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While many trade routes were used, the Songhai heavily used the way through the Fezzan via Bilma, Agades, and Gao. [15] The Niger River was essential to trade for the empire. [15] Goods were offloaded from camels onto either donkeys or boats at Timbuktu. [15] From there, they were moved along a 500-mile corridor upstream to Djenné or ...
Daoud continued to expand the empire, but less aggressively than some of his predecessors. [6] He reorganized the army and led at least 20 military campaigns, most of them successful, projecting Songhai power throughout the region and bringing massive quantities of booty and slaves back to Gao. [9]
The Songhai were defeated at the Battle of Tondibi in 1591 and this led to the collapse of their empire. A house in Djenné from Timbuctoo: the Mysterious by Félix Dubois published in 1896. Despite the fall of the Songhai, Djenné remained a thriving centre of trade and learning.
Other, less important trade goods were slaves, kola nuts from the south and slave beads and cowry shells from the north (for use as currency). It was under Mali that the great cities of the Niger bend—including Gao and Djenné —prospered, with Timbuktu in particular becoming known across Europe for its great wealth.
During the 200 year period between 1301 and 1500 (the 14th and 15th century) the main civilizations and kingdoms in Africa were the Mali Empire, Kingdom of Kongo, Ife Empire, Benin Kingdom, Songhai Empire, Hausa City-states, Wolof Empire, Great Zimbabwe, Kingdom of Makuria, Kanem Empire,Ethiopian Empire, Kilwa Sultanate, Kingdom of Mapungubwe, Kingdom of Mutapa, and the Ajuran Sultanate.
The pre-colonial trade routes and networks in Africa were extensive and sophisticated, connecting various regions of the continent and facilitating the exchange of goods, culture, and ideas. These routes played a crucial role in the development of African civilizations , fostering economic prosperity and cultural exchange long before European ...
The wealth of the states came from controlling the trade routes across the desert. Their power came from having large pack animals like camels and horses that were fast enough to keep a large empire under central control and were also useful in such kind of battle. All of these empires were also quite decentralized with member cities having a ...
Its position near the edge of the Sahara Desert made it a hub for trans-Saharan trade routes. Timbuktu also acts as a midpoint between the regions of North, West, and Central Africa. Because of this, Timbuktu developed into a cultural melting pot. The Mali Empire reached a steady decline in the mid-1400s, giving rise to the Songhai Empire.