Thus, by the 14th century, the Mali Empire became the dominant state in West Africa. In the century or so following Sundiata’s death, the rulers of the Mali Empire conquered neighboring lands, and various peoples, including the Bamana, Tuareg, and Wolof, came under their rule.
It was up to his successors to expand the empire’s boundaries. In other words, the Mali Empire was not an absolute monarchy, but may be considered to be a constitutional monarchy, long before this idea was even conceived in Europe.Īlthough Sundiata founded the Mali Empire, it was not quite an empire yet. The various clans under the empire’s rule had representatives in this assembly and provided advice to the ruler on various matters of state. Under the constitution, the Gbara, or Great Assembly, which served as its deliberative body of the Mali Empire, was established. The Epic of Sundiata states that he commissioned an assembly of nobles to create the Kouroukan Fouga, the constitution of the Mali Empire. Sundiata was not only a formidable commander on the battlefield but also a shrewd administrator. As a result of this battle, the dominance of the Sosso came to an end and the Mali Empire was established.
In the following year, the Battle of Kirina was fought during which the army of the Sosso ruler, Soumaoro Kanté, was defeated. Sundiata unified the Manding people and led a revolt against the Sosso kingdom of Kaniaga around 1234. The Mali Empire was founded by Sundiata Keita, known also as the ‘hungering lion’. After this period of prosperity, however, the Mali Empire began its long decline, finally ending when it was replaced by the Bamana Empire during the 17th century. Additionally, the Mali Empire had a sophisticated military and political system, which allowed the empire to ruler over such a large area. At its height of power during the 14th century, the Mali Empire ruled over an area larger than western Europe. The Mali Empire (known also as the Manding Empire or Manden Kurufa) was a state that dominated West Africa between the 13th and 17th centuries.
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