Medieval Africa
Lizzy Mortenson and Danielle Wassell
Bantu Migrations- Lizzy
Early African Culture-Lizzy
Scarification
Animism
African Kingdoms- Danielle
Ghana (c. 830 - c. 1235)
Ghana was located around modern day Mauritania and Western Mali, regions that since 1500 BCE have been inhabited by several complex societies. The earliest record of the Ghana dynasty exists around c. 830 but the exact beginning of the civilization is currently undetermined. The empire grew from the increase in trade. For example the introduction of the camel as effective transportation allowed trade to expand throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Also, the Ghana took advantage of the trans-Saharan trade route growing rich in gold and salt. The expansion in trade allowed for an increase in surplus and territorial rule over commercial trade routes.
There are two reasons for the decline of the Ghana Dynasty that go hand in hand. One is as their empire began to grow their political unity and stability began to fragment. Once the empire was sacked by the Almoravids it completely crumbled.
Mali (c. 1230 - 1600)
Also known as the Mandingo Empire and the West African Empire of the Mandika, The Mali Empire flourished through many vassal regions and kingdoms. Unlike the Ghana who had to trade for gold, The Mali were in possession of three vast gold mines. Thus the empire blossomed through trade more than any other factor. Probably the most famous quality of the Mali is their wealthy rulers, specifically that of Mansu Musa I. Through his rule and others as well, Mali had many influences along the Niger River and into West Africa.
It wasn’t until the death of Mahmud IV, that the empire became disunited and uncooperative. Mahmud IV had three sons that fought over the expansive territory of Mali. Therefore they split the kingldon into three regions, Kangaba, the northern sphere, The area of Joma, the central sphere, and Hamana (Amana), the southern. The three regions constantly warred on one another weakening whatever was left of the Empire itself. I wasn’t until the 17th century when the empire finally collapsed.
Songhai ( c.1400 - 1700)
The Songhai thrived in western Africa and are one of the largest Islamic empires known today. Their main hub of transportation and trade was along the Niger River. The spread of Islam had been influential in Africa through the trans-saharan trade routes and conquest of religion. Like Mali, and Ghana before them the area flourished on trade and became a heavy influence in the spread of Islamic culture. They also had a hierarchy system based upon clan occupation.
Their demise concluded after the death of Emperor Askia Daoud as a civil war broke out within the Empire. This allowed the sultan of the Saadi Dynasty in Morocco to invade The Songhai. The Songhay forces were defeated and the Saadi Dynasty took control over the vast empire for a short period of time.
Swahili coast- Lizzy
Question 4- Danielle
A central commercial hub for trade was Mecca, the birthplace of Islam. As merchants and traders would travel to, from and through Mecca Muhammad’s teachings were spread along with them. As the Arabian culture was quickly converted to Islam, it began to spread lie wild fire. As the contagion spread to Africa many of the civilizations and Empires, because they were so heavily involved in the trans- Suhuran trade with the Arabs and those of the Middle East, began ton convert and except Islamic culture. By the late 17th century islamic teachings and beliefs had spread through trade and cultural diffusion.
The trans-Suhara literally means across the Suhura desert. The route started in northern africa and made its way into Western Africa across the Suhara desert which was seen as the great dividing point between the two regions in Africa. Items such as gold, salt, slaves,ostrich feathers, hides and skins, as well as some European products were traded vastly throughout Africa and eventually into the Middle-East as well.
Timbuktu
Timbuktu became the centre of Islamic culture and flourished as a part of the gold and salt trade. The importance and influence of Islam though Timbuktu is seen through three of western Afirca’s oldest mosques.
Djinguereber (Djingareyber)
Sankore
Sidi Yahia - Timbuktu
All three were built during the early 14th and late into the 15th centuries, the birth of islam in African culture. The first mosque, Djinguereber, was built by the great mansa musa himself, king of
the Empire Mali, as he left on a famous pilgrimage to Mecca around c. 1300. Mansa not only spread the Islamic culture vastly in places such as Cairo and Mecca and in between, but he also awakened the world to Mali’s overabundance in wealth. Everywhere he went he was praised and worshipped for his generosity in sharing his riches out of the good of “Allah”. His stumpendous wealth became an advertisement for Mali and for Islam. Although many pilgrimages before Mansa Musa had taken flight, none of them lived up to the extravagant and forever remembrance of the Great Mansa Musa I.
Religion in Africa- Danielle
Despite the heavy influence of Islamic culture in Africa from the 15th and 17th century to today’s modern day and age, Christianity had spread into Africa before that of Muhammad’s teachings. Christianity is rumored to have been spread by the apostle Mark as early as 100-200 AD into Northern Africa from Jerusalem, to Alexandria, and into Egypt. It quickly became the official religion of Ethiopia and very dominant all throughout Africa in 300 AD when Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. Though trade and conquest, Christianity quickly spread all throughout Africa, the Middle East, and European countries. It wasn’t until 600 AD that the religion started to retreat under the heavy influence of Islamic culture. Despite the Islamic conquest, Christianity remained a stronghold in several pockets of Africa. Today however Islamic culture has reigned as the dominant religion in Africa, Christianity a close second.
http://www.africablast.com/2011/06/trans-saharan-trades.html
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Musa-I-of-Mali
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/index_section8.shtml
http://www.timemaps.com/civilization/African-kingdoms#ghanover
http://tattoos.lovetoknow.com/Africa_Scarification_History\
https://dirigoapworld.wikispaces.com/Chapter+12%C2%A0+Establishing+World+Trade+Routes
http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199846733/obo-9780199846733-0027.xml