Ghan The Development And Decline Of Mali Kingdom

The most influential element in the development and decline of the Ghana kingdom, Mali kingdom, and Songhai kingdom was the trans-Sahran trade route and who had control over it. The trans-Sahran trade route, which stretched across the Sahara, facilitated the trade of goods, culture, and slaves. Control over the trans-Saharan trade route allowed the kingdom's immense power, which caused conflicts with other kingdoms who were envious of their power and riches. All 3 empires' success was because of the trans-Sahran trade route as the taxes on imports and exports allowed them to accumulate wealth and eventually control over more regions. The wealth they gained from the trade route piqued the interest of outside forces, such as Muslim merchants,

Soninke farmers, using iron tools they had produced, prevented Berber pastoralists from taking their land in the Ghana Empire . (Falola and Stapleton, 87) The trans-Saharan trade route allowed for the empire’s enormous wealth and economic stability and the “(...) kings of Ghana became wealthy collecting a tax in gold imports and exports of salt and gold (...) (Falola and Stapleton, 87) As their trade route grew successful it attracted Muslim merchants and the “trade expanded, with glass, mirrors, horses, blades, and salt (...)” (Falola and Stapleton, 87) The trade route was an indispensable component to the empire's success as it allowed it to have access to a wide range of goods and the riches that came along with them. However, Ghana’s control over the trans-Sahran trade route withered as their “trade routes connections challenged by Berbers and gold sources in Bure were exploited by Malinke and southern Soninke.” (Walshaw, Lecture 5, Slide 14) Furthermore, a new trade route had developed causing the empire of Ghana to lose their wealth as the trans-Saharan trade route was their primary source of income (Falola and Stapleton, 87) Ghana’s power over the trade route allowed them to grow and amass great wealth, but ultimately the trade route led to its

The Songhay Empire formed around the Niger Bend and engaged in river trading and was under Mali’s rule until 1300 (Falola and Stapleton, 90) The Songhai gained great power as it was “(...) the largest empire in the history of and one of the largest land-based empires in history.” (Falola and Stapleton, 90) The Songhai Empire was similar to its predecessor in that it also engaged in agriculture trades involving sorghum, pearl millet, and salt and raw materials such as gold. (Walshaw, Lecture 5, Slide 24) However, the empire actively engaged in the slave trade, using slaves for labor in Niger to meet their agricultural needs and exporting them to North Africa. (Falola and Stapleton, 90) Their increased involvement in the slave trade was due to “West African gold exports across the Sahara declined in the 1500s (...)” (Falola and Stapleton, 90) Despite the size of the empire and the power it held, conflicts with Morocco led to Moroccan and Spanish forces causing an imbalance of power and a fracture in Songhai’s military. Eventually, through the powers of Moroccan governors were able to gain autonomy, however, the wars between the Songhai Empire and the Moroccan Empire led to the trans-Saharan trade route moving east (Falola and Stapleton,