Sahelian kingdoms

The Sahel is a massive belt of grasslands in Africa.

This region spans up to 1,000 km wide. It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. Between the 8th century and the 19th century, several powerful kingdoms rose here. These were known as the Sahelian kingdoms. They were centralized empires that controlled vast areas of land. Their power came from managing the trade routes across the Sahara Desert.

These empires relied on specific animals to maintain control. They used large pack animals like camels and horses. These animals allowed for fast travel across the grasslands. Fast movement helped leaders keep their large empires under central control. Horses and camels were also very useful in battles. However, the geography of Africa limited where these empires could grow. They could not easily expand south into the forest zones.

Mounted warriors were not effective in dense forests. Additionally, horses and camels could not survive the diseases found in those regions.

Daily life in the Sahel was diverse and active. Some territories were organized into large empires with substantial cities. Other areas were less organized with scattered populations. People engaged in many different types of work. They practiced agriculture and raised livestock. Others focused on hunting and fishing. Skilled craftsmen produced textiles, ceramics, and metalworking.

People also navigated rivers and lakes. They traded goods over both short and long distances. Many groups even used their own specific currencies.

The Ghana Empire was the first major state to rise. It was established around the 3rd century. This empire was centered in what is now Senegal and Mauritania. Ghana became wealthy through trans-Saharan trade routes. These routes linked Aoudaghost with Tahert and Sijilmasa in North Africa. This wealth became possible after Wolof traders introduced the camel to the western Sahel. Ghana dominated the region from the 3rd century until the 13th century. During this time, smaller states like Takrur and the Malinke kingdom of Mali existed nearby.

After the collapse of Ghana, the Mali Empire rose to power. This happened after the Sosso Empire conquered Ghana and the Almoravids invaded. The Mali Empire was located on the Niger River. It sat in what is now Niger and Mali. Mali traded with the Bono state far to the south. The empire reached its peak in the 1350s. However, it began losing control of its vassal states by 1400. One of the most powerful vassal states was the Songhai Empire.

The Songhai Empire became a massive force in the region. It began expanding rapidly under King Sonni Ali in the 1460s. By the year 1500, it was the largest state in African history. Its territory stretched from Cameroon all the way to the Maghreb. This greatness did not last forever. An invasion by the Saadi Dynasty of Morocco in 1591 caused the empire to shrink. It eventually covered only the Dendi province. The empire finally collapsed in 1901 when the French deposed the last askia.

Other important states existed in the eastern Sahel. On Lake Chad, the state of Kanem-Bornu became very prominent. It was originally founded as Kanem in the 9th century. To its west, the Hausa city-states became a dominant force. These two groups coexisted in a state of uneasy stability. In 1810, the Sokoto Caliphate rose and conquered the Hausa. This created a more centralized state. Both the Sokoto Caliphate and Kanem-Bornu continued to exist as traditional states for a long time.