of Timbuktu on the Niger River. In fact, it is worth highlighting that the Songhai Empire derives its origins from … Major cities of the Songhai included Gao, Djenne and Timbuktu. Note: This map is for general illustration purposes, the Songhai Empire did not extend to the Atlantic coast. A chancellor-secretary dealt with the official paperwork. a. to control trade across the Mongol empire b. to strengthen ties with lands outside China c. to strengthen Ming rule over southern China d. to protect against future Mongol invasions . World History Encyclopedia. Timbuktu, with a population of around 100,000 in the mid-15th century CE, continued to thrive as a trade 'port' and as a centre of learning into the 16th and 17th centuries CE when the city boasted many mosques and 150-180 Koranic schools. And by the 10th century, the Songhai chiefs had established Gao as a small kingdom, taking control of the people living along the trade routes. Slaves were used to help transport … Certainly, the Songhai in any case managed to monopolise the Saharan caravan trade which brought rock salt and luxury goods like fine cloth, glassware, sugar, and horses to the Sudan region in exchange for gold, ivory, spices, kola nuts, hides, and slaves. By controlling trade routes across the Sahara. Askia Musas reign was off to a bad start when his own brothers rebelled against his rule. It was dominated by and named after the Songhay (aka Sonhrai), a group of Nilo-Saharan-speaking peoples. The clothes that Africanus describes were European textiles traded for the Songhai exports of gold, ivory, and slaves. How did Askia Muhammad gain control of Songhai? Just like Ghana and Mali, the Songhai people were influenced by Islam, and many people even converted. Its fall did not bring an end to kingdoms in West Africa. Why was Songhai so interested in overtaking the... Holt World History - Human Legacy: Online Textbook Help, Virginia SOL - World History & Geography 1500 to Present: Test Prep & Practice, SAT Subject Test US History: Practice and Study Guide, SAT Subject Test World History: Practice and Study Guide, Western Civilization I: Certificate Program, Biological and Biomedical Trade and Economy. The Songhai Empire was a slave-trade based civilization, the economy of the state ultimately depended on the states trade with foreign empires. Transporting Salt on the Niger Riverby Taguelmoust (CC BY-SA). The Songhai grew rich from trade across the Sahara,particularly trading gold, salt, nuts and slaves and soon was the largest of Africa's trading centers. Across these routes, a variety of goods including foodstuffs, cloth, cowrie shells, and kola nuts flowed. The Songhai kingdom did … There were also ministers responsible for forests, wages, purchases, property, and foreigners. Economic trade existed throughout the empire due to the standing army stationed in the provinces. Last modified March 08, 2019. Three major cities of Hausaland , located between the Niger River and Lake Chad, were, according to the historian Leo Africanus (d. c. 1554 CE), attacked: Gobir, Katsina and Zaria. The Songhai people (also Songhay or Sonrai) are an ethnic group in West Africa who speak the various Songhai languages.Their history and lingua franca is linked to the Songhai Empire which dominated the western Sahel in the 15th and 16th century. As a result of this technological mismatch, the Moroccans won the war, even if there were a few sporadic but ineffectual Songhai fightbacks over the next few years. Unfortunately for Sunni Ali though, all this new territory did not give him access to the gold fields of the southern coast of West Africa that both the Ghana and Mali rulers had grown rich on. This was because a Portuguese fleet, sponsored by the Lisbon merchant Fenão Gomes, had, in 1471 CE, sailed around the Atlantic coast of Africa and established a trading presence near these gold fields (in modern Ghana). The capital at Gao in this period boasted an impressive 100,000 inhabitants and the empire stretched almost from the Senegal River in the west to what is today central Mali in the east. In 1471 CE the Mossi territories south of the Niger River bend were attacked, and by 1473 CE the other major trade centre of the region, Djenne, also on the Niger, had been conquered. The Songhai Empire was successful due to its centralized government, effective development of the Trans-Sahara trade, and a common religion. Three major cities of Hausaland, located between the Niger River and Lake Chad, were, according to the historian Leo Africanus (d. c. 1554 CE), attacked: Gobir, Katsina and Zaria. Trade centres, in particular, became sophisticated urban centres with housing built in stone and many having a large public square for regular markets and at least one mosque. Just like Ghana and Mali, the Songhai people were influenced by Islam, and many people even converted. In the late 1460s, he conquered many of the Songhai's neighboring states, including what remained of the Mali Empire. By 1469 CE the Songhai had control of the important trade 'port' of Timbuktu on the Niger River. They relied on trade and the taxes on trade. Cite This Work Battles raged between his troops and his brothers, but he still emerged as the victor. The trade goods included gold, salt, slaves, kola nuts, leather, dates, and ivory. Objective: Analyze the influence of Islam on the growth of trade networks and power relations in the Songhai Empire and in East African city-states. The nobles were Muslim. ArchitectureThe architecture of Songhai was … It was one of the most important states in African history at its height. Songhai also exports hippopotamus skins, cut and tanned to make shields, reputed in Morocco. Why did Songhai become rich like Ghana and Mali? Learn More. Historians believe that the Songhai tribe had existed since the 9 th and 10 th centuries. Trans-Saharan trade brought prosperity and taxes that enabled the state to run statecraft. Songhai as a country came into existence around 1000AD, and eventually became part of the Mali Empire, one of the most long-lived African empires. Why did Yongle move the capital to Beijing? One of the major resources that were lacking in the New World was work force, as indigenous Americans had proven to be unreliable and were affected by diseases brought by the Europeans. The Songhai Culture The Songhai culture became a blend of traditional West African beliefs and the religion of Islam. The Songhai Empire completely dominated almost the whole stretch of the Niger River, West Africa's trade superhighway so that the Songhai peoples were now a small minority group in a state that encompassed such diverse groups as the Mande, Fulbe, Mossi, and Tuareg. It would be the last of the great empires that had dominated West Africa since the 6th century CE. The Songhai Empire’s economy was located in Western Africa along the Niger River. After the fall of the Mali Empire, the Songhai Empire expanded. The capital city the Songhai Empire, Gao, was a city located on the Niger River. The Songhai Empire grew very wealthy thanks to its control of trading posts along the Trans-Saharan Trade Route, including Jenne and Timbuktu. The two most important spirits were Harake Diko and Dongo, linked to the Niger River and thunderstorms respectively, which is hardly surprising given the importance of the river to trade and rain to the dry savannah of West Africa.
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