Page 63 - 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

Sii ali Beeri

When Sii Sulayman Dama died in 1464, Ali Beeri (r. 1464–1492)
became the next sii of Gao and its surrounding lands. He was a very
ambitious ruler. He was also a military leader with endless energy who
was constantly on the move, leading his troops to hold off invaders and
conquer new territory.
Sii Ali Beeri (Beeri means “the great” in Songhay) had a large, well-
disciplined army that included cavalry. Whenever possible, Sii Ali also
used a fleet of riverboats to transport his troops, with Sorko crewmen
under a naval commander known as the Hi-koi. A river navy was very
useful because many of Sii Ali’s military campaigns were in territories
bordering the Niger River.
Once Sii Ali had cleared the Gao kingdom of its most immediate
dangers, he turned his attention to gaining control of the entire Middle

In TheIr Own wOrds

Rough Trip, Big Disappointment did, it would be several months before
the next camel caravan left. He was afraid
By speaking arabic and pretending to be a grateful thanksgivings did I pour forth for if he stayed longer, his true identity as a
muslim traveling to Egypt, french explorer the protection which God had vouchsafed french christian would be discovered. He
réné caillié became the first European to to me, amidst obstacles and danger which reached tangier in september 1828, and
appeared insurmountable.
see timbuktu and live to tell the tale. He hid in the french vice consul’s house until
started from the west african coast in april This duty being ended, I looked around he could board a french ship and return
of 1827. after a miserable journey with and found that the sight before me home.
did not answer my expectations. I had
months of illness and suffering, he arrived formed a totally different idea of the Note that he refers to the region as
in timbuktu on april 20, 1828. this excerpt grandeur and wealth of Timbuctoo. The “the soudan.” the region below the
reveals caillé’s mixed emotions when he city presented, at first view, nothing western sahara is known in arabic as Bilad
first saw the fabled city. but a mass of ill-looking houses, built al-sudan (“land of the blacks”), and the
of earth. Nothing was to be seen in french called it soudan. in the colonial era,
At length, we arrived safely at Timbuctoo, all directions but immense plains of
just as the sun was touching the horizon. I quicksand of a yellowish white color. The it became known as french sudan. that
now saw this capital of the Soudan, which sky was a pale red as far as the horizon: area is now the republic of mali and parts
had so long been the object of my wishes. all nature wore a dreary aspect, and the of neighboring countries.
On entering this mysterious city, which is most profound silence prevailed; not In 1828 Réné Caillié’s host Sidi Ab-
an object of curiosity and research to the even the warbling of a bird was to be dallahi gave him free lodgings in this (source: caillié, réné. Travels Through Central
civilized nations of Europe, I experienced heard. house. When the French explorer Africa to Timbuktoo and Across the Great
an indescribable satisfaction. I never was not sightseeing in Timbuktu, he Desert to Morocco Performed in the Years
before felt a similar emotion and my caillié only stayed two weeks in spent his time here secretly writing 1824-1828. london: Henry colburn and
transport was extreme. . . . How many timbuktu. if he did not leave when he notes on what he saw. richard Bentle, 1830.)

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