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Jan 1, 1230
Mali Civilization Begins
Mali Empire was a West African empire of the Mandinka. Founded by Sundiata Keita in 1230. -
Period: Jan 1, 1230 to
Mali Empire of Africa
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Jan 1, 1235
Battle of Kirina Erupts.
Maghan Sundiata led a revolt against the Kainiaga Kingdom around 1234. The combined forces of northern and southern Manden defeated the Sosso army at the Battle of Kirina in approximatley 1235. This victory resulted in the fall of the Kaniaga Kingdom and the rise of the Mali Empire. -
Jan 1, 1250
The Djata Lineage Begins (1250 - 1275)
The first three succesors to Mari Djata all claimed it by blood right or something close to it. The 25 year period saw amazing gains for the Mansa in the beggining fierce internal rivalries that nearly ended the Burgeoning Empire. -
Jan 1, 1275
The Court Mansas (1275 - 1300)
After the chaos of Ouati and Khalifa's reigns, a number of court officials with close ties to Mari Djata ruled. They began the empire's return to grace setting it up for a golden age of rulers. -
Jan 1, 1300
The Kolonkan Lineage (1300 - 1312)
The Gbara selected Ko Mamadi as the next mansa in 1300. He was the first of a new line of rulers directly decending from Mari Djata's sister Kolonkan. But seeing how these rulers shared all the blood of Maghan Kon Fatta they considered legitimate Keitas. Even Sakua with his history of being a slave, in the Djata family was considers Keita for the line of Bilal had yet to be broken. It is during the Kolonkan lineage that the defining characteristics of golden age Mali began to appear. -
Jan 1, 1312
The Laye Lineage (1312 -1389)
Abubakari II's abdictation the only recorded one in the empire's history, marked the beginning of a new lineage decended from Faga Laye. Faga Laye was the son of Abubakari. Unlike his father, Faga Laye never took the throne of Mali. However, his line would produce 7 mansa who reigned during the height of Mali's power and toward the beginning of its decline. -
Jan 1, 1389
The Obscure Lineages (1389 - 1545)
From 1389 onward Mali gained a host of mansas of obscure origins. This is the best known period in Mali's imperial history. What is evident is that there is no steady lineage governing the empire. The other characteristic of this era is the gradual loss of its northern and eastern possesion to the rising Songhai Empire and the movement of Mali's economic from the trans-Saharan trade routes to the Burgeoning commerice along the coast. -
Collapse
It would be the Mandinka themselves that would cause the final destruction of the Empire. Around 1610 Mahmud IV died. Tradition states that he had three sons who fought over Manden's remains. No simple person ever ruled over Manden after Mahmud IV's death, resulting in the ending of the Mali Empire.