Editing Mali Empire (section)

== History ==
{{main|History of the Mali Empire}}
===Pre-imperial Mali===
The first [[Mande people]] entered the [[Manding region]] during the period of the [[Ghana Empire]]. The Manden city-state of Ka-ba (present-day [[Kangaba]]) served as the capital and name of the province. From at least the beginning of the 11th century, Mandinka kings ruled Manden from Ka-ba in the name of the Ghanas.<ref>Heusch, Luc de: "The Symbolic Mechanisms of Sacred Kingship: Rediscovering Frazer". ''The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute'', 1997.</ref> The ruler was elected from among the heads of the major clans, and at this time had little real power.{{sfn|Cissoko|1983|pp=57}} Wagadou's control over Manden ended in the 12th century.<ref>Lange, Dierk (1996), "The Almoravid expansion and the downfall of Ghana", Der Islam 73 (2): 313–351</ref> The Kangaba province, free of Soninké influence, splintered into twelve kingdoms with their own ''faama''.<ref name=recherches>{{harvnb|Niane|1975}}</ref> 

In approximately 1140 the [[Sosso]] kingdom of [[Kaniaga]], another former vassal of Wagadou, began conquering the lands of its old rulers. In 1203, the Sosso king and sorcerer [[Soumaoro Kanté]] came to power and reportedly terrorised much of Manden.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/h15-af.htm |title=African Empires to CE 1500 |publisher=Fsmitha.com |date=2007-01-17 |access-date=2009-09-16}}</ref>

===Sundiata Keita===
[[Sundiata Keita]], born during the rise of Kaniaga, was the son of Niani's ''faama'', Nare Fa (also known as Maghan Kon Fatta, meaning the handsome prince). Upon his father's death, he was forced into exile along with his mother and two sisters.<ref name=sundiata>Niane, D. T. (1995). ''Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali''. Longman.</ref> After many years in exile, Sundiata led the combined armies of [[Méma|Mema]], Wagadou and the Mandinka city-states in a revolt against the Kaniaga Kingdom around 1234.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mali {{!}} World Civilization|url=https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldcivilization/chapter/mali/|website=courses.lumenlearning.com|access-date=2020-05-10}}</ref> The combined forces of northern and southern Manden defeated the Sosso army at the [[Battle of Kirina]] in approximately 1235.<ref name="Blanchard, page 1117">{{harvnb|Blanchard|2001|p=1117}}.</ref> Maghan Sundiata was declared ''mansa'' over all the 12 kingdoms in an alliance that became the Mali Empire.<ref name=recherches/> During his reign, Sundiata's generals continued to expand the empire's frontiers, reaching from [[Kaabu]] in the west, [[Takrur]], [[Oualata]] and [[Audaghost]] in the north, and the [[Soninke Wangara]] goldfields in the south.<ref name="Blanchard, page 1117"/><ref>{{cite web |author=Mike Blondino |url=http://leadinternational.com/about/history_gb.php |title=LEAD: International: The History of Guinea-Bissau |publisher=Leadinternational.com |access-date=2009-09-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101101081714/http://leadinternational.com/about/history_gb.php |archive-date=1 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The transfer of power following Sunjata's death is unclear, but there was evidently a power struggle of some kind involving the ''[[gbara]]'' or great council and ''donson ton'' or hunter guilds.{{sfn|Gomez|2018|p=93}} Some oral traditions agree with Ibn Khaldun in indicating that a son of Sunjata, named Yerelinkon in oral tradition and Wali in Arabic, took power as Sunjata's successor.{{sfn|Gomez|2018|p=96}} Two more of Sundiata's sons would reign,{{sfn|Gomez|2018|p=97}}{{sfn|Niane|1959}} as well as a grandson,{{sfn|Gomez|2018|p=94}} before a former slave [[Mansa Sakura|Sakura]], seized power. He  was able to stabilize the political situation in Mali. Under his leadership, Mali conquered new territories and trade with North Africa increased.{{sfn|Levtzion|Hopkins|2000|p=334}} 

===Height of power===
After Sakura's death, power returned to the line of Sunjata, with [[Gao (mansa)|Qu]] taking the throne.{{sfn|Levtzion|1963|p=345}} He was succeeded by his son [[Mohammed ibn Gao|Muhammad]], who launched [[Atlantic voyage of the predecessor of Mansa Musa|two voyages]] to explore the [[Atlantic Ocean]].{{efn|There is some ambiguity over the identity of the mansa responsible for the voyages. The voyage is often incorrectly attributed to a Mansa Abu Bakr II, but no such mansa ever reigned.{{sfn|Fauvelle|2018|p=165}} The account of the voyage does not mention the mansa by name, only indicating that it was Musa's immediate predecessor. According to Ibn Khaldun, Musa's immediate predecessor was Muhammad.{{sfn|Levtzion|1963|p=346}}}} After the loss of the first expedition, Muhammad led the second expedition himself. He left his cousin [[Mansa Musa|Kanku Musa]] in charge during his absence. Eventually, due to Muhammad's failure to return, Musa was recognized as mansa in approximately 1312.{{sfn|Levtzion|Hopkins|2000|p=269}}

