Mansa Musa and the Kingdom of MaliMansa Musa is said to be one of the richest kings who ever lived and his kingdom of Mali was a great empire. But what made Mansa Musa and Mali so prosperous and great? And why, if so, would it not be regarded in the same way as Egypt? Using primary sources I intend to investigate and discuss the economic and social context of Mali, the history of Mali and why it is not considered on the same scale that Egypt is held to. The goal is for the reader to get a sense of what circumstances and actions allowed Mali to prosper. To do this I will first examine the agricultural and environmental composition of the Mali Empire, then briefly discuss its history before and after Mansa Musa, including the fall of Mali. I will then provide my opinion on why Mali is not held in the same regard as Egypt, which will conclude this article. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay First, it is important to understand the environmental and agricultural status of the ancient Mali Empire. The empire itself was huge and included parts of modern Burkina, Niger, Senegal and Guinea. The fact that Mali was so expansive is one of the reasons why Mali was so prosperous. In the book The Civilizations of Africa: A History to 1800 Christopher Ehret described the kingdom of Mali as having a good deal of diversity regarding its landscapes and environments. This included the Sahara Desert in the north and rich wild jungles in the south. (Ehret, 2002.) Because of this environmental diversity they had a number of different goods that they could trade not only within their own empire, but also with other states. These goods included agricultural items such as kola nuts and shea butter. But they also traded manufactured goods such as textiles and metal products, especially gold, found in numerous quantities in Mali. (Ehret, 2002.) This would not have been possible if it were not for the traders who handled these trades. Mali absorbed many of its neighboring states and its population into the empire, largely thanks to Sundiata and his desperadoes who I will talk about later, and this huge number of people led to consequences that would later make Mali an important trading center in Africa, and this was only later aided by Mansa Musa. For example, there have been several people who have left within Mali, including the Soninke and the Jakhanke, to name a few. The traders of these respective people created juulas, which were trading companies established throughout Mali. And things were made easier when they took some parts of Mali to trade. For example, the Soninke concentrated more on the north, on the edge of the Sahara, for their trade and then expanded eastwards towards the Sahel valley at a later time. Meanwhile, the Jakhanke spread commercially west to what is now the regions of Gambia and Senegal. (Ehret, 2002.) As I stated before, this economic boom that took place in Mali could not have occurred if it were not for Sundiata and Mansa Musa. Sundiata made Mali exist and Mansa Musa brought more trade thanks to his pilgrimage which attracted merchants from all parts of Mali. And while Mansa Musa is considered one of the richest and greatest kings in history, I believe it is important to look at those who came before him and made sure that both Mansa Musa and ancient Mali could prosper in the years to come. What were the conditions or beginnings of Mali's greatness? It all starts with Sundiata, who paved the way for Mali's greatness and also that of his grandson. Sundiata was the youngest of 12 children and came from the peopleMandingo of the era. (Bovill, 1995.). While his family was killed, he was allowed to live because he was very ill and the attackers believed he would not survive. But he did and grew up to become the MariJata and national hero of the Mandingo people. He became the first king or Mansa of Mali and was a driving force in the expansion of its borders. Ibn Khaldun, a great historian, was present when all this happened and he himself stated: "Their greatest king who defeated the Soso, conquered their country and took power from their hands was Mari Dhata... He reigned for twenty-five years" . (Levtzion, page 66. 1973) However, despite being hailed as the greatest king and national hero, he was not well liked by his people and so, to maintain peace, he hired desperate men to help him. With the help of desperate sayings, he calmed his people and began to expand the borders of Mali. Sundiata was a great warrior and tactician who never lost a battle if he found himself in one. (Bovill, 1995.) By his actions and what would appear to be a tireless effort, he expanded Mali's borders allowing for a diversity of environments and agricultural products that could also be traded as discussed above. These agricultural products could also be used to make manufactured goods. With the help of his grandson, Mansa Musa, he led Mali to something of an economic and trade boom almost 100 years later. (Levtzion, 1973). These two factors, hand in hand, essentially made Mali what it was, even though they were so far apart. I believe it is important to pause and discuss these factors. Thanks to Sundiata not only did Mali have a large and powerful army, but thanks to him Mali's prosperous future had already begun to take shape. The army was there not only to protect Mali's many citizens, but also for what the country had to offer as a whole. I think it's safe to deduce that without Sundiata having done what he did and not been so successful, who knows how Mali would have functioned. Its conquest created a backbone in which Mali could grow and prosper. But it would also seem to give Mali the air of truly being an empire to be reckoned with. It is also important to note the idea of ​​image and keep in mind both the image of Sundiata and that of Mali which I will discuss later in this article. Nearly 100 years elapsed between Sundiata's reign and Mansa Musa's accession to the throne. And in those 100 years no king was able to achieve the divine status that Sundiata had maintained. Even Mansa Musa, although considered