Greatest African Empire: The Ancient Ghana Empire

Introduction

            The birth of Islam in the Arabian deserts in the early seventh century C.E. would eventually have a profound impact on West African Sahel and savanna society. Arabs conquered North Africa by eighth century, and by ninth century, they were firmly established on the ancient trans-Saharan trade networks[1]. Arabic taxonomy has penetrated their culture, and even up to now, the influences of these Arabians are present. From the very beginning of Arab contact with western Africa, the writers noted a land that they called Ghana.

            The development of African civilizations was not limited to Egypt and northeastern Africa. Social, political, agricultural, and commercial development of northern interior and western Africa occurred contemporaneously with that of Egypt and with terrorists along the Nile. The history of African people and its development of thousands of ancient cities, kingdoms, and empires have indeed provided ultimate name for African civilization[2]. The ancient empire of Ghana may have flourished for several centuries before it was first noted in early and middle ninth-century[3]. Western Sudan or West African empires that rose and declined from the beginning of the eighth to the end of the eighteenth century are referred by the historians as the Golden Age of West Africa[4].

            With the vast arid conditions of Africa, the 8^th century civilizations was able to utilize the natural resources as the prime most means in order to establish their stand against the economic demands[5]. Furthermore, the arid prairie of their deserts and savannah had provided their civilization with unique and extensive resources[6] that are mostly abundant in their land compared to other areas of the world[7]. Such materials provide their access in the global markets through the trade advancements, social established governance, monarchial rule, and powerful empire characteristics.

            As with this study, the primary objective is to portray the developments that occurred in the periods of Ghana Empire. The historical greatness and the rule of this empire have been noted to be the one of the most powerful governance during its own time. As with this study, the sole focus is to portray validations of the said claims of power that accompanied the empire’s progression. The study aims to portray the greatness of the empire that was established in its own time, and to prove that the Ancient Ghana Empire is one of the best rules of governance. The study includes the location and etymological origin of such empire in order to depict the exact start of its surge. With the knowledge of empire’s depiction in terms of greatness, the study uncovers the contributors that have caused the golden age of this Ghana rule. Religion and rulership are elaborated in this discussion, which may also provide actual explanation that might have contributed to the surge of their Empire’s progress. The study also discusses the rationales for the wealth, success and etiology of their powers, and lastly, the study also includes the reasons that have caused the end of the empire.

Discussion

            The Ancient Ghana Empire is known as Soninke or Wagadou, which connotes the meaning of “herd” for the word “dou”, which forms the term “Lands of Herds” [8]. The Ghana Empire was established between ca. 50 B.C.E to 100 C.E, which is still being subjected to various debates among historians and anthropologists. However, there are sufficient fossils and artifacts unearthed in the area to concretize the fact that I was in existence before the beginning of the Christian era[9]. The earliest Arabic source states that Ghana was essentially the land of gold, while anecdote stressing its wealth abounds in later accounts[10]. The prosperity of the Ancient Empire of Ghana was not in every area, especially the gold and salt storage that the whole empire possessed. Such possessions provided the empire with great reverence from other countries.

Location and Geographical Conditions of Ghana Empire

            Ghana, meaning “warrior king,” was the title of the rulers of the Ancient Ghana Empire, which was located in modern day Mali and southeastern Mauritania Ghana western Sudan and formerly possessed Kumbi Saleh as its prime capital, as it is today, has little of nothing in common with the Ancient Ghana Empire[11].

The former African Ghana consists of approximately 45 ethnic groups, which are mostly rural and ethnical in nature. Akan, the largest of the ethnic groups, accounts for about 45% of the country’s population. Akan consists for about 48% of the country’s population, which consists mainly of two subgroups: the Fante and the Asante.

The Fante[12] reside predominantly in the southern in the southern area of Ghana, while the Asante[13] live mainly in central Ghana[14]. The groups, due to their varying conceptualities, had frequently engaged in rivalry and disputes; however, as the modern times of African empire approached, the tribes became united and in fact, Ghana generally serves as a model of intertribal relationships and coexistence[15].

