chapter 8

Chapter 8  African civilizations and the spread of Islam 



Mansa Musa

  • Cross the Sahara on his pilgrimage to Mecca (haji) 1324

  • Brought attention of the Muslim world to the wealth of the Mali Kingdom, wealth=potential

Sub-Saharan never totally isolated

  • Not isolated from egypt, West asia, mediterranean, but contact was difficult 

Changes came from…

  1. The arrival of prophet  Muhammad's followers

  1. brought Commercial and Military attributes

  2. Changed islam, but retained individuality

  3. African culture was not United 

  4. Provided major external contact with sub-saharan Africa and the world

State Building

  • Took place in many areas

  • Mali,Songhay-Created  more from military power than Ethnic / cultural Unity

  • Merchant city states on the East/West Coast

  • Portuguese in the 15th century brought Africans more into the world economy.

  • Been to migration continued

  • Societies didn't build as much as previous civilizations 



African societies: diversity and similarities 

Diverse

  • Large centralized states to stateless societies

  1. Differences in geography, language, religion, and politics 

Universalistic faiths penetrated the continent

  • Universal states/religion didn't  characterize history of Sub-Saharan Africa

  •  Universal religions did find adherence in Africa and sometimes contributed to formation of large states/empires 





Stateless societies 

  • Organized around kinship / other forms of obligation, lack concentration of political power/authority

  • Council of families

Little concentration 

  • Government wasn't a full-time job

  • After internal dispute you can leave and form a new Village 

Unable to..

  • Mobilized for war

  • Organize large building projects

  • Create stable conditions for long distance trade 






Common elements in African societies



Even though different, similarities existed 

  1. Language- Bantu( from Bantu migration)

  2. Thought

  3. Religion -Animistic religion (Believe  a Creator deity with Spirit / lesser gods through ancestors of the group)

  1.  Power of natural forces

  2. Ritual and worship

  3. Dancing, drumming, divination and sacrifice

  4. Witchcraft

  5.  cosmology - how universe worked 

  6. Belief in a Creator deity

  7. Saw themselves as first settlers, land Meant more than economic usefulness. 

  8. Link of deceased ancestors 

Economies

  • North Africa -fully invoked in Mediterranean trade -Quite different than the rest

  • Settled Agriculture and skilled metal work had spread

  • Market life whiskey for men and women

  • Professional Merchants controlled trade 

Population

  • Least known by 1500 30-60 mil ppl

 



Arrival of Islam 

  • Africa north of the Sahara Had been conquered/reconquered by phoenicians, greeks, romans, and Vandals 

  1. Cyrene (greek city,600)  and Carthage (Phoenician Outpost, founded 814)became huge trading centers

640-700 CE-Muslim followers spread across Africa

  • BY 670 controlled Tunisia or (Ifriqiya,what the Romans called Africa, used originally by Arabs)

  • Arabs called Northeast Africa, Ifriqiya and Maghrib for lands to the west

When the Abbasid Dynasty united-many conversions

  • 11th century Almoravids -Ultra conservative, reformers (Almoravids Grew among the desert Barbers of the western Sahara) 

  1. Launched Jihad - a holy war to purify, spread, protect the faith

  2. Almohads-also reformers (1130)

  1. Return to the original teachings of Muhammad 

Why was  Islam attractive within Africa?

  • Egalitarian teachings – all Muslims are equally

  • Reinforced African kings authority ( Kings liked this)

  • Equal footing with Arab invaders (at least in the law)

  • …but

    • Disparity between law and practice (Sometimes led to utopian reform movements) 

The Christian kingdoms Nubia and Ethiopia 

  • Wave of Arab Conquest across North Africa Left Behind islands of Christianity.

Christian Egyptians-Copts

  1. Traded with the Byzantine Empire

  2. Eventually split the empire -Doctrinal/political issues

What are the differences?

  • Muslim Invaders allowed them to keep their religion- tolerance

  1. Not resistance in Kush/Nubia -Couldn't push Islam any further



A Ethiopian kingdom that Grew From Axum Ethiopia-Most Important African Christian output 

  1. cutoff , Surrounded by pagans, Influence jewish/pagan immigrants 

  2. Dynasty appeared-  under King Lalibela, 11 great churches sculpted from rock 

  3. traced Origins to the marriage of Solomon and sheba(  biblical )

  4. Maintain its brand of Christianity in isolation, while facing pressure from Muslim Neighbors.

  5. 1542 Portuguese Expedition pushback Muslim invaders

  1. But couldn't push back Catholic faith, remained isolated 





Kingdoms of the grasslands 

Three important coasts of contact in Africa 

  • The atlantic, the Indian ocean, and the Savannah on the southern edge of the Sahara 

