Page 56 - Empires of Medieval West Africa

t h e m a l i E m p i r e

est, and had expected to step into power when Musa died. Since Musa’s
son Magha died after only four years in power, it has been suggested
that Sulayman killed him.
Once in power, Mari Jata II proved to be a vicious tyrant (a ruler
who uses his power in a cruel and unreasonable way). He caused much
suffering among his subjects. Ibn Khaldun talked to a man who lived in
Mali at the time, and was told that Mari Jata II “. . . ruined their empire,
squandered their treasure, and all but demolished the edifice of their
rule” (quoted by Levtzion and Hopkins).
One of the king’s most notorious deeds was to sell a huge gold nug-
get at a cheap price to some Egyptian traders. The person Ibn Khaldun
interviewed described it as a “boulder” that was regarded as Mali’s most
precious national treasure. After years of abusing his subjects and steal-
ing from his country, Mari Jata II fell ill with sleeping sickness. Many
Malians were probably relieved when he died two years later, in 1373.

poWer STruggleS end an eMpire

Nobody knows the reason, but many of the descendants of Sunjata and
his brother Manden Bori proved to be incompetent leaders. When Mari
Jata II died in 1373, his son Musa was appointed the next king. Mansa
Musa II (r. 1373–1387) was not at all like his father. He was a fair, wise,
and considerate ruler, but he was too weak to maintain control of his
kingship.
Musa II had a very strong and ambitious advisor who managed to
take control of the government. Although the advisor’s name was Mari
Jata, he was not believed to have been a member of the royal family. To
avoid confusion he is known as Mari Jata III.
Musa II was still the recognized mansa, but he was kept hidden
and became a mere puppet of Mari Jata III. Jata took all the power into
his own hands.
The Mali Empire had already been seriously weakened by the civil
war that followed Mansa Sulayman’s death and by the irresponsible
reign of Mari Jata II. Even though Mari Jata III was not the recognized
mansa, he worked hard to revitalize Mali’s imperial power. He sent the
army into the Sahara to fight the Tuareg for control of the salt and cop-
per sources near Takadda. He also renewed or expanded Mali’s control
over the eastern frontier beyond Gao.