Empires of Sub-Saharan Africa

Vocabulary flashcards covering key empires, dynasties, and city-states of Sub-Saharan Africa as presented in Period 1 AP World History.

Great Zimbabwe

A city in the south-eastern hills of Zimbabwe that served as the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe, thriving from the 11th to 15th centuries on the trade of native gold and ivory.

Zagwe dynasty

A dynasty that ruled many parts of present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea from the early 12th century until its defeat in 1270 AD.

Solomonic dynasty

The ruling dynasty of the Ethiopian Empire from 1270 AD until 1974, governing a largely Christian kingdom with a sizable Islamic minority.

Ethiopian Empire

A long-standing Christian kingdom in the Horn of Africa, mythologized in medieval Europe as a lost Christian realm isolated by North African Muslim conquests.

Emperor of Abyssinia

The title of the Ethiopian emperor who established diplomatic contact with European kingdoms in the early 15th century and received military assistance from Portugal.

Adal Sultanate

A neighboring sultanate defeated by Ethiopia in the 15th century with the help of four hundred Portuguese soldiers and weapons.

Hausa Kingdoms

A collection of city-states situated between the Niger River and Lake Chad that grew through trade connected to Ghana, Mali, and the Songhai Dynasty.

Kano

The most powerful Hausa city-state by the 14th century, serving as the primary hub for trans-Saharan trade in salt, cloth, leather, and grain.