Songhay Empire
Muhammad Ture, also known as Askia Muhammad (1493–1528), established the Askiya dynasty and was responsible for strengthening the administration of the empire as well as consolidating Sunni Ali’s conquests. Muhammad Ture put Songhay on the map of the Islamic world when he traveled to Mecca to make the pilgrimage and spread Islam throughout the region.
Muhammad Ture stretched the Songhay empire into the desert, drove back the Tuareg of the southern Sahara, and took the salt-producing town of Taghaza in the north, drawing inspiration from Sunni Ali’s previous victories. Through that conquest, he ensured that Songhay would receive the greatest possible benefit from trans-Saharan trade.
In addition, Ture dispatched an army as far west as Takrur, where they engaged in combat against Middle Niger raiders, including the Mossi and the Dogon. The Hausa states of Gobir, Katsina, and eventually Kano were subjugated by the troops led by Muhammad Ture in the region to the east. These victories allowed Songhay to become part of the larger economic network that encompassed trans-Saharan trade. Following the conclusion of the expansion wars, Ture improved upon the administrative structure established by Sunni Ali.
He partitioned the empire into four viceroyal provinces, each of which was governed by a viceroy or governor who was traditionally selected from the royal family or a loyal servant. In terms of the central administration, Muhammad Ture established a council of ministers that included the balama (commander-in-chief), the fari-mundya (chief tax collector), the hi-koy (navy chief), the korey-farma (minister responsible for foreigners), the warrey-farma (minister in charge of property), and the hari-farma (minister in charge of agriculture and fisheries).
Muhammad Ture, in contrast to his predecessor, understood the significance of Islam as a vital ideological foundation for the objectives of state establishment and development. He utilized Islam as a means to bolster his authority, bring his vast realm closer together, and encourage trade across the Sahara. Soon after he became king, Ture showed his concern for the faith by making the journey to Mecca, which is considered a pilgrimage. While he was in Cairo, he was successful in convincing the Caliph of Egypt to acknowledge him as the “caliph” of the entire Sudan.
Following his pilgrimage to Mecca, Muhammad Ture brought Timbuktu back to life and reestablished it as a significant educational and Islamic center. Because of this, the reputation of Songhai went far and wide, and as a result, Muslim academics and clerics were drawn to the city for the sake of scholastic pursuits as well as for trade.
The ‘ulama and priests of Timbuktu were showered with accolades and benefits as a result of his actions. It should not come as a surprise that the authors of Timbuktu in the seventeenth century heaped acclaim on Askia Muhammad while condemning Sunni Ali as a dictator. It should not be inferred from this, however, that a significant number of the population converted to Islam. The Songhay government received revenue from a variety of different sources. Muhammad Ture was able to fund the administration of his empire through the collection of tribute from vassal kingdoms, taxes on peasants, and contributions from his generals.
Slaves may have been used to cultivate the land on royal estates located in the Niger floodplain and the Songhay heartland, both of which contributed a significant amount of revenue to the state. The brisk trade across the Sahara resulted in a significant increase in revenue. The goods that were exchanged included gold, which was a major driving force behind the trans-Saharan trade, as well as kola nuts from the southern forest and captives, who were primarily taken during raids into Mossi territory located south of the Niger Bend and sold as slaves in Muslim North Africa.
Salt from the Sahara, luxury goods, cloth, cowrie shells, and horses for the military were some of the things that were brought into the Songhay kingdom from North Africa. The commerce also included cloth made from native Sudanese cotton and, in locations such as Jenne, Timbuktu, and Gao, woolen cloth and linen from North Africa.
Muhammad Ture, who had been ruling for 35 years at the time of his death, was old, blind, and sick when his children overthrew him and put him into exile on the island of Kankaka in the Niger River in 1528. He eventually made his way back home, but he passed away four years later, in 1538. Muhammad Ture’s successors lacked the bravery, competence, and devotion to duty that he had displayed as a king.
They also failed to live up to his legacy. They were embroiled in blood feuds and fratricide as they fought for control of the throne. Musa, Ture’s son and successor, was brutal to the point that he was killed in 1535 for his actions. Askia Bankouri, his successor, who exiled his uncle Muhammad Ture from Gao and succeeded him as ruler of Gao in 1537, was himself deposed. Not only did the subsequent king, Askia Ismail, succeed in bringing Muhammad Ture back from exile, but he also showed his ability to rule effectively. Unfortunately, after only two years on the throne, he passed away.
Askia Daud, who followed Ismail as ruler of Songhay, governed for a long time (1530–1584), was successful in repressing unrest, and enforced a lengthy era of peace and stability in the region. This was fortunate for Songhay. However, 10 years later, the Moroccan Sultan Al-Mansur invaded Songhay at a time when Songhay was once again wracked by dynastic disputes, resulting in a weakening of the court.
This occurred at a time when Songhay was already in a precarious position. The initial invasion led by Al-Mansur in 1584 was unsuccessful; however, Al-second Mansur’s attempt in 1591, which was more sophisticated and better prepared, was successful and put an end to the Askiya dynasty.
Also Read: Empire Of Ghana: A Quick Overview
