Askia Musa facts for kids

Askia Musa (ruled 1529–1531) was the second ruler of the Songhai Empire from the Askia dynasty. He followed his father, Askia Mohammad I, who had built a large and powerful empire in West Africa.

Early Life of Askia Musa

Musa was the son of Askia Mohammad I. His mother was Zāra Kabirun-koi, a princess from the region of Gobir. She had been captured during a military campaign in 1505. As the firstborn son, Musa was given an important job. He became the fari-mondio, which meant he was in charge of collecting all the empire's money and taxes.

How Askia Musa Became Emperor

Towards the end of his rule, Askia Mohammad I became blind. This meant he could no longer lead his army into battle, which was expected of a ruler at that time. He relied heavily on a palace official named Ali Fulan.

Ali Fulan advised Askia Mohammad to give a powerful job to a younger son, Balla. This made Musa and his older brothers very angry. They felt they were being ignored. Musa was especially upset with his father and Ali Fulan. He believed Ali Fulan was controlling the emperor. Because of Musa's anger, Ali Fulan had to leave the capital in 1528.

The next year, Musa and some of his brothers met in Kukiya. They were planning to take control from their father. Askia Mohammad's brother, Yahya, tried to talk to them. However, they refused to listen to him. On August 15, 1529, during a special prayer in Gao, Musa announced that he was the new emperor. His father agreed to step down.

Askia Musa's Rule

Askia Musa was known for being a strong and sometimes harsh ruler. He quickly upset the brothers and cousins who had helped him become emperor. Some of them, including Ismail and Balla, gathered to plan against him.

Musa marched his army west. He managed to convince some of the plotters to rejoin him. He then defeated the others in a battle near Timbuktu. Ismail had to run away. Balla was captured in Timbuktu.

Musa still felt unsure about his power. He continued to remove many of his brothers and cousins from their positions. He also had some of them killed. In 1531, a group of his brothers, including Mohammed Bonkana Kirya and Ishaq, planned against him. They succeeded in removing him from power.

See Also

• Songhai Empire
• Askia Mohammad I
• Askia Mohammad Benkan