FACTS ABOUT THE SONGHAI EMPIRE That You Probably Didn't Know

During its height in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Songhai Empire controlled most of the western Sahel. At its heyday, it was among the largest African states. The Sonni dynasty (about 1464–1493) dominated the empire at first, but the Askiya dynasty eventually took it (1493–1591).

As the Mali Empire was weakened by succession wars in the second part of the 14th century, the Songhai state, which had been a Mali dependent, declared independence in the 1430s and established the Sonni dynasty.

From 1464 until his death in 1492, Sonni Ali was the ruler of Morocco. He overran several of the kingdoms bordering the Songhai in the 1460s, including what was left of the Mali Empire. He was the most formidable military strategist and conqueror of the empire. Under his reign, Songhai expanded to cover more than 1,400 square thousand square kilometers.

Morocco was able to attack Songhai because of the instability and civil strife inside the empire itself. The invasion of Morocco was motivated mostly by a desire to reestablish control of the trans-Saharan commerce in salt and gold. In 1591, the empire collapsed under the weight of the rifles of the Moroccans.

The strength of the empire depended on its ability to sell goods, and local chiefs were given autonomy within the framework of the central government so long as they did not interfere with Songhai policy or the division of labor..

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