Kingdom of Songhai
(A.D. 1493 – A.D. 1528 was its height)
§Most important ruler was Askia Muhammad (Muslim)
§Sunni Ali – ruthless, tactical commander
§Were traders, farmers, & fishers who settled in the Niger River Valley
§Timbuktu became a center of Muslim learning
§Moroccan Army causes downfall
The Empires of the Western Sudan: Songhai Empire enlarged map