Ancient Mali was ruled by powerful kings. The kinds were very wealthy. Their clothing was made of silk and gold. There were two famous kings in Mali history- Sundiata Keita and Mansa Musa.
In 1235 Sundiata Keita conquered the empire of Ghana and created the empire of Ghana. The name Sundiate means "hungering lion" and he was sometimes called the "Lion King". He build a very strong army. He used the army to protect trade routes, clear farmland, plant new crops. He was born a cripple but overcame his hardships and trained to be an administrative lawyer. With these skills he was able to write a constitution for his people. He died after ruling for 25 years. |
In 1307 Mansa (meaning "sultan, emperor or chief") Musa ( meaning "Moses) took over ruling Mali. Mansa Musa became known as "Black Moses." He also ruled for 25 years and during his rule he doubled the size of Mali. Mansa Musa started an Islamic university in Timbuktu. At this school, the students studied studied Arabic, surgical procedures, science and math. He use the army to keep the peace and watch over the trade routes to make sure they stayed safe and open.
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ZIEGLER, D., RUSAK, S., WOODWARD, R., JONES, R., SYLVESTER, C., LISCOMB, M., & DUNNINGAN, L. (2002, JANUARY 1). MALI BREAKOUT - GEOGRAPHY. RETRIEVED OCTOBER 22, 2014, FROM HTTP://MALI.PWNET.ORG/GEOGRAPHY/GEOGRAPHY.HTM
Im, S., & Widmaier, B. (2003, January 1). Mali Resource Website. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
Im, S., & Widmaier, B. (2003, January 1). Mali Resource Website. Retrieved October 22, 2014.