Edge of the desert

  • Ghana form by 8 century by exchanging gold from forest West of Africa

  • Camels improved trade,could not live in humid forest zones

  1. Sahel-grassland belt became point of exchange (center of trade,best place to live)

  • African States emerge as trade intermediaries (location on plains meant state subject to attack/drought)

  • 10th Century Ghana ruler convert to Islam and  rose to power through taxing salt and gold exchange 






Sudanic States 

  • Sudanic kingdoms  during Ghana power ,neighboring and persistent  states like Takur and Gao(Kawkaw)

  • Had a patriarch/council of elder of a family/group of lineage  as leaders 

  1. Had power extended over subordinate communities

  2. Drew on taxes, tribute, and Military Support 

State emerges-Ghana,Mali,Songhay

  • Rulers separated from subject through ritual -kinda like Mandate of Heaven 



The Empire of Mali and Sundiata, the “lion prince”



Mali-The 13th century broke away from the control of Ghana 

  • Rulers supported Islam -There was encouraged obedience to the ruler 

  1. Built mosques

  2. Attended public prayers

  3.  supporting preachers 

  • Juula-Malinke merchants/traders

  • Sundiata-(Sujata, d.1260) A leader whose exploits were celebrated in oral tradition 

  1. griots(Professional oral historians) called him “Lion Prince” b/c he expanded Mali

  2. Originator of social arrangements-Divided into Clans- castelike

  1. 16 Clans free to bear arms,Five religious, and four Clans specialist ( blacksmith/griots)

  • Created peace through loyalty, travel was secure,and crime was severely punished 

  1. Security of Traders & goods-key to survival

  2. Ibn batuta- Arab Traveler- Noted impressive security 



Mansa Musa(Sundiata’s successor,c.1312-1337

  • -1324 trip to Mecca-Brought attention of Muslim world to Mali ( Awesome, impressive) 

  1. Gold was distributed -Led to a devaluation of gold

  2. Brought back Ishak al-Sahilli architect/poet (Muslim Spain)-built great Mosque of Jenne

City dwellers and villagers 

  • Port cities flourished  such as Timbuktu and Jenne 

  1. Timbuktu's Sankore mosque contained a library/university

  2. Book trade in Timbuktu was the most lucrative business 

  3. Most people made a living from farming, this was a difficult life (soil shandy and shallow)

  1. Clearing land was done communally

  2. Polygamy was fine for the purpose of Labor 

  • Irrigation in Timbuktu provided people with Basic Foods 





The songhay  Kingdom-Middle of the Niger Valley 

  • Masters of soil and masters of water 

  • 1010 Capital established at Gao on the Niger River and rulers had become Muslims 

  • 1370 Songhay Broke away from Mali-thrive under gold from west africa  

  • Sunni ALi-Ruthless, tactical Commander 

  1. Expanded borders and ceased traditional trading cities of Timbuktu and Jenne ,Created Administration 

  2. Succeeded by Muslim rulers titled askia (Muhammad the Great)

  3. Muhammad the great extended the boundaries of the empire 

  • Mid 16th century dominated  -Songhay Sudan 

  • Familiar pattern -Created a unique brand of Islam 

  1. pagan/muslim beliefs both believed 

  1. Fusion, priests still needed to work with local spirits

       b)  Local interpretation of Muslim law

       c) Women fixed freely in public, no Veil 

  • Downfall went off of Muslim Army from Morocco came--Led to revolts

  • Other states that combine Muslim and pagan Traditions Rose Among the Hausa ( people from northern Nigeria)

  • Muslim  rule in the city

  1. came as Merchants - joined communities

  2. Through night minorities, became Elite 

  3. Located throughout West Africa but no  islamicized state  emerged

  4. Intermarriage took place, Muslim influence varied from region 





Political and social life in the sudanic states 

  • Large states represented goals of elite  family/group

  • Islam served many groups (Universalistic faith)

