Foundation of the Malian Empire
History: KS3, topic 4.1.3
The Foundation of the Malian Empire
The Malian Empire was ruled by Sunjata Keita.
Control of West Africa
- West Africa had been largely dominated by the Empire of Ghana.
- But Islamic forces attacked the Empire of Ghana across North Africa in 1076.
West Africa falls apart
- The 1076 attack by Islamic forces weakened West Africa.
- West Africa fell apart by the end of the 1100s and different groups tried to take control.
The Mandinka people
- One of the groups that tried to take control of West Africa was the Mandinka people.
- The Mandinka lived in a small place called Kangaba on the banks of the Upper Niger River.
Trade
- The Mandinka took part in trading across Africa.
- The Mandinka traded between places in the South and the North.
- They were a group of ‘middlemen’, taxing the trade that crossed their lands.
The success of the Mandinka
- The Mandinka were also successful farmers, producing rice and other foods.
- The Mandinka quickly became rich.
- The Mandinkas' wealth enabled them to be successful in battle.
- By around 1230, the Mandinkans were able to establish power over the neighbouring tribes.
Test yourself on Foundation of the Malian Empire
What was the name of the group which established power by c. 1230?