The reign of Kankan Musa, better known as [[Mansa Musa]], is considered the golden age of Mali.{{sfn|Levtzion|1963|pp=347}} A devout and well-educated Muslim, he took an interest in the scholarly city of [[Timbuktu]], which he peaceably annexed in 1324, and transformed [[Sankore]] from an informal [[madrasah]] into an Islamic university. Mansa Musa Keita's crowning achievement was his famous 1324 pilgrimage to [[Mecca]]. Accounts of how many people and how much gold he spent vary. All of them agree that he took a very large group of people; the ''mansa'' kept a personal guard of some 500 men,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sarasota.k12.fl.us/sarasota/african.htm |title=African |publisher=Sarasota.k12.fl.us |access-date=2009-09-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531010306/http://www.sarasota.k12.fl.us/sarasota/african.htm |archive-date=31 May 2008 }}</ref> and he gave out so many [[alms]] and bought so many things that the value of gold in Egypt and Arabia depreciated for twelve years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/materials/handouts/k_o_mali.html |title=Kingdom of Mali |publisher=Bu.edu |access-date=2009-09-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831043514/http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/materials/handouts/k_o_mali.html |archive-date=31 August 2009 }}</ref> When he passed through [[Cairo]], historian [[al-Maqrizi]] noted "the members of his entourage proceeded to buy [[Anatolian beyliks|Turkish]] and [[Ethiopian Empire|Ethiopian]] slave girls, singing girls and garments, so that the rate of the gold ''dinar'' fell by six ''[[dirham]]s''." In addition to his famous hajj, Musa built mosques and palaces in Timbuktu and [[Gao]], and took control of the valuable salt mine of [[Taghazza]].

[[File:Catalan Atlas BNF Sheet 6 Mansa Musa.jpg|thumb|[[Mansa Musa|Musa]] depicted holding a gold coin in the 1375 [[Catalan Atlas]]]]

Mansa Musa's son [[Maghan I]] ruled for only a few years before being succeeded (or overthrown) by his uncle [[Sulayman of Mali|Sulayman]]. Sulayman's reign continued Mali's golden age, as attested by the writer [[Ibn Battuta]] who arrived in Mali in July 1352, and he made a successful ''[[hajj]]'', kept up correspondence with Morocco and Egypt.{{sfn|Wilkinson|1994|p=51}}

Upon Sulayman's death in 1360, the empire was ruled by a string of short-lived, cruel, or incompetent rulers. The ''kankoro-sigui'' held increasing influence as a power behind the throne.<ref name=peoplesand>Stride, G. T., & Ifeka, C. (1971). ''Peoples and Empires of West Africa: West Africa in History 1000–1800''. Nelson.</ref> During this period the [[Jolof Empire]] was founded, and soon dominated all of northern [[Senegambia]].{{sfn|Wilkinson|1994|p=51}} In the 1370s a war between Mali imperial forces and Berber Tuareg forces from [[Takedda]] devastated the city of [[Gao]]. The area around it became independent of Malian control around this time.<ref name=":3">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nAsWQqy_fXwC&q=kabura%20niger&pg=PA29|title=Social History of Timbuktu: The Role of Muslim Scholars and Notables 1400–1900|last1=Saad|first1=Elias N.|date=14 July 1983|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=0521246032|edition=Cambridge History of Science Cambridge Studies in Islamic Civilization|pages=29–30}}</ref> Still, by the time of Mansa Musa Keita II's death in 1387, Mali was financially solvent and in control of all of its previous conquests except Gao and Dyolof. Forty years after the reign of Mansa Musa Keita I, the Mali Empire still controlled some {{Convert|1100000|km2|sqmi}} of land.{{sfn|Imperato|Imperato|2008|p=203}}

