Ancient Mali Empire

An ancient Mali Empire timeline from the fall of the Empire of Ghana, the rise of the Mali Empire and its fragmentation by the 17th Century and eventual French colonial control. The territory known as Mali can be traced back to the fourth century of the common era when south west Mali was part of the Empire Of Ghana. For centuries, the Ghana Empire (not to be confused with the modern nation) dominated West Africa, growing rich by controlling the trans-Saharan trade routes for gold and salt. However, by the 12th century, it was weakening. A combination of internal strife, droughts, and economic shifts eroded its authority. This power vacuum created an opening by the thirteenth century for the smaller, subject kingdoms it had once dominated. Among these were the Mandinka people of the southern savannah, led by a powerful clan known as the Keita.

However, Soumaoro Kanté (also known as Sumaworo Kanté or Sumanguru Kanté), a 13th-century king of the Sosso people, sought power for himself, seizing Koumbi Saleh, the capital of the recently defunct Ghana Empire, before proceeding to conquer several neighbouring states, including the Mandinka people in what is now Mali. Soumaoro Kanté was a ruthless and powerful ruler who demanded heavy taxes and subservience of the Mandinka, even killing eleven of the twelve brothers of the Keita clan, fearing they would challenge his rule. The twelfth brother, Sundiata Keita, born 1217CE, was spared, reportedly because he was a sickly child who seemed to pose no threat. This decision would prove to be Soumaoro Kanté’s greatest mistake.

Sundjata Keita For Sundiata Keita (right) had overcome his physical infirmities and grown into a charismatic and formidable leader. He returned from exile, rallying the discontented Mandinka chiefs and other ethnic groups who had suffered under Soso oppression, and offered them a new vision: a united kingdom where they would no longer be subjects, but masters of their own destiny.

The defining moment came around the year 1235CE at the Battle of Kirina. The forces of Sundiata Keita met the army of Soumaoro Kanté in a climactic confrontation. The battle was more than a military clash; it was a contest of spiritual power, or nyama. Tradition holds that Sundiata’s sorcerers discovered the secret to neutralising Soumaoro’s magical protections and, with his power broken, the Sosso army was routed.

Victory at Kirina was the pivotal event. It shattered Sosso's dominance forever and by 1240 Sundiata Keita had conquered and destroyed what was left of the Ghana Empire, establishing himself as the undisputed ruler of the region, bringing the other Mandinke clan rulers under his leadership in exchange for the title 'farbas' (commander) allowing them to rule their old kingdoms in the name of himself, the Mansa or “emperor.” He then began consolidating his lands into a new, more powerful entity: the Mali Empire.

Ancient Mali Empire

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Sundiata did not just conquer; he organised. He established a new capital at Niani and implemented a system of government that respected local traditions while ensuring central control. This new capital at Niani became an important financial and trading centre, not least because it was located near the Bure goldfields, a significant resource that led to the incredible wealth of the nascent Mali empire that would later allow his successors, like Mansa Musa, to project its power and splendour across the globe. The empire was born not from a slow evolution, but from a calculated and decisive rebellion against a crumbling old order.

In 1255 Mansa Uli (above), Sundiata Keita's only biological son, succeeded his father after the emperor reportedly drowned in the Sankarani River. Uli I, a highly ambitious prince expanded the empire further to the east and set about increasing agricultural production. When he died in 1270 he left no heirs, resulting in a power struggle between his adopted brothers Mansa Ouati (Wati) Keita and Mansa Khalifa Keita with Wati becoming Mansa, forcing his brother into exile.

Abubakari II Wati ruled (badly) for just four years before being succeeded by this adopted brother, a former freed slave, Khalifa Keita. In turned out that Khalifa was to be an even worse leader, reportedly spending time shooting passers by with arrows for sport. It was an ugly precedent as he ended up being assassinated and succeeded by his uncle and Sundjata Keita's brother, Abubakari I, who had previously been appointed to serve as regent until Uli was old enough to serve as Mansa, but was usurped by Uli claiming the throne early.

The reign of Abubakari I (1275 - 1285) saw the restoration of Mali's fortune's after the mismanagement of his nephews. He was succeeded by former slave and army general Mansa Sakura who seized the throne in 1285 and reinforced the Mali empire's military position including the conquest of Gao.

However he was assassinated in 1350 and succeeded by Sundiata Keita's sister's son, Gao. Gao ruled until 1305 when he was succeeded by his son Mohammed ibn Gao who himself ruled for a further five years before being succeeded by his uncle Abubakari II (above) in 1310. Abubakari II himself abdicated in favour of exploration and there were unsubstantiated reports that he had actually discovered the New World.

By this time the Mali rulers had converted to Islam and Abubakari II's successor following his abdication, Musa I, was a devout Muslim, who made an historic pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, promoting Mali along the way as a prosperous, educated and awe inspiring empire.

Musa I On his return Musa started a building program, constructing mosques and universities across his fiefdom. By this time ancient Mali was the source of half the world's gold and its territory had expanded north and west to the Atlantic ocean and, by the fourteenth century, was about the size of Western Europe, being the envy of many other African nations.

The reign of Musa is widely regarded as being ancient Mali's most powerful period. He was succeeded by his son Maghan (1337 - 1341) who, in turn, was succeeded by his uncle and father's brother Suleyman who ruled until 1360. However these and subsequent kings were widely regarded as weak and unable to maintain the integrity of the empire.

Over these and subsequent years, the ancient Mali Empire became fragmented and, after the death of Mahmud IV in 1610, there was no clear ruler with his three sons fighting over his legacy. The Empire of Mali was effectively over. There followed a long period of various groups running the area which changed in shape and size over the centuries until Mali came under French colonial rule in 1892 as part of the Scramble for Africa. The area, then known as French Sudan, became the autonomous state of the Sudanese Republic in 1958 and gained full independence from France in 1960, forming, together with Senegal, the Federation of Mali. However months later Senegal withdrew from the federation and the Sudanese Republic was renamed the Republic of Mali.