Songhai Empire | History, Facts, Map, & Fall

What region was the Songhai Empire?

South of the Sahara Desert, along the Niger River, was where the Songhai Empire was found. Its length at its widest point, from the present-day nation of Niger to the Atlantic Ocean, was well over a thousand kilometers. Gao, in present-day Mali on the banks of the Niger River, served as the Songhai people’s capital city.

When did the Songhai Empire rule?

From 1464 to 1591, the Songhai Empire was in power. The Mali Empire ruled over the Songhai up until the year 1400.

How did the Empire initially start?

Under Sunni Ali’s direction, the Songhai Empire first gained control. A Songhai prince with the name of Sunni Ali. The Mali Empire’s supreme leader, who oversaw the Songhai, was holding him as a political prisoner. Sunni Ali made his way to the city of Gao in 1464, where he overthrew the local government. He founded the Songhai Empire from the city of Gao and started to subjugate the surrounding areas, including the significant commerce centres of Timbuktu and Djenne.

Askia Muhammad

Askia Muhammad took over as the Songhai’s leader in 1493. He established the Askia Dynasty and increased the authority of the Songhai Empire. Askia Muhammad practiced Islam with fervor. Islam became become a significant component of the empire during his leadership. He expelled the Mali Empire from the region and seized control of the trade in salt and gold.

Government

There were five provinces within the Songhai Empire, each headed by a governor. All of the governors, judges, and town heads served under Askia Muhammad and were Muslims. Although the emperor had complete authority, he also had ministers who oversaw various sectors of the empire on his behalf. They also offered the emperor advice on crucial matters.

The Culture of Songhai

Islam and native West African traditions were combined to create the Songhai civilization. Traditions and regional conventions frequently governed daily life, while Islam served as the foundation for the legislation of the land.

Slaves

The Songhai Empire grew to be heavily reliant on the slave trade. To move cargo over the Sahara Desert to Morocco and the Middle East, slaves were employed. Additionally, slaves were sold to Europeans for employment in the Americas and Europe. Typically, slaves were taken as prisoners of war during raids on adjacent areas.

The Songhai Empire collapsed

The Songhai Empire started to wane in the middle of the 1500s as a result of internal conflict and civil war. Timbuktu and Gao were raided and taken by the Moroccan army in 1591. The empire disintegrated and was split up into numerous smaller entities.

Facts about the Songhai Empire that are interesting

Sunni Ali rose to fame as a mythical figure in Songhai tradition. He was referred to as Sunni Ali the Great and was depicted as possessing supernatural abilities.

A prisoner of war could not be sold into slavery if they had previously converted to Islam before being taken prisoner.

A griot is a storyteller from West Africa. Through the griots, history was frequently transmitted from one generation to the next.

Timbuktu developed into a significant center for trade and learning throughout the Songhai Empire.