Factors that Contributed to Ghana Empire Success

            The Ancient Empire of Ghana is economic in character – as they may been from al Bakri’s account[16] The actual name of Ancient empire of Ghana was Wagadugu, which connoted “land of herds“, and its ruler was called the “Ghana”. The basic fundamental contributors of Ghana’s empire success are its strategic locations and trans-Saharan trade.

At the height of Ghana’s rule and power in the tenth century, Ghana had an efficient government, a strong army, which is told to be composed of 200,000 mighty soldiers, and centers of learning[17]. Ghana was well placed to take advantage of trade between the north and south, which is primarily located between salt mines and the golden fields. Taxes collected on every trade item entering the kingdom were used to pay for the government and huge army that protected the kingdom’s borders; the city of Kumbi Saleh, with its political control and economic prosperity, was revered as the hub of the universe[18].

            The location of the goldfields was kept strictly secret by the Soninke. By the 10^th century, Ghana was the size of Texas or Nigeria, including parts of Senegal, Mali, and Mauretania. The emperor was acclaimed by the Arab travelers Ibn Haukal who visited the region in about 950 C.E as the richest king in the world because of his gold. Demand for gold increased in the 90^th and 10^th century, as it was required by the Islamic states of North Africa for minting into coins. As the trans-Saharan trade in gold expanded, so did the state of Ghana[19].

Rulership and Religion

            In the 8^th century, the empire of Ghana was ruled by a Soninke’ king, and Arab merchants related that in those days it reached to the Atlantic, and its rulership expanded to various parts of the world[20]. The Ghana Empire, according to historians, existed from 300-10878 A.D, and according to experts, it was made up of strong lineage kings or chiefs, and competent commanders of the army.

The rulership of Ghana are divided into three phases of history: (1) The rulership of Awkar covered 250 AD to 750 AD with its rulers King Kaya Maja (350AD- first ruler of the empire), and the 21 kings that ruled until 750 A.D, (2) Soninke Rulers comprised Mayan Dyabe Cisse (continued the rule after the 21 kings), Bassi (1040-1062), and Tunka Menin (1062-1076), and lastly, (3) the rulership that occurred after the invasion of the empire under Almoravid occupation, Abu-Bakr Ibn-Umar (1076-1087)[21].

The emperor appointed sub-chiefs of the provinces, who were men of great learning and of God. Besides these powerful offices, there were also other officers ranging from that of a judge, traditional communication personnel who were responsible for the dissemination of the law or the command of the king or chief[22]. The empire included followers of traditional religious beliefs as well as Muslims, followers of the Islamic religion to the north[23]. After the Almoravid occupancy, other kingdoms of Ghana Empire progressed: (1) Wagadou Kingdom of Ghana, (2) Kaniaga rulers, and lastly, (3) Ghanas Tributary until 1240[24].

            According to the accounts discovered in 1068, the people of the Ancient Ghana Empire brought offerings, including alcoholic drinks, to their dead. As early as this time, brewing was already specialized art in Ghana, which indicates that these brewers visited various places on festive occasions and retailed beer in small calabashes. The people of Ghana believed in the life-after-death principles similar to the Egyptians; hence, the kings of Ghana Empire would even order the death of his servants in order to be with him along with his other belongings to the next world[25].

            Under the Ghana Empire, the king was endowed with absolute power and the members of his ruling council were also respected and therefore were beyond reproach. The position of the head of the empire was very powerful and thus knows no other superior[26]. From the desert edges of modern Mauritania, rulers of Wagadu dominated a vast commercial empire that stretched from the Niger River in the south to the desert’s edge in the north, and from the Senegal Valley in the south to the inland Niger Delta in the east.

The Rationales for the Company’s Wealth and Success

            There are sufficient archeological, historical, and ethnohistorical data, however, to assert the existence of diversified and dynamic market systems in the region connected to the trans-Saharan trade. There were several important towns and trading centers in the Ghana Empire, with Tegdaoust, Walata, and Kumbi Saleh being the most famous. Empires usually consist of a core area, an outlying tributary zone, and a more or less moving frontier on its peripheries[27].

 This highly advanced empire controlled the gold trade between the mining areas to the south and Saharan trade routes to the north. The discovery of Arab camel had greatly revolutionized their trade system, which opened their merchandise to other parts of the world, such as Europe, North Africa, etc. Arab camel caravans brought copper, salt, and dried fruits from North Africa to Ghana’s markets, where they traded for gold, ivory, and slaves from regions south of the ancient kingdom of Ghana.

