Significance of the Songhay Empire
Together the Songhay Empire and its predeceddor, the Kingdom of Gao, formed a powerful West African state that lasted some nine hundred years, making it one of the longest to endure anywhere in the world.
Many times in world history, vast regions have been conquered by strong leaders who then found it impossible to maintain rule over the lands they had conquered. Their empires soon disappeared. The Songhay state survived for so long because it successfully brought together people of many cultures. These people developed a thriving trade network and a complex system of government that made success possible for many centuries.
Even today, the Songhay in the countryside of Mali and Niger recall their great god-like hero. They call him simply "Shi". Others know him as Sunni Ali, the leader who founded one of Africa's greatest empires.
The Songhay Empire brought many changes to the West African state. It developed the state into a more civilized one. The Songhay empire was one of the greatest empires in the world. It conquered many places around it. It started the gold-salt trade. The Songhay empire introduced a disciplined goverment to the world. Today, we imitate this system, with departments of finance, agriculture, and law which were also the divisions established by Askiya Muhammad.
Askiya Muhammad also greatly improved the education in the Songhay empire. He encouraged many scholars from other parts of Africa to reside in Songhay and built the Sankore university which developed a reputation for scholarship in rhetoric, logic, Islamic law, grammar, astronomy, history and geography. Indeed, the Songhay empire was one of Africa's greatest empires.
Many times in world history, vast regions have been conquered by strong leaders who then found it impossible to maintain rule over the lands they had conquered. Their empires soon disappeared. The Songhay state survived for so long because it successfully brought together people of many cultures. These people developed a thriving trade network and a complex system of government that made success possible for many centuries.
Even today, the Songhay in the countryside of Mali and Niger recall their great god-like hero. They call him simply "Shi". Others know him as Sunni Ali, the leader who founded one of Africa's greatest empires.
The Songhay Empire brought many changes to the West African state. It developed the state into a more civilized one. The Songhay empire was one of the greatest empires in the world. It conquered many places around it. It started the gold-salt trade. The Songhay empire introduced a disciplined goverment to the world. Today, we imitate this system, with departments of finance, agriculture, and law which were also the divisions established by Askiya Muhammad.
Askiya Muhammad also greatly improved the education in the Songhay empire. He encouraged many scholars from other parts of Africa to reside in Songhay and built the Sankore university which developed a reputation for scholarship in rhetoric, logic, Islamic law, grammar, astronomy, history and geography. Indeed, the Songhay empire was one of Africa's greatest empires.