  1. Common religion/law United

  2. Trust to merchants 

  3. Leaders took names (emir/caliph) to reinforce Authority

  4. As advisors/scribes -Muslims helped with Administration

  5. Maintained theocracy -spiritual and political leader

  6. With new States came increased social differences 

  • Adjustments 

  1. Women

  1. Many societies were matrilineal

  2. Sharia Islamic law says it should be patrilineal (dad)

  3. Visitors shocked at African women's equality

  • Impact of slavery 

  1. 7-8 mil traded

  2. Always existed Muslims brought it to a new height

  1. Muslim saw slavery as a part of conversion 

              c) Used as servants, laborers, Soldiers, administrators, eunuchs,concubines

  1. Led to desire to enslave women / children

  2. Children of slave mothers were freed to integrate into Muslim society (more demand)



The Swahili Coast of East Africa

  • Indian coast -Center for Islamic influence

  1. A string of islamicized trading cities, why?

  1. Universal set of ethics

  2.  Maritime contacts easier 

  • Compromise between indigenous ways and new faith



The coastal trading ports

  •  Founding-Bantu people from 1st century to 10th century 

  1. Contact dates to Even Indonesia and Malaya in 2nd century -Banana/coconuts introduced to Madagascar 

  2. Fishers, farmers made rough pottery and iron

  3. Zenji-Arabic term for the East African Coast 



  • The 13th century -Urbanizing trade boards at least 30 port towns

  1. Shared Swahili language

  2. Contained moss, tombs, Places cut of stone and coral

  3. Exported iron, ivory, gold ,Slaves, exotic animals

  4. Imported silks from persia and Porcelain from China

  5. sofala-Beautiful Coastal city, gold access,Further south to catch monsoon

  1. Riding the monsoon season, key to Trading in Indian Ocean 

  •  Link to Coastal Commerce and Caravan trade

  • Chinese sailing expeditions -From 1417, 1431 -big boats-








The mixture of cultures on the Swahili Coast -It's long fused with local religions - Not entirely accepted

  • 13th century great Islamic expansion (To India and Indonesia)

  1. Trust in law to facilitate trade

  2. Rolling families built mosques and palaces

  3. Claimed to be descendents  of Persian ruling families

  1. Gave rule legitimacy 

                  d)  Merchants and rulers muslim, but others retain their beliefs

Swahili language-Bantu+ Arabic words

  • Arabic script used 

Islam didn't penetrate internally 

  • Class based 

Women-Some societies patrilineal  others matrilineal 

1-500 Portuguese arrive 

  • Wanted to control gold trade

  • Swahili culture was widely diffused, was no longer the predominant City

  •  trade shifted from malindi to Mombasa. 

  • Established for jesus, but couldn't control trade 

People of the forest and plains 

  • African people in the continents interior and Forest of West Africa were following their own trajectories of development

  1. Some herding, some agricultural

  2. Some small villages, other larger States 

  • Most preliterate -Knowledge, skills,traditions  through oral methods 

  1. Made strides in arts, building, and statecraft 



Artists and kings: Yoruba and Benin 

  • Nok, Nigeria

  1. Terracotta / bronze Realistic/stylized art discovered

  1. Portrait heads of rulers 

                  b) Long Gap in history 

  • Yoruba

  1. Agricultural Society led by ruling family/aristocracy

  2. City Ife Ife--Agricultural Society supported by peasantry 

  3. Spoke non-bantu language

  4. Small city-states, Regional Kings 

  5. A nice nature is similar to cities of Italy / Germany 

  • Benin -Edo ppls (14th century)

  1. Ivory / bronze sculptures 

  1. Some included Portuguese soldiers

                 b) ruler in large royal compound 



Central African kingdoms 

  • South of the rainforest to Lake Victoria 

  • State formation replaced kinship-based societies

  1. Rituals reinforced rulers power

  2. Luba people-Believed rulers influence fertility of humans/crops



The kingdoms of Congo and  Mwene Mutopa

  • Kongo (15th century)

  1. Art - weaving, Pottery, blacksmithing

  2.  firm agricultural base

  3. Sharp division of labor between men and women( men cleared forest, Produce Palm oil/wine, women took charge of cultivation, Care for Animals / household duties) 

  4. Kingship was hereditary,but not local chiefs men

  • Further east -Bantu confederation built Royal courts of stone

  1. Zimbabwe-stone houses-Great Zimbabwe the most famous

  1. Phoenicians had built structures b/c prejudice prevented them from believing Africans were capable 

  • Mwene Mutopa (15th and 16th)

  1. Controlled gold, glass seeds, and Porcelain trade

  2. Iron weapons 

  3. Rebellion split the kingdom

 Global Connections

  • Reality more written records of the sudanic states and the Swahili coast, -impact of Islam 

  • Emphasis of African/Islamic values changed some african lives

  • Portuguese arrived in the 15th century

  • Muslim/portuguese intensified trade of ivory,slaves,gold

  1. Widened  Global and trade connections