Empires of Africa Cameron Homan

Hausa

500

500s-1800s
Located in Northern Nigeria, Northwestern Niger. Hausa claim that their founder, Bayajidda, came from the east in an effort to escape his father. There was an Islamic presence in Hausaland as early as the 11th century.

Empires of Africa

Period: 500 to Mar 28, 2000

Great Zimbabwe

Mar 28, 1220

1220-1450
Located in modern Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is the modern name issued to the most prominent pre-colonial civilization in southern Africa. The name is derived from one of two possible terms: the Shona (dzimba dza mabwe or "great stone houses") or iKalanga (Nzi we mabwe or "Home stead of Stone")

Mali

Mar 28, 1230

1230-1600 AD
Mali was a West Africa empire of the Mandinka.The Mali Empire had many profound cultural influences on West Africa, allowing the spread of its language, laws and customs along the Niger River.These empires controlled trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt, and other precious commodities and were in touch with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern centers of civilization.

Songhai

Mar 28, 1375

1375-1591 AD
The last great empire in pre-colonial Africa. The empire stretched from the atlantic ocean to the niger river in northwest Niger. Their capital of Goa is still a trading center on the Niger River.

Yoruba

Mar 28, 1400

1400-1905
The empire was established by the Yoruba in the 14th century and grew to become one of the largest West African states encountered by pre colonial explorers. It rose to preeminence through the outstanding organizational skills of the Yoruba, wealth gained from trade and its possession of a powerful cavalry.

Mutapa

Mar 28, 1430

1430-1760 AD
Its founders are probably culturally and politically related to the builders who constructed Great Zimbabwe.The Kingdom of Mutapa, sometimes referred to as the Mutapa Empire was a Shona kingdom which stretched between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers of southern Africa in the modern states of Zimbabwe and Mozambique.The mwenemutapa died in 1759, sparking yet another civil war for the throne.

Benin

Mar 28, 1440

1440-1897 AD
Until the introduction of guns in the 15th century, traditional weapons like the spear and bow were used.The modern dynasty of Benin claims decent from the legendary Oranmiyan, who was the prince of Ife whose period is believed to date back to the early late 14th century.The King of Benin is known by the title “Oba”. The Oba is treated with exaggerated respect by his people and he relies on certain classes of nobles and state officials to rule his people and administer his territori

Ghana

Mar 2, 2022

830 to 1235 AD
Ghana is located in the southeastern Mauritania and western Mali. Religion was at the core of Ghana society.The main exports are gold, ivory and salt.

Kilwa

Mar 2, 2022

960-1505
The Kilwa Empire was part of a larger empire built by the Iranian Bazrangids. It became an independent geopolitical entity after Ardashir I of the Sassanid Empire conquered its parent Bazrangi state in southern Persia in AD 224. Emperor Ardashir's successor, Shapur I, annexed the southern shores of the Persian Gulf, as well as the region of Muscat on the Indian Ocean.