African Kingdoms Timeline

  • 1935 BCE

    The Asante monarchy restored

    The Asante monarchy restored
  • 1924 BCE

    Prempeh I returns from exile to Kumasi

    Prempeh I returns from exile to Kumasi
  • 1901 BCE

    Asante annexed by the British

    Asante annexed by the British
  • 1900 BCE

    Yaa Asantewa

    Yaa Asantewa
    Yaa Asantewa (Asante Queen Mother) leads a revolt against the British
  • 1897 BCE

    City of benin looted

    City of benin looted
    British soldiers loot city of Benin taking valuable bronzes and other objects
  • 1896 BCE

    Prempeh I into exile

    Prempeh I sent into exile by British
  • 1881 BCE

    Prempeh I

    Prempeh I becomes Asantehene (King of the Asante)
  • 1874 BCE

    Lose of territory

    Asante lose territory to the British under Treaty of Fomana
  • 1809 BCE

    Sokoto caliphate established

  • 1804 BCE

    Usman dan Fodio

    Usman dan Fodio launches Jihad in northern Nigeria
  • Period: 1701 BCE to 1800 BCE

    Kanem-Borno goes into decline

  • 1670 BCE

    Osei Tutu defeats Denkyira and establishes Asante empire

  • Period: 1601 BCE to 1700 BCE

    Ife eclipsed by expanding Oyo kingdom

  • 1591 BCE

    Moroccan army defeats Songhay

  • 1513 BCE

    Leo Africanus visits Timbuktu

  • 1510 BCE

    Leo Africanus

    Moroccan writer Leo Africanus visits Gao, the capital of Songhay
  • 1493 BCE

    Mande Muslim general, Askia Muhammad, seizes power and expands Songhay.

  • 1464 BCE

    King Sunni Ali becomes leader of Songhay and defeats Mali

  • Period: 1464 BCE to 1591 BCE

    Songhai, the last of these three great empires, remained from 1464-1591 CE. It started under the control of the Mali Empire

  • Period: 1301 BCE to 1400 BCE

    Empire of Mali reaches its peak

    Queen Amina of Zazzau expands the Zaria emirate through a series of wars
  • 1230 BCE

    Ancient Empire of Ghana declines

    Mali comes to prominence under Mansa
  • 1210 BCE

    Mai Dunama Dibalami becomes ruler of Kanem, leading it to the height of its power

  • Period: 1200 BCE to 1500 BCE

    Mali came next

  • 1000 BCE

    Iron Technology

    Iron technology spreads to the rest of Africa
  • 800 BCE

    Islam

    The religion of Islam begins to spread through Africa
  • 500 BCE

    Iron

    Evidence of iron smelting in Nigeria and central Niger
  • Period: 300 BCE to 1200 BCE

    Ghana was the first of the three early African empires