MANSA MUSA

Social Studies Project

by: Dior Fall Grade 10
 Given by: Mr badji
Table of contents
Introduction
Map of the mali empire
The mali empire
Childhood and early age
Accession, Expansion of Empire & Rule
Pilgrimage to mecca
Return from Mecca
Death
Conclusion
References
 Introduction
Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) was the ruler of the
kingdom of Mali from 1312 C.E. to 1337 C.E. During
his reign, Mali was one of the richest kingdoms of
Africa, and Mansa Musa was among the richest
individuals in the world. The ancient kingdom of
Mali spread across parts of modern-day Mali,
Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria,
Chad, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso.
 The Mali empire
From the 13th to 17th century, West Africa was home to the
great Mali Empire. Established by King Sundiata Keita, the
kingdom united several smaller, Malinké Kingdoms near the
Upper Niger River. Protected by a well-trained, imperial army
and benefiting from being in the middle of trade routes, Mali
expanded its territory, influence, and culture over the course

of four centuries.
Mansa Musa came to power in 1312 C.E., after the previous king,
Abu Bakr II, disappeared at sea. Mansa Abu Bakr II had
departed on a large fleet of ships to explore the Atlantic Ocean,
and never
returned. Mansa Musa inherited a kingdom that was already
wealthy, but his work in expanding trade made Mali the
wealthiest kingdom in Africa. His riches came from mining
significant salt and gold deposits in the Mali kingdom. Elephant
ivory was another major source of wealth.
 Childhood & Early Life
Mansa Musa was born into the Keita Dynasty in 1280s in Mali as Musa
Keita. His grandfather, Abu-Bakra-Keita, was the brother of Sundiata
Keita, the founder of the Malian Empire. His father, Faga Laye, did not
play any role in the kingdom. However, Mansa Musa ascended the
throne in 1312 through the practice of appointing a deputy when a king
goes on a pilgrimage or important mission and is away for a
 long period.
Accession, Expansion of Empire & Rule
When Musa came to power, Europe was reeling under an economic crisis
due to civil wars. However, the West African state was flourishing with
riches due to large deposits of gold, precious stones and salt. His
kingdom originally consisted of what is today Ghana, Mauritania and
Mali.
He expanded his empire by annexing the city of Timbuktu
and re establishing control over Gao. He is believed to have
conquered 24 cities and their neighbouring villages during his
 reign to stretch his kingdom over 2000 miles covering parts of
Nigeria, Ethiopia, Chad and Gambia in addition to the original
boundaries of his kingdom. As he gained power, he adopted many
titles such as ‘Emir of Melle’,‘Lord of the Mines of Wangara’ and
‘Conqueror of Ghanata’.
He established diplomatic ties with North Africa that facilitated
unprecedented Trans-Sahara trade which further enriched his kingdom
and ushered in prosperity among his people. His main sources of
income were from gold and salt that were found in abundance in his
empire.
He embarked upon a mission to build mosques and madrasas in his
kingdom and the places he brought under his influence. Some of the
architectural wonders that came up during his time are the ‘Sankore
Madrasah’ in Timbuktu and the ‘Hall of Audience’ in his capital, Niani.
Pilgrimage to mecca
When Mansa Musa went on a pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca in 1324 C.E., his
journey through Egypt caused quite a stir. The kingdom of Mali was
relatively unknown outside of West Africa until this event. Arab writers
from the time said that he traveled with an entourage of tens of
thousands of people and dozens of camels, each carrying 136 kilograms
(300 pounds) of gold. While in Cairo, Mansa Musa met with the Sultan of
Egypt, and his caravan spent and gave away so much gold that the
overall value of gold decreased in Egypt for the next 12 years.
 Return from Mecca
After his return from Mecca, Mansa Musa began to revitalize cities in
his kingdom. He built mosques and large public buildings in cities
like Gao and, most famously, Timbuktu. Timbuktu became a major
Islamic university center during the 14th century due to Mansa
Musa’s developments. Mansa Musa brought architects and scholars
from across the Islamic world into his kingdom, and the reputation
of the Mali kingdom grew.
 Death
Mansa Musa died in 1337 and was succeeded by his sons. His
skillful administration left his empire well-off at the time of
his death, but eventually, the empire fell apart. Well after his
death, Mansa Musa remained engrained in the imagination of
the world as a symbol of fabulous wealth. However, his riches
are only one part of his legacy, and he is also remembered for
his Islamic faith, promotion of scholarship, and patronage of
culture in Mali.

Conclusion
Mali had kings, called Mansa. The Mali Empire would reach
 a height of strength during the reign of Mansa Musa I.
Territorial expansion coincided with cultural
advancements, particularly in architecture, and the empire
flourished. Using his large army, Musa doubled the empire’s
territory. This allowed the kingdom to enjoy the benefits of
being at the center of trade in Africa. In 1324, Musa
undertook a pilgrimage to Mecca during which he spent and
gave away all of his gold. As a result, stories of the wealth of
the Mali king spread far and wide.

References
National geographic
African history
Thank You
for listening!