Africa and the Spread of Islam

 Stateless Societies – while some African societies were organized in the traditional hierarchy of officials – but others were loosely linked through connections of families or religion.  Common Elements in African Societies: Bantu language based Bantu language based Animism Animism Ancestor worship Ancestor worship

North Africa  Classical Antiquity  Cultural Diffusion through invasion  IFRIQIYA – Roman term for Africa – controlled by the Muslims  MAGHRIB – Arabic term for western Africa “sunset”  Many of the native North Africans disliked Arab domination – BERBERS – organized their own cities in the west

 1000s - ALMORAVIDS – a Berber dynasty that led a holy war or JIHAD to spread Islam into north Africa and into Spain  1130 C.E. – the ALMOHADIS followed the same pattern into north Africa and Spain

Kush  In the upper Nile was the kingdom of Nubia which provided ancient Egypt gold, ostrich feathers, and other riches. Nubia was at times under Egyptian control and sometimes independent.  In the 800s B.C.E., the Nubians organized their land into the kingdom of KUSH. Influenced by Egyptian culture, the kingdom of Kush prospered for centuries.

Axsum  About 330 C.E./A.D., Kush was conquered by its southeastern neighbor – the kingdom of AXSUM.  The people of Axsum were some of the earliest Christians. They were a trading people – providing the world with African luxuries.  The trading importance of the Axsum was taken over by the Arabs in the 700s A.D./C.E. – but the kingdom and culture remain today – known as ETHIOPIA.

Ethiopia  Christianity was the first universalist religion to take root in north east Africa – Egypt and Ethiopia  Ethiopian king Lalibela - Ethiopian Christianity grew in isolation from Orthodox or Roman Christianity – influenced by Judaism and pagan neighbors  Geez – language of Axum for religious speech  Amharis – secular speech  Isolation and Independence of Ethiopia

Grasslands  Sahel – grass lands that spread across the southern edges of the Sahara  Merchants and caravans carried Islam and Arabic culture

Sudanic States  Ghana  About 300 A.D./C.E., the kingdom of GHANA was one of the most important regions of west Africa. Ghana was known for its gold and its high levels of political organization.  1235 A.D./C.E.- the kingdom of Ghana was transformed into the MALI EMPIRE

 Islam and indigenous ideas of kingship  Many of the African rulers adopted Islam and used the religion as a royal cult. Initially, the populace did not convert in large numbers.  The kingdoms of Mali and Songhay rose as fusions of Islamic and indigenous African cultures.

Mali  Mali  Malinke – name of the people  Juula – Malinke merchants  Sundiata – Malinke ruler who led Mali to great victories – the “Lion Prince”  Griots – oral historians who spread the story of Sundiata  Mansa – Mali term for emperor

Mansa Musa  In the early 1300s, the Mali emperor MANSA MUSA converted to Islam. In 1324, Mansa Musa traveled on pilgrimage to Mecca. To impress the world with the riches of Mali, he traveled with 80,000 attendants carrying gold bars and bags of gold dust. Unfortunately for the Middle East, that huge influx of gold dropped gold prices and ruined the economy.

Jenne

Timbuktu

Songhay  After years of internal power struggles – the Mali Empire was taken over by the kingdom of SONGHAY.  The Songhay Empire was the central of trade in Africa. Traders from Europe, India, and China traded in its capital of TIMBUKTU. Timbuktu was also a center of learning with an important university.  “masters of the soil”  “masters of the waters”  Sunni Ali – leader who forged the Songhay empire – seized Timbuktu and the Niger valley

 Muhammad the Great – extended Songhay to dominate central Sudan  In Songhay – Islam blended with African culture – men and women mingling in the streets often shocked Muslim clerics from outside the empire  1591 – Moroccan Muslim army defeated Songhay forces and led to the breakup of the empire  Hausa – people of northern Nigeria also combined Muslim and pagan traditions

Swahili Coast of East Africa  Zenj – Arab term for east African coast  Ibn Batuta – Moroccan Berber scholar and explorer  Indian-Chinese-African trade

 Bantu  Swahili – Arabic influence – “coastal”

Nok

Yoruba - Oyo

Benin City – now part of Nigeria

Great Zimbabwe 11 th -14 th centuries