Keep learning with us and also don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to receive the latest news on new content published on our site. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 05 Mar 2019. It grew in all directions – north, east, south and west. These traders from the north continued to develop the trade, linking its gold resources with the vital markets in the Mediterranean region, and the empire grew larger by incorporating its neighbors. Thanks, Happy to hear about ghana empire god bless our country, wooow!!!!! With these advantages, the Ghana Empire acquired new territories and new tribute from subjugated tribal chiefs, and they could monopolise first local and then regional trade. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Cartwright, Mark. Housing was typically of one storey and made with mud-dried bricks, pounded earth and wood or stone, all used in the region since prehistory and still in use today. The Ghana Empire dominated central West African trade in the upper valley of the Niger River from the 6th or 7th century CE. In addition to income from passing trade, the Ghana Empire had access to its own resources, notably iron ore and gold from the fields of Bambuk, which the elite used to exchange for such luxury goods as fine textiles, beads, copper, and horses, which were all brought by Arab traders from the north. The Ghana Empire was mostly composed of the Soninke (aka Sarakole) people, who spoke Mande (aka Mandingo) and who occupied the area of savannah between the Niger River (to the southeast) and Senegal River (to the southwest). One town was Muslim and boasted 12 mosques while the other, just 10 km away and joined by many intermediate buildings, was the royal residence with many traditional cult shrines and one mosque for visiting merchants. The word Ghana means “Warrior King” in the Soninke language. Ghana Empire. These rivers and the Sahara desert to the north formed a natural triangle of flat grasslands that the Ghana Empire would occupy (today’s southern portions of Mauritania and Mali). They benefited from the wealth that poured into the empire. Indeed, the whole history of the region and the Ghana Empire before the 11th century CE remains vague due to a lack of written sources and the rather meagre results of archaeology. The Ancient History Encyclopedia logo is a registered EU trademark. The period when the empire was at its height is considered to be between the 9th and 11th century CE. Alternative Titles: Gao empire, Songhay empire Songhai empire, also spelled Songhay, great trading state of West Africa (flourished 15th–16th century), centred on the middle reaches of the Niger River in what is now central Mali and eventually extending west to … From its capital city Koumbi Saleh, the Ghana Empire looked after the trade of gold, salt and kola nuts. Books She gained her independence on March 6, 1957. The Ghana Empire gave gold and kola nuts to the Moroccan Kingdom. Because of this growth, the Ghana Empire was the most powerful empire in the region at its time. Association football or soccer is the most popular sport in Ghana and the country regularly participates in the World Cup. He goes on to state: The king has a palace and a number of domed dwellings all surrounded with an enclosure like a city wall…Around the king’s town are domed buildings and groves and thickets where the sorcerers of these people, men in charge of the religious cult, live. It lies about four hundred miles north west of modern Ghana. This was due to the availability large reserves of gold that were found along river Volta and river Ankobra. It is perhaps significant that blacksmiths and forgers have long enjoyed an elevated status in the Sudan region. The name Ghana most probably derives from a local title meaning king. The Arab traveller Al-Bakri, visiting near the end of the empire’s history in 1076 CE, describes the capital as being surrounded by wells and with irrigated fields where many vegetables grew. Cartwright, Mark. The Fall of the Asante Empire: The Hundred-Year War For Africa'S Gold... Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, Chu, D. and Elliott Skinner. Local deposits of copper were exploited and used for trade, while metalworking in the region, as indicated by archaeological finds, dates back to at least the 6th century CE. Trade Goods were often taxed twice, once when they came into the country & again when they left it. Urban Art: transforming the cities of Africa. Possession of camels with their utility as transport of goods and people was another factor in the superiority of the Soninke over their rivals. Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Coast, was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain her independence from colonialism. The empire was most active from the 700s to the 1200s. Under King Dinga Cisse, the Ghana Empire was given the name ‘Ghana.’ Ghana means ‘War Chief’ in the Mande language. The Ghana Empire took salt and cloth from the Kingdom of Morocco in North Africa. "Ghana Empire." The precise foundation of the Ghana Empire, or the Kingdom of Ghana as it is sometimes referred to, is not known. The Empire’s wealth was incredible. The kingdom of Ghana began around 400 CE; Ghana grew to power by 800 CE; Between 300 and 1200 A.D., Ghana controlled the export of salt and gold. Cite This Work The king did rely on advisors and, from the 11th century CE, even recruited Muslim merchants to act as interpreters and as officials who helped manage the economy and keep track of the goods coming in and out of the country. Cereals such as red-skinned African rice and millet were grown with success, as were pulses, tuber and root crops, oil and fibre plants, and fruits. The kingdom of Sosso (aka, Susu, c. 1180-1235 CE) was the biggest inheritor of the crumbling Ghana Empire, aided by the collapse of the Almoravids in the mid-12th century CE. The Ghana Empire was in what is now southeastern Mauritania, Western Mali, and Eastern Senegal.It is also sometimes called the Wagadu Empire.It started in about 750 and ended in about 1076. This move must have upset the economic balance between agricultural Ghana … These are the primary and factual characteristics of the Ghana Empire. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Major rivers in the region such as the Gambia River, Senegal River, and the Niger River served as the means of transportation and trade. The Ghana Empire started in 300 AD in Western Africa. The traveller Al-Bakri described the Ghana king in the following terms: The king adorns himself like a woman, wearing necklaces and bracelets, and when he sits before the people he puts on a high cap decorated with gold and wrapped in turbans of fine cotton…Behind the king stand ten pages holding shields and swords decorated with gold, and on his right are the sons of the vassal kings of his country wearing splendid garments and their hair plaited with gold. It was not related to the current country called the Republic of Ghana. TRADE WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE EARLY GHANA EMPIRE. 1. Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization. As Dinga approached death, he decided to bequeath his chiefly power… Islam was spread throughout the region by Muslim merchants as they came into contact with local traders and the elite of urban areas. Ghana was a powerful trading empire in western Africa. The Ghana Empire was known as the ‘The Land of Gold.’ It was the most powerful state in Western Africa. C. 1076 CE the capital was sacked by the Almoravids of North Africa (c. 1055 - c. 1147 CE), perhaps in retaliation for the Ghana rulers' attempt to muscle in on trade by Saharan commercial centres. Thank you! Bordering Countries: Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Togo; Coastline: 335 miles (539 km) Ghana has 47 local languages. thanks for the post. [related_posts_by_tax posts_per_page=”4″], Nice story but very brief. History of Buganda Kingdom in East Africa ” how it was stated ” up to now. Related Content His special interests include pottery, architecture, world mythology and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share in common. 1055 CE) were lost to the Ghana kings and so permitted Berber merchants to directly control more of the region’s trade. Please support Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation. "A Glorious Age in Africa, Ghana, Mali, and Songhay: The Story of Three Great African Empires,. More Facts About Ghana . For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. The Ghana Empire from 300 AD to 700 AD was larger than the Ghana we know today. The Ghana Empire also developed iron. The name Ghana most probably derives from a local title meaning king. With these 50 interesting facts about Ghana, let’s learn more about its: history, culture, geography, people, economy, food, traditions and more. Leaders may have recognised that adopting the religion (or seeming to), or at the least tolerating it would be beneficial to trade. Ghana was controlled by Sundiata in 1240 AD, and absorbed into the larger Mali Empire; By the late 1300s A.D., Mali controlled all of the former Kingdom of Ghana as well as much of the territory around it. Your email address will not be published. Ancient Ghana was located hundreds of miles to the north of present-day Ghana between the Senegal and Niger rivers. Ghana Empire has been listed as a level-4 vital article in History. The Empire of Ghana was located in