The History of Magic

The History of Magic 501: Ancient African Kingdoms II

The Songhai Empire (1375 - 1591 CE)

Considered the largest empire to emerge in West Africa, the Songhai Empire expanded in all directions from its capital at Gao on the Niger River until it reached the Atlantic Ocean. How exactly did this empire appear? If you remember from the last lesson, the Mali Empire came about through the Mandinka tribes conquering Ghana and rising to power. The Songhai Empire emerged in a similar way. The Songhai people founded Gao around 800 CE and established itself as the capital in the 11th century. The capital flourished and grew in importance to the industry of trade and thus the Mali Empire decided to allow the Songhai people to become a kingdom-state within their empire known as the Mali-Gao state. A kingdom-state was a reference to the particular area or people who had pledged to a particular empire (which can be seen in its name) which listed the ruling empire and then the state itself. 

The Songhai recognized the weakening of the Mali Empire and rebelled in 1375, overthrowing them and beginning its own expansion by conquering some of Mali's most important cities. The first was Mema, one of the Mali Empire's oldest cities, which was conquered in 1465 and then the seizure of Timbuktu, the largest and wealthiest Malian city three years later. Such feats cannot be performed alone, and just as the Mali Empire had Musa Keita, the Songhai Empire owed its victories to Sunni Ali Ber, the military commander and first ruler of the Songhai Empire. From what we know due to historical records, Sunni Ali Ber originated from a magical background, but there is no mention or indication that he ever used magic. It is for this reason that magical historians today claim that he may have been a Squib. Sunni Ali Ber was not content to just conquer the Mali Empire; he wished to prove the power of the Songhai people and continued to expand, conquering most of the cities along the Trans-Saharan trade routes and other small surrounding cities.

Sunni Ali Ber's death in 1492 left the expanding empire without a ruler. Unfortunately, a great cloud of mystery surrounds his death. No one is entirely certain how he died, some claim in battle, but others claim that it was due to political rivalries. Many historians agree with the latter as his son, Sonni Baru became emperor, but only for a short while before losing the throne to Emperor Askia Muhammad Toure one year later.