Mali, One of the Greatest Afri
Mali, One of the Greatest AfriMali, One of the Greatest African Civilizations
Mali�s Culture and Government
After the kingdom of Ancient Ghana, the next great West African Empire to emerge was the kingdom of Ancient Mali. Ancient Mali and Ghana shared a number of different features, however they also were extremely distinct from each other in many ways as well. For example, unlike Ghana, a great deal more information and written records about the kingdom of Mali still exist. With the resources that have endured a much better understanding of Mali can be established. Like Ghana, however, most of the information that is known about Mali comes from Islamic scholars and travelers. Islamic scholars must have paid a great of attention to Mali because its rulers converted to Islam, and subsequently spread it throughout Africa. The richness of the historical record of Mali allows a history of this great civilization to be reconstituted.
Early in the history of Mali, during the reign of Al-Malik al-Nasir, Mali extended its boards west to the Atlantic Ocean. To the north, Mali occupied the upper portions of the Sahara. To the south, Mali extended down the Niger River past the city of Djenne, which is located on marshy land in the middle of the Niger River, it is referred to as an island. To the East, the kingdom stretched to a city called Takrur; this included much of the Sahara. Originally the kingdom of Mali started expanding from the top of the Niger River. Starting from the city of Timbuktu, Mali steadily conquered the lands that lay down steam. These areas included the towns of Djenne, located on series of mashes and lakes that lies close to the Niger River, and Kawkaw, thought to be the modern-day city of Gao. Controlling the Niger River and the cities that lie on its banks were important for trade and travel. The Niger River was a central artery of commerce for both west and North African trade routs. The importance of the Niger River can also be seen in the fact that Mali's capital city, which changed many times, was often located on that river. Mali's control of the Niger River, and these important cities, helped it to grow and prosper.
Trade and military power were important elements that held together the government of Mali. Like Ghana, Mali was organized and into a series of feudal states ruled by a king. A substantial cavalry helped enforced the rule of the king. Mali's horsemen were armed with steel armor and weapons, which included chain mail, spears, and iron swords. The record indicates that Mali enjoyed a great number of rulers with a...
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