Page 57 - Empires of Medieval West Africa

E m p i r E s o f m E d i E v a l w E s t a f r i c a

Another power struggle began when Mansa Musa II died in 1387.
He was followed by his brother Mansa Magha II (r. 1387–1388), who
was also weak. Once again, a member of the royal family was only
a puppet ruler controlled by a powerful government official. Mansa
Magha II was killed after only one year as king.
He was replaced by Sandaki, a member of the imperial council.
Sandaki had married Mansa Musa II’s mother, but he was not part
of the ruling family and had no real right to be king. After only a few
months in power, Sandaki was assassinated by a member of the royal

In TheIr Own wOrds
A Lion, a Madman, and a Powerful Slave

the arab historian ibn Khaldun never reign their dominions expanded and they
traveled across the sahara desert. But overcame the neighboring peoples. He
even in North africa he heard reports about conquered the land of Kawkaw [Gao, later
sunjata (also known as mari Jata), who Songhay] and brought it within the rule
founded the mali Empire. He also wrote of the people of Mali. Their rule reached
from the Ocean and Ghana in the west to
about other mali rulers.
the land of Takrur in the east.
Their greatest king, he who overcame the
Susu, conquered their country and seized ibn Khaldun was born in tunis in 1332
the power from their hands, was named and died in cairo in 1406. He spent most of
Mari Jata. Mari, in their language, means his life in service to North african rulers and
“ruler of the blood royal,” and jata “lion.” . had access to diplomatic exchanges between
. . He ruled for 25 years, according to what morocco and mali. He is considered a great
they relate. . . .
historian because he recorded historical
[The mansa called] Khalifa was insane traditions from the malians whom he met.
and devoted to archery, and he used to
shoot arrows at his people and kill them He wrote down the names of the people
wantonly, so they rose against him and he interviewed, and he was very careful
killed him. . . . to provide the most accurate information
[A later] ruler was a former slave who possible.
usurped their kingship. . . . His name
was Sakura [and he] . . . performed the (source: levtzion, Nehemia, and J. f. p. Hopkins,
Pilgrimage during the reign of al-Malik editors. Corpus of Early Arabic Sources
al-Nasir [1309–1340] and was killed on the for West African History. cambridge, U.K.:
return journey at Tajura. During his mighty cambridge University press, 1981.)

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