Transcript Ancient African Kingdoms

Ancient African
Kingdoms
World History I
BENIN
Government
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Forest people
Kings known as Obas
Women – held own councils, religious
ceremonies
Fact or Fiction?
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Some stories say the chiefs invited Oranyan
from Ife to become the leader.
Oranyan stayed long enough to father a child
and leave. This child became King Eweka.
Oba Ewuare
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15th century leader
Oba Ewuare began
rule that father should
be succeeded by son.
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He set up a system of
checks and balances.
Growth of Benin
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Benin citizens became
wealthy
Because they were
wealthy…
Ghana
A Sahelian Kingdom
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African people, like the Berbers, formed a new
kingdom called Ghana or Akwar
Twin Cities
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Built capital – Kumbi
Saleh -on the edge of the
Sahara
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Kings and officers
People living in six miles
between
Says who? I do…
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Ruled by a hereditary king called “Ghana”
King in charge of military and was supreme
judge – believed to be partly divine and able to
talk with gods
Trade
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King claimed to own all gold nuggets and others could
only trade for gold dust
Tremendously strong in trade
Life in Ghana
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King had 200,000 warriors
Kingdom never converted to Islam but allowed
Muslims to stay there
Around 1075, Berbers (the Almorvids)
declared a holy war (jihad) on Ghana
Berbers controlled for 10 years before Ghana
took back control
In closing…
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Ghana was never as strong
The Almorvids never recovered and fell apart
into separate chiefdoms again; however, many
believe a magician came and started the Mali
Kingdom…
Mali
Second Great Sahelian Kingdom
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Historical founder was
magician, Sundiata, who
ruled from 1230-1255
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11 of his brothers were
murdered so Mali
wouldn’t threaten Ghana
The Battle at Kirina
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Sundiata fought for a new kingdom while
Sumanguru fought to keep Ghana in power
Battle of Sorcery Outcome
Blasts from the Past
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Most significant of
Mali kings was Mansa
Musa (1312-1337)
Established Timbuktu
Downfall
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Berbers disrupted peace in 1430 – region of
Gao fell apart
Led to rise of Songhai kingdom
Songhai
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Managed thousands of cultures
Was the largest empire in African
history
Gao was Songhai’s capital
Had originally competed with Mali
for control
Ali the Terror
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Sonny Ali was a Sunni king (1464-1492)
Ruthless tyrant
 Very strong militarily
 Ali captured Timbuktu and Jenne
 Pushed Berbers north
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Askia Muhammad Toure
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Succeeded Ali
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established new dynasty
Expanded empire
Toure de Force
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Toure established an
elaborate government
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Appointed Muslim judges
to run under Islamic legal
principles
Great Zimbabwe “Mwenemutapa”
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Includes present-day
Zimbabwe
Surrounded by huge,
elliptical stone walls
made without any mortar
Trade
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Exports
Traded with China,
Persia and India
Cities grew
Truly African
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Considered by
historians to be truly
African
Divine King
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King was considered divine
Kingdom weakened by internal brotherly
quarrels beginning in the 1500s
Box Score
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Kush – 750 – 350 A.D.
Ghana – 500 – 1235 C.E.
Mali – 1235 – 1468
Benin – 1000 – 1700
Songhai – 1468 – 1591
Great Zimbabwe – 1000 – 1500