a great king, did not achieve this status. But it is a favorite of Muslim, Oriental and Sudanese writers. (Levtzion, 1973.) This did not happen until Mansa Musa ascended the throne. He is famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca and the spectacle that surrounded him. Bovill discussed the spectacle itself in his book: "The spectacular scale on which it was conducted caused such a sensation in Cairo and other places which witnessed the passage of his splendid caravan, that the name of the Mandingo monarch quickly became familiar in much of the civilized world.” (Bovill, page 86, par. 3) His fame also reached Europe and the Middle East. He alone showed the opulence of Mali to the world around him, and he truly did impressive. Mansa Musa began his Hadj in 1324, which was the seventh year of his reign, after ascending the throne in 1307. It is known that he passed through Walata and Tuat, but it is not known which route he took to get to Cairo. (Bovill, 1995.) Although Bovill states a theory as to which route he had gone, saying: "It was probably through Wargla and thence to the coast of Syrtis which would have given the merchants of many parts of Europe trading with Africa a 'opportunity to witness its splendor..." (Bovill, pag. 87, 1995.)During his travels, he and his entourage were apparently a sight to behold. He rode on horseback and had 500 slaves walking in front of him and each of them carried a staff that weighed 1/8 of gold. (Bovill, 1995.) Mansa Musa is also described as being of "pale complexion, variously described as red or yellow". (Bovill, page 87. 1995.) This contributed to his notoriety, since he was considered a black king, yet he did not resemble one, considering that he did not have the dark skin, typical of black kings. He was known for his piety and generosity and seemed to hand out gold every chance he got. (Bovill, 1995.) In fact so much gold was distributed that in Cairo, years after Mansa Musa's passage and completion of his voyages, gold had devalued. (Bovill, 1995.) This is a good example of how kind Mansa Musa was to everyone, even if they were not Malian or Muslim. A good example of Mansa Musa's generosity is when a trader from Alexandria joined his caravan and traveled with him back to Sudan, although unfortunately the trader died. Mansa Musa, being the generous and noble king who keeps his promises, paid the man's heirs in full. (Bovill, 1995.). His kindness in return allowed others to care for him when they were short of funds and Mansa Musa promised to repay his loan once he returned to his kingdom. (Bovill, 1995.) Indeed it was thanks to the hadj of Mansa Musa that trade increased and prospered within Mali. (Bovill, 1995.) The world now knew that Mali was a hub for a major commodity and that was gold. So by simply traveling and showering people with gold, enough interest was sparked to increase Mali's trade, which in itself is a pretty amazing feat, but really one should expect nothing less from the greatest king of Mali. Unfortunately, after Mansa Musa's death, things started again. he fell into a sort of disorder, the same that occurred after Sundiata's death. Mansa Musa's son Maghan took the throne, although he remained there for only four years. During his reign the city of Timbuktu was conquered and razed, and the two princes who had been captured by his father were released and transferred to reconquer their city from the capture of Mali. Maghan died after only four years and is suspected to have been eliminated by his uncle Sulymon, who is also Mansa Musa's brother. He was the one originally entitled to the throne after Mansa Musa's death, but was denied when Maghan took the throne. (Levtzion, 1973.) Unlike his brother Sulymon he was not much loved, indeed he was hated, "because of his thrift in contrast to the generosity of his brother Mansa Musa". (Levtzion, p. 66. 1973.) After his death the two kings after him had short reigns, his son lasting only four months and the next one lasting a considerably longer period of 14 years. (Levtzion, 1973) But in this period the civil war broke out and this troubled period marked the decline of Mali. The throne was often contested by the descents of Sundiata and Mansa Musa, where it was periodically extinguished. Finally, one of the last kings was known simply as Mari Djata, son of Maghan and grandson of Mansa Musa. But he was considered “the evil ruler they had, because of the punishment, tyranny and corruption he had imposed on them…” (Levtzion, p. 68. 1973.), referring to his people. After him Mali passed through a few other kings, but it was no longer the great empire it once was and was left in a state of ruin. Now that I have laid out all the information, I will now discuss my theory as to why Mali is not held in as high regard as Egypt, and I will do so by discussing the image, race, leaders and history of Mali. The first image of Mali became famous already in ancient times. This in itselfitself is the image that its leaders have managed to show. Here we have Sundiata who is a great general and a furious fighter. He protected his country and ensured that not only his family, but his people had something to build and grow upon. Then we have Mansa Musa, who in many ways is the exact opposite of Sundiata, and brought the people needed to develop Mali's trade and economy. There have been great leaders in the defense of Mali's image. And if we want to compare our time, it is a very important part of the image of a country or an empire. Think of Egypt and the first pharaoh that comes to mind is Radames or King Tut. One is known to be truly great and powerful pharaoh of his time. And the other is known for the grave discovered well after his death. But the idea of ​​image can easily constitute how people see a place and how it is sustained. So in that regard, I think Egypt and Mali are very similar. Yet its kings do not appear to be held in the same esteem as say the kings of Egypt. And you have to ask yourself why this is so. For me, after researching and reading, it all comes down to one thing and that is