Sundiata

Name
Class
Date
Biography
West African Empires
Sundiata
c. 1210-1260
WHY HE MADE HISTORY Sundiata was
founder of the Mali Empire in West Africa.
He united his people and turned a small
kingdom into a powerful empire.
As you read the biography below, think about
how Sundiata’s leadership allowed him to unite
the different clans to form a powerful empire.
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Sundiata was, according to legend, the first
emperor of Mali. Much of his story has been
handed down through the oral accounts of the
griots. Griots were West African traveling poets,
musicians, historians, and storytellers. It was their
job to keep alive memories and accounts of the past.
According to these accounts, Sundiata and his
11 brothers were heirs to the throne of Kangaba.
Kangaba was a small kingdom near today’s MaliGuinea border in Africa. In the early 1200s Kangaba
was invaded by Sumanguru, the neighboring king.
Sumanguru killed all of Sundiata’s 11 brothers.
Sundiata was spared because he was sickly and
weak. Sumanguru thought that Sundiata wouldn’t
live long anyway.
But Sundiata did survive. He became the leader
of a village and put together an army of his own.
Around 1235, he led his army against Sumanguru.
In the battle of Kirina, Sundiata defeated
Sumanguru. At that time, the area was populated
by many different clans, which were mainly made
up of farmers who had joined a clan to protect
themselves against nomadic invaders. Sundiata
united these various clans to form the Mali Empire.
VOCABULARY
clan group with common
characteristics or interests
imperial relating to an
empire
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Name
Class
Sundiata, continued
Date
Biography
Once he established the empire, Sundiata dedicated
himself to establishing an imperial system and
administering the empire.
Sundiata’s generals continued to conquer nearby
lands until the empire was greatly extended. They
conquered important trade centers and gold fields
throughout Africa. Under Sundiata’s leadership,
the region was peaceful and the gold trade was
plentiful. It was not long before Mali became an
important trade center. Sundiata’s empire and the
administrative system he established survived
even after his death, despite internal warfare to
determine who would succeed him.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
1. Recall What empire did Sundiata establish?
2. Analyze Why did Mali become a trade center?
ACTIVITY
3. Pretend that you are a griot during Sundiata’s reign. You are going to tell the
people a story about something important that Sundiata did and that is important to the history of the empire. Write down your description of the event.
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Name
Class
Date
Biography
West African Empires
Sunni Ali Ber
?-1492
WHY HE MADE HISTORY Sunni Ali Ber
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was the king of Songhai. He turned this small
kingdom into the largest and most powerful
West African empire.
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As you read the biography below, consider how
Sunni Ali Ber’s determination helped him convert his small kingdom into a powerful empire.
Sunni (also spelled Sonni) Ali Ber became the king
of Songhai in 1464. When he came to the throne,
the Songhai kingdom occupied a small area in West
Central Africa. The great West African empire of
Mali had disintegrated. Sunni Ali wanted to expand
his small kingdom. Sunni Ali began a series of conquests, at first in Mali, that expanded his kingdom
into the largest and most powerful empire in West
Central Africa.
Sunni Ali began his military career with the conquest of Timbuktu, which had been conquered by
the Tuareg peoples. Timbuktu’s Muslim leaders
asked Sunni Ali to help overthrow the Tuaregs.
Sunni Ali stormed into the city and defeated the
Tuaregs. But then he looted the city and killed
much of its population. This act gave Sunni Ali a
reputation among the Muslims as being a brutal
and impulsive tyrant. The Muslims also distrusted
Sunni Ali because he respected and continued many
Songhai religious beliefs, even though he also
practiced Muslim rites common in West Africa.
During his reign, Sunni Ali conquered the
trading cities along the Niger River system. With
these conquests, he controlled commerce in the
VOCABULARY
prosperous marked by
success and economic
well-being
cavalry combat troops
mounted on horses
flourish enjoy vigorous
and healthy growth,
especially economic
growth
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Name
Class
Date
Sunni Ali Ber, continued
Biography
Sudan region and his empire became prosperous.
But Sunni Ali’s empire was constantly under attack.
