| |
| 4. Songhay |
| 1464–92 |
| |
| Under ruler Sunni Ali Ber, Songhay forces conquered extensive territory along the Niger River. Control over the river routes became a central part of the Songhay's challenge to Mali's hegemony. Sunni Ali Ber conquered Timbuktu, Jenne, the inner delta of the Niger, and other areas along the Niger waterway to the east. Although he came under Muslim influence, like other West African rulers Sunni Ali Ber did not completely abandon his traditional beliefs. In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, he commanded a large, well-organized army comprised of a flotilla, foot soldiers, and an elite cavalry corps. He and his successors presided over a hierarchical bureaucracy of ministers and advisers. Governors ruled outlying areas. Government departments within the Songhay state included the military, home affairs, agriculture, and the treasury. The highly centralized admini-strative system in place in Songhay enabled economic development to take place in an atmosphere of relative security. The government collected revenue from farmers, herdsmen, fishermen, merchants, and those defeated in war. | 1 |
| |
| 1492–1528 |
| |
| Sunni Ali Ber's successor, Askiya Muhammad I, was a devout Muslim. He went on a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1496–97 and established closer ties between the Songhay state and Muslim clerics. Askiya Muhammad applied Islamic models of the state and worked to extend Islam in the region. | 2 |
| |
| 1500–1600 |
| |
| Toward the end of the 14th century, Mali's far-flung provinces had already begun to assert their independence. In the early 16th century, forces from the Songhay kingdom launched an increasing number of attacks against Mali and claimed control over the gold trade. | 3 |
| Conquests by the military ruler Askiya Muhammad consolidated the territory controlled by the Songhay Empire. Songhay became deeply involved in the trans-Saharan trade and developed a flourishing market economy. The urban centers that arose to facilitate trade became centers of Islamic culture. Askiya Muhammad promoted Islamic learning and piety. | 4 |
| |
| c. 1545 |
| |
| Songhay forces entered the Malian capital, hastening Mali's decline. By 1600, Mali had become a small regional polity. | 5 |
| |
| |