===Decline===
The late 14th century again saw a series of short reigns, often ending in palace coups. While maintaining a firm grip in the south and west, and even expanding in some areas, imperial control of their northernmost provinces was slipping, as attested by the [[Mossi Kingdoms|Mossi]] raids on Macina.<ref name=peoplesand/><ref name=recherches/> In 1433–1434, the Empire lost control of Timbuktu to the Tuareg, led by Akil Ag-Amalwal.{{sfn|Hunwick|1999|pp=12,30}}{{sfn|Levtzion|1973|p=81}} Three years later, Oualata also fell into their hands.<ref name=peoplesand/> The rising [[Songhai Empire]] conquered [[Méma|Mema]], one of Mali's oldest possessions, in 1465. It then seized Timbuktu from the Tuareg in 1468 under [[Sonni Ali|Sunni Ali Ber]].<ref name=peoplesand/> In 1477, the [[Mossi Kingdoms|Mossi]] emperor Naba Nasséré made yet another raid into Macina, this time conquering it and the old province of BaGhana ([[Ghana Empire|Wagadou]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fanaticus.org/DBA/armies/Variants/mossi.html |title=Mossi (1250–1575 AD) – DBA 2.0 Variant Army List |publisher=Fanaticus.org |date=2006-08-21 |access-date=2009-09-16 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802070900/http://www.fanaticus.org/DBA/armies/Variants/mossi.html |archive-date=2 August 2009}}</ref>{{bsn|reason=This is about a wargame|date=October 2024}}

In an attempt to stem the tide, Mansa Mahmud Keita II opened diplomatic relations with [[Portugal]], receiving the envoys Pêro d'Évora and Gonçalo Enes in 1487.<ref name=recherches/> In 1493 he sent another envoy proposing an alliance against the threat of [[Tenguella]], but this came to nothing.{{sfn|Wilkinson|1994|p=52}} Songhai forces under the command of [[Askia Muhammad I]] defeated the Mali general Fati Quali Keita in 1502 and seized the province of Diafunu.<ref name=peoplesand/> In 1514, the [[Denianke Dynasty|Denianke dynasty]] was established in Tekrour and it was not long before the new kingdom of [[Great Fulo]] was warring against Mali's remaining provinces.<ref name="African History A Closer Look at Colonies, Countries, and Wars; Kelly Mass">{{cite book |first1=Kelly |last1=Mass|author-link= Kelly Mass |title=African History A Closer Look at Colonies, Countries, and Wars |date=December 9, 2023 |publisher=Efalon Acies |isbn=9791222482699 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oHLoEAAAQBAJ |access-date=23 December 2023 |language=En |quote=Denianke dynasty was established at Tekrour in 1514, leading to war with Mali's surviving regions by Great Fulo's new kingdom.}}</ref>

[[File:WestAfrica1530.png|thumb|upright=1.35|Mali Empire and surrounding states, {{Circa}} 1530]]

In 1544 or 1545,{{efn|952 AH}} a Songhai force led by ''[[kanfari]]'' [[Askia Daoud|Dawud]], who later succeeded his brother [[Askia Ishaq I|Askia Ishaq]] as ruler of the Songhai Empire, sacked the capital of Mali and purportedly used the royal palace as a latrine.{{sfn|Gomez|2018|p=331}} However, the Songhai did not maintain their hold on the Malian capital.{{sfn|Person|1981|p=618}}

Mali's fortunes seem to have improved in the second half of the 16th century. Around 1550, Mali attacked [[Bighu]] in an effort to regain access to its gold.{{sfn|Wilks|1982|p=470}} Songhai authority over [[Bendugu (province)|Bendugu]] and [[Kala (province)|Kala]] declined by 1571, and Mali may have been able to reassert some authority over them.{{sfn|Person|1981|p=618}} The breakup of the [[Wolof Empire]] allowed Mali to reassert authority over some of its former subjects on the north bank of the Gambia, such as [[Kingdom of Wuli|Wuli]], by 1576.{{sfn|Person|1981|p=621}}

===Collapse===

The end of the Mali Empire came in 1599, under the reign of [[Mansa Mahmud IV]]. The Songhai Empire had fallen to the [[Saadi Sultanate]] of Morocco eight years earlier, and Mahmud sought to take advantage of their defeat by trying to capture [[Djenné|Jenne]].{{sfn|Ly-Tall|1984|p=184}} Mahmud sought support from several other rulers, including the governor of Kala, Bukar. Bukar professed his support, but believing Mahmud's situation to be hopeless, secretly went over to the Moroccans. The Malian and Moroccan armies [[Battle of Jenne|fought at Jenne on 26 April]], the last day of Ramadan, and the Moroccans were victorious thanks to their firearms and Bukar's support, but Mahmud was able to escape.<ref>{{harvnb|al-Sadi}}, translated in {{harvnb|Hunwick|1999|pp=234–235}}</ref> Around 1610, Mahmud Keita IV died. Oral tradition states that he had three sons who fought over Manden's remains. No single Keita ever ruled Manden after Mahmud Keita IV's death, resulting in the end of the Mali Empire.{{sfn|Jansen|1996}}