Wars of the Songhai Empire
1464 CE – 1591 CE · 127 years
Sunni Ali Ber transformed Songhai into West Africa's largest empire, conquering Timbuktu and Djenné. Under the Askia dynasty, Songhai became a center of Islamic learning until Moroccan musketeers destroyed it at Tondibi in 1591.
Belligerents
The main peoples, kingdoms and states involved.
- Songhai Empire (Sunni Ali, Askia Muhammad)
- Mali Empire remnants, Mossi states
Key moments
Defining events in the Wars of the Songhai Empire.
- 1468 Capture of Timbuktu
- 1473 Capture of Djenné
- 1591 Battle of Tondibi
Elsewhere in Africa at the time
Records whose own span overlaps this one, found by the same test the canvas draws with. The bar under each card is where it sits inside this one.
Landmark · Africa
Royal Hill of Ambohimanga
1500 CE – still standingPolity · Africa
Khoiasan
Attested 1500 BCE – 1500 CEConflict · Africa
Igala–Benin War (Idah War)
1515 CE – 1516 CETrade route · Africa
East African Coastal Trade
900 CE – 1505 CE
Landmark · Africa
Kilwa Kisiwani
900 CE – 1505 CEPolity · Africa
Congo
Attested 1492 CE – 2026 CE
Conflict · Africa
Ethiopian–Adal War
1529 CE – 1543 CELandmark · Africa
Tomb of the Askia
1495 CE – still standingDated moments inside this span
Events the timeline places between 1464 CE and 1591 CE.
And in the rest of the world
Records running through the same years, on the other side of the map.
Image credits3 pictures from Wikimedia Commons
- AmbohimangaLemurbaby · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kilwa KisiwaniKhalidsalewa · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ethiopian–Adal WarHorniman Museum, London, UK. Photographic Rights The Bridgeman Art Library · CC0
