Historical Mali

The second great Sahelian kingdom was Mali. Mali was the successor to the kingdom of Ghana. The historical founder of Mali was the magician, Sundiata, who ruled Mali from 1230-1255, one of the most legendary figures in African history. Perhaps the most important of the Mali kings was Mansa Musa (1312-1337) who expanded Mali influence over the city-states of Timbuktu, Gao, and Djenné. Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim who built magnificent mosques all over Mali; his pilgrimage to Mecca made him an historical figure even through the eyes of Europeans.