StellarWest Africa: Wealth and Islam
In West Africa, the Mali Empire replaced Ghana as the dominant power by the 13th century. Mali became wealthy by controlling the trade of gold, salt, and other goods across the Sahara. The empire’s prosperity allowed rulers to fund armies, support cities, and build monumental architecture. The most famous ruler was Mansa Musa (1312–1337). His pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324 was legendary. Traveling with thousands of attendants and distributing enormous amounts of gold along the way, Mansa Musa demonstrated the wealth of Mali to the broader Islamic world. His journey symbolized the integration of West Africa into global networks of trade and religion. Mali’s capital, Timbuktu, became a vibrant hub of trade and learning. Merchants brought in goods from across the Sahara, while scholars and students filled its libraries and madrasas. Timbuktu’s reputation as a center of knowledge was so strong that later European explorers described it as a mythical city of wealth and wisdom.