In addition to material goods, the caravans brought new ideas, knowledge, and religious beliefs from the north. Muslims, Arabians, and other cultural diversities engaged trade system with the people of Ghana, which caused cultural assimilations. Due to the enhancements of trade methods, various domains of African Ghana Empire revolutionized including the fields of agriculture, pottery, brewery, food traditions, customs, clothing, architectures, and arts[28].

            The Ghana Empire obtained the most valuable possessions of their time, such as salt and gold, which are used in societal traditions and customs, and food ingredients and preservatives. The demand of their resources was revolutionized by the advent of trans-Saharan trade system. Various cultural diversities went in the golden fields of Ghana Empire and started their influence of culture[29]; hence, as the trade progressed, the Ghana civilization prospered not only with riches and other forms of luxuries, but also with tradition influences from other cultural diversions[30]. Through the trans-Saharan trade systems, the religion of Ghana was converted to the Islamic religion, and their traditional belief-patterns turned out as mixed cultural originations[31].

            Aside form gold and salt, the Ancient Empire of Ghana was also one of the major sources of other minerals, such as iron and copper, which they utilize to construct their own tools used for various purposes. The have utilized this minerals to improve their agriculture as well as battle strength by making Iron-tipped spearheads, knives, daggers and long swords. With the advent of their modernistic discovery, the empire became ahead from other civilization that still utilize wood and bone as the prime material for their tools and weapons[32].

The fall of Ancient Ghana Empire

            Despite its position of power and prosperity, the Ghana Empire began to weaken when a group of Muslim reformers-called Almoravids-attacked, eventually capturing Ghana. Many of its people were killed or forced to convert to Islam, and trade was severely disrupted[33]. The Ghana Empire crumbled in 1076, when its capital city of Kumbi Saleh was captured and sacked by a fierce army of desert people called Almoravids[34].

            According to historians and anthropologists, overtaxing of trades occurred in various regions and was implemented in the foreign traders. The expanse of their empire brought advantage only to the empire itself, and with its powers extending to other civilization, food supply was severely threatened. As the process of their abuse grew, the civilization of Almoravids began initiate revolt against their empirical campaign. According to analysts, the religion that entered Ghana Empire had caused division in their empire, and eventually, lessened their empire strength. The Islamic influences had contributed in the events of conquer for the Almoravids. Religion has started its move long before the reign of the empire; however, the conversion revolutionized when the trans-Saharan trade system progressed. The war that occurred between the two groups was also a product of religious disputes, and conversion. In the process, the decline of Ghana Empire progressed, and by the twelfth century, the empire was totally annihilated[35].

Ghana was succeeded by the kingdom of Mali, whose renowned spread through Europe and the Middle East during the reign of Mansa Musa who, in 1324, surprised the world by his prodigal display of gold. However, after Mansa Musa, the Mali Empire began to decline, and by the middle of the sixteenth century, it finally ceased to exist. The next great state was the Songhai Empire of Gao, which began its rise to power by plundering parts of the Maili Empire[36].

Conclusion

            The civilization of the Ancient Ghana Empire became one or probably the most powerful empire in the African history. The rule started as early as the 50 B.C until the 12^th century B.C. The empire was primarily located at the Mali and southeastern Mauritania Ghana western Sudan and formerly possessed Kumbi Saleh as its prime capital. The civilization was already prospering during this time due to the abundance of their natural resources, and the strategic location of their civilization. With the advent of trans-Saharan trade system, the prosperity of the empire further progressed. The rich sources of gold, salt, and other materials further prospered the conditions of their empire. Such event led to the developments of their society though the influences of other cultural diversions such as North Africans, Arabs, Muslims, etc. The Muslims began its spread of Islam religion as early as the trade started. However, the empire declined due to the invasion of Almoravids, and totally it was destroyed by 13^th B.C.

