North/West Africa

Agaja Trudo

King of Dahomey in 1720s, helping expand the empire by invading Allada and Whydah. He wrote to the Europeans asking them to establish plantations in Dahomey with slave labor so the labor of the slaves wouldn’t actually be lost to Africa, but they ignored this.

Asante

Founded by Osei Tutu in the 1670s. Initially a loose group of chiefdoms, chiefs of villages paid tribute. Leader of the kingdom titled Asantehene. Kept expanding, by 1700 controlled most of the goldfields of the forest, expanded until most of modern Ghana. Late 1700s, new centralized administration, no hereditary chiefdom federation, instead government officers appointed by merit, removed a lot of taxation, centralization of army. Slave labor basis of most gold production

Osei Tutu

Founded the Asante Kingdom in 1670s. He was a military leader and head of the Oyoko clan, got control of trading center near Kumasi to conquer surrounding Akan chiefdoms to create Asante

Oyo

Yoruba empire in West Africa, present day western Nigeria, founded in the 1300s. Situated on savannah woodland north of tropical forest, ideal for growing cereal crops, powerful trade position. Led by alafin’s, their economic basis of power financing cavalry was use of slave labor on royal farms, and tribute from towns and villages. Incessant wars of expansion produced more captives. Major transit hub for slaves with increasing European demand in 1780s. Declined when reduced slave trade

Morocco

Rise as an independent state in the 1500s. The Sa’dis, an Arab nomad clan, gradually conquered/united the whole of Morocco. They prevented the Ottomans from encroaching and drove Christian Portuguese out. Expanded under Al-Mansur, state weakened following his death 1603, dynastic disputes between his sons, unity overall survived into 1700s onward

Algiers

1500s Maghrib contest for control of western mediterranean between Christian Spaniards and Muslim Ottomans. Spanish/Portuguese seizure of important port of Algiers. Struggle that followed, Algiers changed hands several times. Turks lost other parts of Mediterranean but expelled them from Algiers, became major Turkish base, raiding Christian ships 16/1700s

Battle of el-Ksar el Kebir (Battle of 3 Kings)

Portuguese invaded Morocco in 1578, major defeat in this battle, where Portuguese king and sultan of Morocco were both killed, made way for Ahmad al-Mansur

Ahmad al-Mansur

Ruled 1578-1603, vigorous rule brought Morocco to height of power. 1580s developed thriving trade with England, exporting sugar in exchange for firearms. Strengthened army with Arab horsemen from western plains. Helped him lead invasion of Songhay

Songhay Invasion

1591 - led by Ahmad al-Mansur, , which short term brought riches but long term drain on Morocco’s resources in terms of military personnel and equipment.

Fulani

or Fulbe, were a pastoralist people spread across west African savannah by the 1600s, separate identity not usually part of political life in states they settled in. Sense of isolation driving them to turn to Islam, Fulbe Muslim clans rivaled Tuaregs as leading Islamic scholars by early 1800s

Segu

Bambara Empire, one of largest West African states in 1700s, existed from 1640-1861 ish. Other important one was Kaarta. They speak Malinke languages, competition for resources. Leader used taxation, cowrie as currency. Defeated by Muslim jihad, led by Cheikou Amadou

Hausa

Hausa city-states first emerged between 1000 and 1200 CE. Combination of southern Saharan nomads and farmers from northern Nigerian savannah. Compact walled village, protection from southern Saharan raiders. Walled cities developed, became capitals of states. The economic basis was agriculture, manufacturing, and trade. Slavery was important. Ruling elite became Muslims in 1300s, overall flourished from 1500-1700s, great rivalry between states

Usman dan Fodio

Founded the Sokoto Caliphate. Widely educated Muslim scholar, began preaching Islam in 1770s Hausa state Gobir, wanted to convert Fulani pastoralists and religious/social reform Hausa. Revolution spread from his teachings, series of simultaneous uprisings, Hausa states fell to jihadists

Sokoto Caliphate

Located in parts of modern day Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria. Achieved through series of local uprisings led by Fulani/Muslim Hausa townsmen. Was an Islamic religious state, consisting of several separate Muslim emirates, independent in local matters but religious authority from the caliph at Sokoto. Economy of Hausaland established along similar lines as before, but careful not to be as corrupt as predecessors. Slavery still essential, Islam and literacy also spread, more unity less rivalry as a result

Tukolor Empire

Located west of Sokoto, near Segu. 1818 Fulbe rebelled against local rulers, creating Masina which later became part of Tukolor Empire. Umar pursued jihads, 1860s extended conquest, Kaarta, Segu, Masina, didn’t establish stable administration, following death in 1864 empire weakened, taken by French 1880s/90s

al-Hajj Umar

Influenced by Usman revolution that create Sokoto Caliphate. 1826 he pilgrimaged to Mecca, built up following on borders of Futa Jalon, trading non-Muslim captives in exchange for firearms. His policy of forced conversion to Islam provoked resistance

Muhammed al-Kanemi

Essentially ruler of Borno, the Mai basically a figurehead, protested to Sokoto that Borno was Islamic state, no justification to wage jihad against it. Died in 1837

Dahomey foundation/political structure

Founded early 1600s by the Aja in modern republic of Benin. Powerful centralized state, king introduced direct taxation, exploited the profits to be gained from slave trade, exchanging captives for firearms. Rivalry between Oyo and Dahomey, 1730 paid tribute to alafin of Oyo but still expanded as a state in 1700s

Dahomey royal power

royal power strengthened with succession by primogeniture (king’s eldest male heir), preventing traditional village chiefs from having a say in succession. ‘Cult of kingship’ developed with human sacrifices to honor royals.