West African Empires

Empire of Songhai

Chapter 6 Section 3

Pages 142-151

BeginningsSonghai grew after gaining independence from Mali.

Sunni Ali unified and strengthened Songhai.

Sunni Ali participated in both Muslim and local religions.

Askia the GreatGeneral Muhammad Ture took over after Sunni Ali.

He took the title of askia, a high military rank, and became known as Askia the Great.

Askia the Great made a pilgrimmage to Mecca and encouraged education.

Trade and GovernmentIslam gained influence through trade.

Askia set up five provinces with loyal governors.

He also created special departments to oversee certain tasks and the first standing professional army in West Africa.

Songhai’s Decline: InvasionMorocco invaded Songhai to control their salt mines so they could pay for a previous war.

They attacked Timbuktu with an army of Moroccan, Spanish, and Portuguese soldiers.

They also used cannons and the arquebus, an early form of the gun.

Songhai’s Decline: TradeSonghai trade was weakened when port cities outside the empire became more important.

Europeans preferred to trade with Muslim traders.

This marked the end of the Songhai Empire.