Mali 67Mali was not a true empire, but rather the center of a
sphere of infl uence. Th e territory controlled by Mali com-
prised three distinct regions: the Senegal region with people
speaking Niger-Kongo languages, the central Mande states
occupied by Soninke and Mandinke, and the region of Gao
occupied by people who spoke Songhay.
Th e historical founder of Mali was the magician Sund-
jata Keita, or Sundiata, one of the most legendary fi gures in
African history. Sundjata, who ruled Mali between the years
1230–1255, began as a royal slave and magician among the
Soso peoples who then ruled the Ghanaian empire. Accord-
ing to African oral histories, the small state of Kangaba, led
by Sundjata, defeated the nearby kingdom of Soso at the
Battle of Kirina in 1235. Th e clans of the heartland unifi ed
under Sundjata, beginning a period of expansion. Th e rul-
ers of Mali nominally converted to Islam, but held strong
ties with Mande religions.
Under Sundjata and his immediate successors, Mali
expanded rapidly west to the Atlantic Ocean, south deep
into the forest, east beyond the Niger River, and north to
the salt and copper mines of the Sahara. Th e city of Nianinorth of Ghana, splintered that kingdom. Th e Almoravids
did not succeed in building their own Islamic kingdom in
the region. Th e Almoravid revolution, however, led to en-
ergetic Islamic proselytizing all throughout the Sahel. Many
of the ruling families converted to Islam.
One of these ruling families, the Keita, forged the suc-
cessor to the Ghanaian Kingdom, the Kingdom of Mali. As
with Ghana, Mali was built off of the monopolization of the
trade routes from western and southern Africa to eastern
and northern Africa. Th e most lucrative of these monopo-
lies was the gold trade. Mali was located farther south than
Ghana; the Malians lived in an agriculturally fertile land.
Mali was also located along the upper Niger River, while
Ghana had been located to the west. Th e bulk of the gold
trade proceeded up the Niger River, so this gave Mali a
fi rmer grip on this lucrative monopoly. Furthermore, con-
trolling the Niger River and the cities that lie on its banks
were important for trade and travel. Th e Niger was a central
artery of commerce for both west and north African trade
routes. Mali’s control of the Niger River helped it to grow
and prosper.
Djinguereber Mosque in Timbuktu was built in the 14 th century during Mansa Musa’s reign as emperor of Mali. (Emilio Labrador)