References

Eric S. Charry, Mande Music: Traditional and Modern Music of the Maninka and Mandinka (University of Chicago Press, 2000), 37

Ernest Kwasi Bankas, The State Immunity Controversy in International Law (Springer, 2005) 135

Larry Brook, Daily Life in Ancient and Modern Timbuktu (Twenty-First Century Books, 1999) 21

1. D. Fage, William Tordoff, A History of Africa (Routledge, 2002) 69

Michael S. Bisson, Ancient African Metallurgy: The Sociocultural Context (Rowman Altamira, 2000) 58

Molefi K. Asante and Ama Mazama, Encyclopedia of Black Studies (Sage Publications Inc, 2005) 256

Nancy Cunard, Negro: An Anthology (Continuum International Publishing Group, 1996) 359

Neil Grant, Oxford Children’s History of the World (Oxford University Press, 2000) 54

Richard Bagudu, Judging Annan (AuthorHouse, 2007) 16

Talmadge Anderson, James Stewart Introduction to African American Studies (Black Classic Press, 2007) 45

Yosef ben- Jochannan, Cultural Genocide in the Black and African Studies Curriculum (Black Classic Press, 2004) 34

Yvette La Pierre, Ghana in Pictures (Twenty-First Century Books, 2004) 21

Zbigniew A. Konczacki and Janina M. Konczacki, An Economic History of Tropical Africa (Routledge, 1997) 128

[1] Eric S. Charry, Mande Music: Traditional and Modern Music of the Maninka and Mandinka (University of Chicago Press, 2000), 37

[2] Talmadge Anderson, James Stewart Introduction to African American Studies (Black Classic Press, 2007) 45

[3] Charry, 2000 37.

[4] Anderson and Stewart, 2007, 45.

[5] Neil Grant, Oxford Children’s History of the World (Oxford University Press, 2000) 54

[6] E.g. ivory, gold, and salt

[7] Ibid. Grant, 54; Carry, 2007, 37

[8] Anderson and Stewart, 2007, 45.

[9] Yosef ben- Jochannan, Cultural Genocide in the Black and African Studies Curriculum (Black Classic Press, 2004) 34

[10] J. D. Fage, William Tordoff, A History of Africa (Routledge, 2002) 69

[11] Richard Bagudu, Judging Annan (AuthorHouse, 2007) 16

[12] The group of fante is known for their bureucratic and high status of education. They are usually termed as the European missionaries, which are regarded and respected due to their intellectual capacity (Bagudu, 2007, 16).

[13] The group of Asante are known for their commercial skills and military prowess (Bagudu, 2007, 16).

[14] Bagudu, 2007, 16

[15] Ibid. Bagudu, 2007, 16

[16] An important Arabic information that concerns the power and characteristics of various empires and civilizations, such as the Ancient Ghana Empire

[17] Yvette La Pierre, Ghana in Pictures (Twenty-First Century Books, 2004) 21

[18] Molefi K. Asante and Ama Mazama, Encyclopedia of Black Studies (Sage Publications Inc, 2005) 256

[19] Ibid.

[20] Nancy Cunard, Negro: An Anthology (Continuum International Publishing Group, 1996) 359

[21] Nancy Cunard, 1996, 359

[22] Ernest Kwasi Bankas, The State Immunity Controversy in International Law (Springer, 2005) 135

[23] Yvette La Pierre, 2004, 21

[24] Nancy Cunard, 1996, 359

[25] Ibid.

[26] Bisson, 2000, 58

[27] Michael S. Bisson, Ancient African Metallurgy: The Sociocultural Context (Rowman Altamira, 2000) 58

[28] Yvette La Pierre, 2004, 21

[29] Bisson, 2000, 58

[30] Ibid.

[31] Nancy Cunard, 1996, 359

[32] Locally obtained iron ore was used to make tools, which made agriculture easier and more efficient, and permitted the growth of larger settled communities. Iron-tipped spearheads, lances, knives, and swords gave ancient Soninke soldiers technological superiority over their neighbors who used bone and wood. The Soninke were thus able to capture more farming and grazing land from their weaker, less-organized neighbors. (Bisson, 2000, 58)

[33] Yvette La Pierre, 2004, 21

[34] Larry Brook, Daily Life in Ancient and Modern Timbuktu (Twenty-First Century Books, 1999) 21

[35] Yvette La Pierre, 2004, 21

[36] Zbigniew A. Konczacki and Janina M. Konczacki, An Economic History of Tropical Africa (Routledge, 1997) 128