Ghana Empire facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ghana Empire غانا Wagadou واغادو
c. 100–300–c. mid-1200s
The Ghana Empire at its greatest extent
Capital	Koumbi Saleh
Common languages	Soninke, Malinke, Mande
Religion	African traditional religion Later Islam
Government	Monarchy
Ghana
• 700	Kaya Magan Cissé
• 790s	Dyabe Cisse
• 1040–1062	Ghana Bassi
Historical era	1st–3rd century–13th century
• Established	c. 100–300
• Conversion to Islam	1050
• Conquered by Sosso/Submitted to the Mali Empire	c. mid-1200s
Preceded by Succeeded by Tichitt culture Djenné-Djenno Mali Empire
Today part of	Mali Mauritania Senegal

The Ghana Empire was a powerful kingdom in West Africa. It was also called Wagadou. This empire existed from about 300 CE to the 1200s. It was located in parts of modern-day Mauritania and Mali.

Historians are not sure exactly when the Ghana Empire began. The first time it was mentioned in writing was in 830 CE. An Arab scholar named al-Bakri wrote more about it in the 11th century.

After many years of success, the empire started to decline. By the 13th century, it became a smaller state under the rising Mali Empire. Even after it fell, the Ghana Empire left a lasting mark. Many cities in the region grew because of it. In 1957, the country now known as Ghana chose its name to honor this ancient empire. However, the old empire and the modern country are in different places.

What Does "Ghana" Mean?

The word ghana means warrior or war chief. It was a special title given to the kings of the original kingdom. The Soninke people, who lived there, called their kingdom Ouagadou. Another title for these kings was Kaya Maghan, which means king of gold.

How Did the Ghana Empire Begin?

Historians have different ideas about how the Ghana Empire started. Some ideas come from old stories, and others from digging up ancient sites.

Who Were the Founders?

Old writings from the 16th century say that the rulers of Ghana might have been from a group called the Berbers. However, these old writings also said the rulers were not Black.

More recent studies by historians and archaeologists disagree. They say that the rulers and most people of Ghana were the local Soninke people. These scholars believe the idea of foreign rulers came from misunderstandings. Early writers like Ya'qubi (872 CE) and al-Bakri (1067 CE) described the people and rulers of Ghana as "negroes."

Trade routes across the Sahara Desert from about 1000 to 1500 CE. The areas with gold are shown in light brown.

Ancient Stories and Legends

Local stories say the kingdom of Wagadu was founded by a man named Dinga. He came from the east. The stories say he had to defeat a goblin to gain power. His son, Dyabe, then became king and started the kingdom.

Early French officials thought Ghana was founded by Berbers from North Africa. However, many modern scholars do not agree with this idea. They believe the empire grew from local groups. Trade with North Africa likely helped the state grow stronger.

What Archaeology Tells Us

Archaeologists have found important clues. They excavated a site called Dhar Tichitt in Mauritania. This site shows a complex culture that existed as early as 1600 BCE. The buildings and tools found there are similar to those at Koumbi Saleh, which is believed to be the capital of Ghana.

As the desert grew, the people of Dhar Tichitt moved south. They settled in areas of northern Mali that still had water. This movement likely led to the complex society that became the Ghana Empire.

History of the Empire

We don't have many written records from the Ghana Empire itself. Most of what we know comes from Arab writers and local stories.

Early Years and Growth

The Ghana Empire likely began as small farming and herding communities. These groups were part of the ancient Mandé peoples. They had lived in the Niger River area for over a thousand years.

The empire started to form between 100 and 300 CE. The main ethnic group was the Soninke people. Their capital city was Koumbi Saleh.

A big change happened around the 3rd century CE: the introduction of the camel to the Sahara Desert. Camels made it much easier to travel and trade across the desert. This led to a network of trade routes between North Africa and the Niger River.

The Ghana Empire became very rich from this trans-Saharan trade. They traded gold, textiles, food, and salt. This wealth helped large cities grow. The empire also expanded to control these important trade routes.

Decline of the Empire

It is hard to know exactly when and how the Ghana Empire fell. This is because the old writings are not very clear.

Some historians used to believe that the Almoravids, a group from North Africa, conquered Ghana in 1076–77. However, many modern scholars now question this idea. Archaeological digs in ancient Ghana do not show signs of a sudden war or destruction.

Even if there wasn't a big battle, Ghana did become an Islamic country. By 1154, most people in Ghana were Muslim. The empire was still strong at this time. One writer described its capital as "the greatest of all towns of the Sudan."

Sosso Rule and Mali's Rise

Later, a group called the Sosso took control of Ghana. They made the people pay them taxes. The Sosso also took over the nearby Mandinka state of Kangaba, which had important gold mines.

Eventually, the Mali Empire grew very powerful. The people of Mali defeated the Sosso. They took over all the lands that the Sosso controlled, including Ghana. This happened around 1230 CE.

The founder of Mali, Sundiata Keita, led this victory. Ghana became an ally of the Mali Empire. As Mali grew stronger, Ghana became a smaller state within the larger Mali Empire.

