Songhai Empire — GlobalSecurity.org
Songhai Empire
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Formed in the 15th century from some of the former regions of the Mali Empire, this kingdom was considered as one of the greatest empires in the world.
It spanned thousands of miles across much areas in Western Africa and was said to be even larger than Western Europe. The empire flourished due to the wealth it gained from trading in gold and salt and the control it had over the lucrative trans-Saharan trade routes and other trade centres at Gao and Djenné.
It also had control over several other cultures, which were all held together by a bureaucratic system of government. With a new currency created by the empire, these cultures were able were united in their activities.
In the early 16th century, the Empire came under the rule of King Muhammad I Askia, who conquered new lands and set up scores of Islamic schools in Timbuktu. Historians say that the size of the Songhai empire contributed to its downfall, as it became too difficult to control.
By the end of the 16th century, the empire had stumbled into civil war. The Sultan of Morocco eventually attacked the kingdom, leading to its collapse.
