Islam in Africa Ch 8

I. Introduction  Africa is a very fragmented  No concentration of power  Stateless societies (tribal)  Diverse languages, religion and geography  Sub-Saharan society had periods of isolation  Africa was a symbol of wealth  Gold, diamonds and land

I. Introduction  Trade with Sub-Sahara was difficult until 100 AD when camels were brought along

II. Arrival of Islam  North Africa had contact with the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Vandals  Christianity had spread to Ethiopia and Nubia (Coptics)  Islam spread to AD across Northern Africa  670 AD conquered Tunisia  Romans called Africa Ifriqiya (Arab for North East)  Maghrib for North West  Used Africa as a stepping stone into Spain

II. Arrival of Islam  Islam had brought temporary unity with conversion  Almoravids 1100 AD & Almohadis 1130 AD  Reformist group that waged jihad  Led to spread south of the Sahara  Attractiveness of Islam  Equality  Broke down on local level

II. Arrival of Islam  Spread to Sub-Sahara initially through trade  Sahel- divided Sahara and Sub-Sahara/ trade region  Ghana became prominent taxing gold and salt trade

III. Grassland Kingdoms  Sudan States  Patriarchal rule (elders)  Rulers are sacred  Collect taxes and military support  Territory based on linguistic and ethnic divisions  Ghana, Mali and Songhay  Rulers were one of the few who converted to Islam

III. Grassland Kingdoms  Mali  Between Niger and Senegal River  Malinke people  Symbol for Islam in sub-Sahara  Merchants were called Juula  Borders expanded by Sundiata  Lion Prince  Mansa  Stories told by griots  Divided clans into classes (warriors, religious and laborers)

III. Grassland Kingdoms  Ibn Batuta  Arab who traveled around Africa writing of the cultures he observed  Mansa Kankan Musa (  Pilgrimage to Mecca  Showed the wealth of Africa  Built the mosque in Jenne  Port City like Timbuktu

III. Grassland Kingdoms  Songhay Kingdom  Middle region of Niger Valley  Capital in Gao  Farming, herding and fishing society  Became an empire under Sunni Ali ( )  Expanded territory into Mali  Muslim leader of pagan region  Succeeded by military leaders askia

III. Grassland Kingdoms  Muhammad the Great  Expanded borders to cover central Sudan  Muslim rulers had a hard time dealing with the peoples failure to follow Shari law  Lasted until 16 th century  Defeated by Moroccan army  muskets

III. Grassland Kingdoms  Hasua people  Nigeria  Kano and Katsina  Muslim leaders and pagan people  Traded salt, grains and clothes

III. Grassland Kingdoms  Sudan politics  Rulers took title of emir or caliph  Surrounded by Muslim advisors  Matrilineal which went against Sharia law  Slave trade exploded with invasion of Islam  Muslims viewed slavery as a way to prepare pagans for conversion

IV. East Coast  Referred to in Arabic as Zenj  Swahili  Bantu and Arabic  Trade cities  Mogadishu, Mombasa, Malindi, Kilwa, Pate and Zanzibar  Border Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea  Followed pattern of Islamic rulers  Blended cultures  Oman and Persians  13 th century is Islamic expansion

V. Central & West Africa  Central Africa  Agricultural society  Sometimes united under a single ruler to solve conflicts  Oral traditions  Very artistic  Nok  Central Nigeria  Spoke Yoruba  Lifelike terra-cotta and bronze sculptures

V. Central & West Africa  Yoruba  Language spoken in the central states  Highly urbanized region  City-states ruled by regional kings  Ruled by alafin  Benin  Large city-state  Ruled by Oba

V. Central & West Africa  Kongo  Formed around the Congo River  Skilled in weaving, blacksmithing and carving  Harvested salt from the coast  Traded shells as currency  Shona  Zimbabwe- Stone settlement with walls (Great Zimbabwe)  Worshipped a god symbolized by an eagle  Confederation of farmers and herders- developed trade  Later ruled by a king called Mwene Mutapa  Broke up due to interior strife but stayed wealthy