Early African Kingdoms & Empires

Pre-Historic Africa

North African Kingdoms

Kingdom of Kush [295 BCE – 320 CE] Nubia [modern-day Sudan]

After a thousand years Nubia gradually The Kingdom of Kush was an ancient state that existed (twice) in what is now the northern part of The Sudan.

Pyramids of Kush at Meroë

Kushite in Egypt, 23 BCE

Kingdom of Axum [300-700]

The Kingdom of Aksum or Axum, also known as the Aksumite Empire, was an important trading nation in the area which is now Eritrea and northern Ethiopia, existing from approximately 100–940 AD.

Axum The Empire of Aksum is notable for a number of achievements, such as its own alphabet Before its conversion to Christianity, the Aksumites practiced a polytheistic religion related to the religion practiced in southern Arabia.

Stele, Ezana’s Royal Tomb, Aksum (4c)

Christian Church, Lalibela [Ethiopia]

Christian Church, Lalibela [Ethiopia] Coptic Christian Priest

AXUM’S ACHIEVEMENTS Controlled NE African Built Stelae Trade Written Language Terrace Farming Spread Christianity in No. & E. Africa

West African Empires & Civilizations

Mali Empire [13c-15c] SALT GOLD

The Mali Empire flourished because of trade above all else The Mali Empire flourished because of trade above all else. It contained three immense gold mines within its borders unlike the Ghana Empire, which was only a transit point for gold. The empire taxed every ounce of gold or salt that entered its borders. The Mali Empire maintained a semi-professional, full-time army in order to defend its borders.

Mansa Musa [r. 1312-1337]

Mansa Musa is mostly remembered for his extravagant hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca with, according to the Arab historian al-Umari, 100 camel-loads of gold, each weighing 300 lbs.; 500 slaves, each carrying a 4 lb. gold staff; thousands of his subjects; as well as his senior wife, with her 500 attendants.

Mansa Musa brought back with him an Arabic library, religious scholars, and most importantly the Muslim architect al-Sahili, who built the great mosques at Gao and Timbuktu and a royal palace

Timbuktu Rooftop, Mosque

Distant Mosque at Djenne, Mali

Great Mosque at Djenne, Mali

Marketplace near the Niger River

Timbuktu-”Heavenly Clay”

European Map

Gold “Money”, Ghana/Ivory Coast Ghana Empire [4c-11c] Gold “Money”, Ghana/Ivory Coast

The Ghana (Wagadu) Empire (before c. 830 until c The Ghana (Wagadu) Empire (before c. 830 until c. 1235) was located in what is now southeastern Mauritania and western Mali. The empire grew rich from the trans-Saharan trade in gold and salt. This trade produced an increasing surplus, allowing for larger urban centers. It also encouraged territorial expansion to gain control over the lucrative trade routes.

The Songhai Empire, also known as the Songhay Empire, was a state located in western Africa. From the mid-15th to the late 16th century, Songhai was one of the largest Islamic empires in history. Economic trade existed throughout the Empire, due to the standing army stationed in the provinces. Central to the regional economy were independent gold fields.

The Songhai economy was based on a clan system The Songhai economy was based on a clan system. The clan a person belonged to ultimately decided one's occupation. The most common were metalworkers, fishermen, and carpenters. Lower caste participants consisted of mostly non-farm working immigrants, who at times were provided special privileges and held high positions in society. At the top were noblemen and direct descendants of the original Songhai people, followed by freemen and traders. At the bottom were war captives and European slaves obligated to labor, especially in farming. James Olson describes the labor system as resembling modern day unions, with the Empire possessing craft guilds that consisted of various mechanics and artisans

All three empires eventually collapsed into smaller states. All three practice different religions, from traditional African, Islam and Christianity. All three relied on the gold-salt trade economically All three practice slavery. They enslaved other Africans, Europeans, Arabs.