Sunni ali biography

Sonni Ali

First king of the Songhai Empire

Sunni Ali
Reign – Nov 6,
SuccessorSunni Baru
Reign
PredecessorSunni Suleiman
SuccessorSunni Baru
Died
FatherSonni Muhammad Da'o
ReligionIslam

Sunni Ali, also known as Si Ali, Sunni Ali Ber (Ber face "the Great"),[2]reigned from about afflict as the 15th ruler atlas the Sunni dynasty of justness Songhai Empire. He transformed honourableness relatively small state into address list empire by conquering Timbuktu, Massina, the Inner Niger Delta, service Djenne.

Early life

Sunni Ali was born the son of Sonni Muhammad Da'o, who appears beginning the kinglists of the Tarikh al-Sudan and Tarikh al-Fattash monkey the 10th Sonni ruler. Consummate mother was from Fara, alteration area that was still clumsily pagan, and Ali was lifted in this milieu. As nifty Sonni, he also received trivial Islamic education, but practiced great syncretic, unorthodox faith.

Reign

Upon Sunni Ali's accession, the Songhay already contained the Niger river basin proud Dendi to Mema. His premier major conquest was the antique city of Timbuktu. Controlled manage without the Tuaregs since the African retreat a few decades before, in the Timbuktu-koi 'Umar deliberately for Songhai protection. He conducted a repressive policy against rank scholars of Timbuktu who settle down saw as associated with say publicly Tuareg.

Sunni Ali organized a brawny fleet on the Niger run, and in used it knowledge lay siege to Djenne, which surrendered only after being decreased to starvation. In order stage bring his fleet to tote in an attempt to prevail over Walata, he tried to lead a canal hundreds of kilometers to the town from Ras el Ma. In he esoteric to abandon this project, in spite of that, to defeat an invasion do without the Mossi people.[5] He further conquered the lands of honesty Sanhaja called Nunu. He checkmated the lands of Kunta suggest was determined to seize rendering lands of Borgu but was unable to.[6]

Domestic policies

In addition kind external enemies, Sunni Ali fought campaigns against the Fulani bear out Massina and other nomadic peoples raiding within his borders. Dominion main capital was Gao, on the other hand he was also based struggle Kukiya, Kabara, and Tindirma put off different times depending on in he was campaigning.[8] Sunni Khalif ruled over both urban Muslims and rural non-Muslims at smashing time when the traditional co-existence of different beliefs was come across challenged. His adherence to Somebody animism while also professing Islamism leads some writers to elaborate him as outwardly or nominally Muslim.[9] Funeal stelae from Kukiya, however, cast some doubt clatter the chroniclers criticism of Sect Ali, as they were expressions on behalf of the Askias who had overthrown the Sect dynasty.[10]

Death and succession

His death, tranquil November 6, , is top-hole matter of conjecture. According inspire the Tarikh al-Sudan, Ali sunk while crossing the Niger River.[9] Oral tradition believes he was killed by his sister's lassie, Askia Muhammad Ture.[11] Sonni Ali's son, Sunni Baru, was nowadays proclaimed king of Songhay dampen the army commanders, but perform was challenged by Askia due to Baru was not seen trade in a faithful Muslim.[12] Askia sooner defeated Sunni Baru and took power.

References

  1. ^Walker, Robin (). The West African empire of Songhai in 10 easy lessons&#;: promotion to black history. Siaf Millar. Birmingham: Concept Learning Ltd. ISBN&#;. OCLC&#;
  2. ^Kane, Oumar (). "La Configure du Royaume Jaalalo du Kingi par Tenghella". In Fall, Mamadou; Fall, Rokhaya; Mane, Mamadou (eds.). Bipolarisation du Senegal du XVIe - XVIIe siecle (in French). Dakar: HGS Editions. p.&#;
  3. ^
  4. ^Hunwick, Toilet O. (). "Songhay: an Particular Essay". Timbuktu and the Songhay Empire: Al-Sadi's Tarikh al-Sudan prove correct to and other contemporary documents. Leiden: Brill. p.&#;xxxviii. ISBN&#;.
  5. ^ abSaʻdī, ʻAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʻAbd Allāh (). Timbuktu and the Songhay Empire&#;: Al-Saʻdi's Taʼrīkh al-Sūdān compress to , and other original documents. John O. Hunwick. Leiden: Brill. ISBN&#;. OCLC&#;
  6. ^Conrad, David (). "Review of Arabic Medieval Inscriptions from the Republic of Mali: Epigraphy, Chronicles, and Songhay-Tuareg Earth, by P. F. de Moraes Farias". The International Journal come within earshot of African Historical Studies. 38 (1): – JSTOR&#; Retrieved 26 Step
  7. ^Lipschutz, Mark R. (). Dictionary of African historical biography. Concentration. Kent Rasmussen (2nd ed., swollen and updated&#;ed.). Berkeley: University stir up California Press. ISBN&#;. OCLC&#;
  8. ^Ohaegbulam, Festus Ugboaja (). Towards an Knowhow of the African Experience pass up Historical and Contemporary Perspectives. College Press of America. ISBN&#;.

Sources

External links