Economy and Trade

Most of what we know about Ghana's economy comes from the writer al-Bakri. He noted that merchants had to pay taxes on goods. For example, they paid one gold coin for salt imports and two for salt exports. Other goods like copper also had taxes.

Ghana imported things like textiles, jewelry, and other materials. Many leather goods found in Morocco came from the Ghana Empire. Muslims played a big role in trade and government.

The main trading center was Koumbi Saleh. The king owned all the large gold nuggets. People were only allowed to have gold dust. The king also received payments from smaller states around the empire.

The use of the camel was key to Ghana's success. Camels made it much easier to transport goods across the Sahara Desert. These factors helped the empire stay powerful for centuries. Ghana was also known as an important place for learning. The empire became rich by trading gold, iron, salt, and enslaved people across the Sahara.

How Was Ghana Governed?

Islamic writers often wrote about how stable the Ghana Empire was. They admired the king's fair actions and grand style. Al-Bakri, an Arab nobleman, wrote about the king in the 11th century:

He sits in audience or to hear complaints against officials in a domed tent. Around him are ten horses covered with gold-embroidered cloths. Behind the king stand ten pages holding shields and swords decorated with gold. On his right are the sons of the kings of his country, wearing splendid clothes with gold in their hair. The city governor sits on the ground before the king, and around him are ministers sitting in the same way. At the tent door are excellent dogs that guard the king. They wear collars of gold and silver with many balls of the same metals.

Ghana had a central area and was surrounded by smaller states that paid tribute to the king. These smaller states had their own rulers.

The Arabic writings are not very clear about how the country was run. Al-Bakri mentions that the king had officials who helped him make decisions. These included the sons of the "kings of his country."

Over time, the rulers of Ghana started to include more Muslims in the government. This included the treasurer, his translator, and most of his officials.

Koumbi Saleh: The Capital City

The capital city of the Ghana Empire is believed to have been Koumbi Saleh. It was located on the edge of the Sahara Desert.

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  Central mausoleum in 1951 (left) and 2007 (right)

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  Column Tomb with remains of the corner columns still intact

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  Individual burial from the Column Tomb with isolated stele placed at the head

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  Western necropolis of Koumbi Saleh showing the density of funerary structures

The King's City: El-Ghaba

According to al-Bakri, the main part of the city was called El-Ghaba. This was where the king lived. It had a stone wall for protection. It was the royal and spiritual center of the empire. There was a sacred grove of trees where priests lived. It also had the king's palace, which was the grandest building. There was one mosque for Muslim visitors.

The Muslim District

Another part of the city was mainly for Muslims. It had fresh water wells for growing vegetables. This area had twelve mosques, with one used for Friday prayers. It also had many scholars, writers, and Islamic judges. Since most of these Muslims were merchants, this part of the city was likely the main business area. These inhabitants were probably the Soninke Wangara, who are now known as the Jakhanke people or Mandinka people.

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  Funerary complex of the Column Tomb

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  Central mausoleum (the qubba) of the Column Tomb

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  Burial excavation showing the over-pit system and surface arrangements

Archaeological Discoveries

French archaeologists started digging at Koumbi Saleh in the 1920s. They found impressive ruins, but the exact location of the royal palace is still debated.

One challenge is that a 12th-century writer, al-Idrisi, said Ghana's royal city was on a riverbank. He called it the "Nile," confusing the Niger and Senegal Rivers. It's unclear if he meant a new capital or if his text was mistaken.

Who Lived in the Empire?

The Ghana Empire was made up of ancient Mande tribes. The Soninke people, a group within the larger Mandé peoples, brought these tribes together. Citizens lived in strong family and clan structures.

List of Rulers

Here are some of the known rulers of the Ghana Empire:

Soninke Rulers (Called "Ghanas") of the Cisse Dynasty

• Kaya Magan Cissé (also known as Dinga Cisse)
• Dyabe Cisse: around 790s
• Bassi: 1040–1062
• Tunka Manin: 1062–1076

Almoravid Occupation (Brief Period)

• Abu Bakr ibn Umar: 1076–1086

Sosso Rulers (After Almoravid Influence)

• Kambine Diaresso: 1087–1090
• Suleiman: 1090–1100
• Bannu Bubu: 1100–1120
• Magan Wagadou: 1120–1130
• Gane: 1130–1140
• Musa: 1140–1160
• Birama: 1160–1180

Rulers During Kaniaga Occupation (Sosso Control)

• Diara Kante: 1180–1202
• Soumaba Cisse (as a ruler under Soumaoro Kanté): 1203–1235

Ghanas of Wagadou (Under Mali Empire)

• Soumaba Cisse (as an ally of Sundiata Keita): 1235–1240

See also

In Spanish: Imperio de Ghana para niños

• History of the Soninke people
• Islam in Africa
• Mande People

Images for kids

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  The Western Nile according to al-Bakri (1068)

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  The Western Nile according to Muhammad al-Idrisi (1154)