His use of military strategy and his cavalry allowed
Sunni Ali to repulse the attacks and prevent raiding
of his cities. Altogether, Sunni Ali fought 32 military
campaigns—and won 32 victories. As a result,
Sunni Ali greatly expanded his empire and spread
traditional African culture in the region.
One reason for Sunni Ali’s success was that he
was a strong administrator. For example, Sunni
Ali’s military consisted of tightly organized cavalry,
infantry, and river-based naval units. Lands that
Sunni Ali conquered were divided into provinces.
Military governors appointed by Sunni Ali ruled
these provinces. Along with the governors, advisers
and specialized units in the government ran
departments such as agriculture and the treasury.
Sunni Ali’s government was centralized, and
efficient tax collection helped the Songhai economy
flourish. Sunni Ali fought in military campaigns up
until his death in 1492, when he died in an accident
on his way home from a campaign.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
1. Describe What kind of government was established in the Songhai Empire?
2. Draw a Conclusion How did Sunni Ali Ber control commerce in the
Sudan region?
ACTIVITY
3. Imagine that you are one of Sunni Ali Ber’s government planners. Make a
diagram of the government layout. Start with Sunni as emperor. Add the governors of each province. Below them add the different advisors, department heads,
officials, etc. Make up names and titles for each.
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Name
Class
Date
Biography
West African Empires
Leo Africanus
c. 1494–1554
WHY HE MADE HISTORY Leo Africanus
was a Moorish traveler and scholar. For many
years his geographical writings were the only
written source of information on the African
Sudan.
As you read the biography below, think about
how Leo Africanus’ adventurous personality
influenced his travels.
Leo Africanus could be called “the man of many
names.” He is also known as Giovanni Leone and
Al-Hasan Ibn Muhammad Al-wazzan Zayyati. By
whatever name, Leo Africanus led a colorful and
adventurous life. Most of what we know about Leo
is from references about himself in his writings.
Leo was a Muslim born in Granada, Spain. Soon
after his birth, his family moved to Morocco, where
Leo was raised and educated. He was an intelligent
and curious young man, and went to the university
in Fez. Leo also traveled widely from an early age.
As a teenager, Leo went with his uncle on
diplomatic missions to all parts of the Kingdom of
Ghana and other parts of North Africa. In fact, it
is possible that the first of Leo’s many travels took
place when he was about 14 years old. He made a
long voyage visiting Constantinople, Beirut, and
Baghdad.
Leo’s second adventure was to Timbuktu, which
was an important caravan trade center in Western
Africa. After 1514, Leo traveled to Egypt, subSaharan Africa, and throughout the Middle East
and Arabia. On one of these trips, Leo was
captured by pirates and his life was changed.
The Granger Collection, New York
VOCABULARY
corsair pirate
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Name
Class
Date
Leo Africanus, continued
Biography
In 1518, on his way home from Constantinople,
Leo’s ship was captured by Spanish corsairs. The
pirates recognized Leo’s intelligence and education.
Instead of making Leo a galley slave, they took him
to Rome and gave him to Pope Leo X. The Pope was
planning a crusade against the Turks. He knew that
Leo could give him information that would be valuable in the military campaigns. About a year later,
the Pope gave Leo his freedom and a pension, but
only after Leo converted to Christianity.
The crusade against the Turks never happened.
When Pope Leo X died, Leo Africanus traveled
extensively in Italy. Leo lived in Italy for 10 years,
and during this period, he published many works.
Most of his writings have been lost. His most
famous work, Description of Africa, which was based
on his travels in the Sudan region, survived and is
the main reason Leo is remembered today.
There is some controversy about where Leo
Africanus died. The most accepted version is that
Leo returned to North Africa. There, after converting back to his original Muslim faith, he is thought
to have died in 1554.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
1. Identify What was Leo Africanus’ most important published work?
2. Interpret Why was Leo’s knowledge of geography important to Pope Leo X?
ACTIVITY
3. Imagine that you are an explorer on an expedition to the African Sudan during
Leo Africanus’ time. You have a copy of his book, Description of Africa. Write a
short letter back home explaining how Description of Africa has helped you in
your travels.
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