race. Mali is considered a black or black kingdom, unlike Egypt which is often not considered such. The fact that Mali is a black empire is why it is not held in high regard. The past Negro kingdoms were also despised by many people. The fact that Mansa Musa was black was also a surprise to all who saw him. Here was a man with great wealth and power and he was black. But we also have first-hand accounts of how some viewed blacks, for example Ibn Battuta who was unimpressed by blacks and in fact refused to write about them or visit their kingdom. (Bovill, 1973.) Race still plays an important role in deciding who tells which stories as far as history is concerned. Even today it is reluctantly admitted that Mansa Musa was one of the richest and best-known kings in history. And this is because he is considered black or black. This of course is in great contrast to Egypt, where we don't know exactly what the Egyptians looked like. While it is theorized and I also believe that Egypt itself was racially diverse, not everyone thinks along these same lines and ideals. All we have to do is look at Black Athena Writes Back, a book that suggests that black people were the ones who had influence over the Greeks and Phoenicians, and many looked for a way to discredit that idea. (Bernal, 2001.) But throughout history Europe and other countries have wanted to take over Egypt for its opulence, its history and what they left behind. And many people didn't want to think that the rulers of Egypt were black or people of color. There are entire arguments trying to prove this. I think a great example of how prevalent this thinking is, that Egypt is not a part of Africa but rather a part of the Western and European world, is the recently released film Gods of Egypt, which featured pharaohs, gods and Egyptian people as being all European in origin, which I don't think is all that accurate to what Egypt was like in the past. Now yes, this is a fantasy film, but I think it's still important to bring up the fact that it's still kind of a prevalent issue. History has a habit of shutting down anything that uplifts Black people. Throughout history, blacks have always been seen as inferior in the eyes of others. And suddenly placing an African kingdom at the same opulence as Egypt would upset the status quo established by historians of the past. Africa has been denied its opulence, unless it is Egypt, and everyone is trying to reclaim it. So it's no wonder that we don't hear much about Mali or Mansa Musa when we go to school. And really look why.We have a black man who is a great and successful leader. He is kind, generous and rich. This in itself would be a great story to inspire anyone who reads about him, especially young black people for example. We live in a world where we can't see ourselves in the media and are always criticized for being who we are. Slaved and discriminated against, race is still a big problem. And if Mali was held in the same regard as Egypt, well that would mean the norm and the prevailing idea and thought that Africa as a whole is not advanced or these great kingdoms would be destroyed. But this is not the case and it should be noted that there is much more to Africa than just Egypt. Another deduction that could be made is time. The Kingdom of Egypt lasted nearly 1,000 years. This is a very long period for a kingdom in a world that is constantly changing and moving, there were three main eras and three intermediate periods. Egypt had time to grow and the fact that this kingdom lasted so long only helps to demonstrate that Egypt is something the world should know about and why it is held in such high regard. Unfortunately Mali doesn't have it. Because after Mansa Musa, the empire went into decline, as mentioned above. The empire itself lasted only about 300 years and can be counted within four generations thanks to the likes of Ibn Khaldun. (Levtzion, 1973.) But this is right. Empires rise and fall. That's how they work. Ancient Egypt also fell after nearly 1,000 years, and that includes when it was conquered by Greece in its final years. But those 1,000 years have allowed Egypt to be placed on a pedestal that Mali simply cannot reach. Not to mention that, unlike Egypt, where there have been ups and downs, Mali seems to be suffering negatively. As stated above, Sundiata and Mansa Musa elevated and improved the empire. But in the meantime, the other kings did nothing to achieve the status of the previous kings. And more often than not there was infighting, arguments and more often death. This in itself is a third reason. To some, Mali may seem like a failed empire. Of all its rulers only two seemed to truly keep the empire stable and improve it. And I don't think that's a fair assumption to make. As I stated above, empires rise and fall. And just because Mali fell and had a series of inopportune leaders doesn't mean it was an overall failure. Egypt can be placed in this same category, as it fits. But that doesn't mean it was a failure. Each kingdom was successful in its own way. Egypt was successful in trade, building monuments that still exist today. And while Mali lost Timbuktu, it was there. They were a gold hub and spread it across Africa with the help of Mansa Musa. Both have their fair share of successes and failures. But I think the story as a whole is a little tougher for Mali because, again, it's a black kingdom, and finding flaws and making them seem important is something that still happens today. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, I believe it is a mix of race and time that prevents Mali and Mansa Musa from being considered the same as Egypt, when it comes to prosperity and popularity. Both are important and important kingdoms that have had their fair share of successes and failures. But the fact that it is not possible to pinpoint the exact race of Egypt's rulers and its people allows others to put it on a higher pedestal and look down on Mali, since it is a negro or black kingdom. But in my eyes it deserves to be right up there. It is an empire that, if it had rulers. 4,, 12, 235-254.