Transcript PowerPoint on Songhay

Songhay
Songhay
I.
Under Sonni Ali the Great (r. 1464-92) that Songhay became an empire
A.
1468, Conquered Timbuktu from the Tuareg
B.
Reign was occupied with
1.
fighting off the Tuareg raiders in the south
2.
Expanding the empire through military conquest
C.
Powerful army of horsemen & war canoes
D.
Criticized by Arabic historians
E.
1.
Raids on Muslim Timbuktu
2.
Lack of respect for Islam
3.
Tyrant & oppressor
4.
Scholarship in Timbuktu suffered during his reign
Succeeded by his general Muhammad Ture
Songhay
I.
Under Sonni Ali the Great (r. 1464-92) that Songhay became an empire
II.
Muhammad Ture (r. 1493-1528)
A.
Strengthened the administration of the empire
B.
Used Islam to reinforce his authority and unite the empire
C.
Went on a pilgrimage to Mecca
D.
In Cairo he persuaded the caliph of Egypt to recognize him as caliph of
the Sudan
E.
Revived Timbuktu as a center of Islamic learning
F.
Did not force Islam on the common people
G. Great revival of trans-Saharan trade & the effect was an increase in the
wealth of Songhay
H.
Government Administration
H. Government Administration
1. provincial governors appointed by the king
2. positions were not hereditary and were dependent upon the king
3. governor—recruited his own army to ensure collection of taxes
I. Economy
1. income—taxes from the provinces, royal farms, taxes on trade
2. currency—salt (long-distance trade) & cowry shells (internal trade)
3. goods traded—gold, kola nuts, slaves, cloth
III. Fall of Songhay
III. Fall of Songhay
A.
Following Muhammad Ture—short reigns & dynastic disputes
B.
1580s, Civil war, drought, disease
C.
Lost control over trade networks
D.
Army was not modernized (firearms)
E.
1591, Moroccan invasion of Songhay
1.
Wanted the trans-Saharan trade route
2.
Moroccan sultan, Ahmad al-Mansur attacked with muzzle-loading
guns (4,000 soldiers)
3.
Songhay was surprised
4.
Battle of Tondibi, 12 March 1591—Songhay army threw into
confusion and disorder b/c of Moroccan’s use of guns
5.
Moroccans went on to capture Timbuktu and Jenne but failed in the
long run b/c Songhay launched a guerilla resistance which wore
down the resources and resolve of the Moroccans