Western Africa in what is today the countries of Mauritania, Senegal, and Mali. It may date to as early as the 6th century CE but evidence of some sort of political apparatus is not seen until later. The Ghana Empire started in 300 AD in Western Africa. It was based on trade in salt and gold. They had two sides; Muslim and Non-muslim what divided them was a 6 mile boulevard (street). In fact, Ghana doesn’t have four seasons, but rather two: one wet and one dry. Thanks to these warrior kings that the name ‘Ghana’ came to be born. ". The decline set in when other competing trade routes opened up further east and when the climate became unusually dry for a prolonged period, which affected agricultural production. People had to pay tax to the kings of the Ghana Empire if they wanted to trade with West Africa. This article is of interest to the following WikiProjects: WikiProject Africa / Mali / Mauritania (Rated Start-class, Top-importance) The capital of the Ghana Empire was most likely Koumbi Saleh (in the absence of any other viable candidates). The ancient Roman Civilization started on the Italian Peninsula during the 8th century. It has three bordering countries that are Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo. Thank you for the insightful information, a lot of Africans believe that until the white men came we were living on trees. The Empire had an army of over 200,000 soldiers. The first European writer to reconstruct the history of West Africa’s medieval-era kingdoms based on … Ghana became rich. WHILST EUROPE WAS IN THE DARK AGES, GHANA FLOURISHED AS AN EMPIRE. The Akan peoples established the next major civilization, beginning in the 13th century, and then the Ashanti empire flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries. Trans-Saharan Camel Caravanby Holger Reineccius (CC BY-SA). It is significant to note that out of the about forty-three (43) forts and castles in West Africa, thirty-three are in Ghana alone. Great Zimbabwe and Angola too please. Trans-Saharan Trade Routesby Aa77zz (Public Domain). It controlled a large part of West Africa. According to oral tradition, the Ghana Empire was founded by Diabe Cissé, a younger son of Dinga, who is considered to be the ancestor of the Soninke people. Sacrifices and libations were made in his honour, there were strict rules of etiquette in his presence and, when he died, his tomb was laid in a sacred grove which no person could enter. Indeed, in the Ghana Empire, there is no evidence that kings themselves converted to Islam. Sundiata also seized the old Ghana capital in 1240 CE, and he would go on to found the Mali Empire (1240-1645 CE), the largest and richest empire yet seen in Africa. We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Facts. It is famed for its legendary warriors who ruthlessly conquered territories and exerted a powerful reign. But, the Ghana Empire was rich, well-educated and famous around the world. While the kingdom eventually fell apart in 1957, many of the traditions still live on. Trade was facilitated by the abundance of iron, copper, gold, and ivory and easy access to the Niger and Senegal Rivers and their tributaries. Apart from its small population and area, Ghana is a leading country in western Africa. Facts about Ghana. 08 Dec 2020. In fact, the Ashanti monarchy still continues (in a much smaller form) inside Ghana. Ghana was ranked as Africa’s most peaceful country by the Global Peace Index. By 770 AD, the kings of the Ghana Empire had complete control over the trade routes of the Sahara. The Ghana Empire from 300 AD to 700 AD was larger than the Ghana we know today. The region lies just south of the Sahara Desert and is mostly savanna grasslands. The Ghana Empire was established between the 9th and 13th centuries. Called the Gold Coast, the area was first seen by Portuguese traders in 1470. Many thanks for your comment and your interest in Right for Education. The empire was at it’s peak during the 7th to 13th centuryand it occupied the area of Savannah between the Niger … Although referred to as the Ghana Empire today, this Medieval West African state was known by its subjects as Wagadou, which means ‘Land of Herds’. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/Ghana_Empire/. The Empire is one of the most internationally famous African empires and was extensively studied by the British. Ghana had an army that could protect the traders. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. "Ghana Empire." Thanks our dear friend its a wonderful history in Ghana! Funded in 753BC by its first king, Romulus, it grew into a rich and powerful city during the next few hundred years. Excavations have also revealed a significant mosque, a large public square, and parts of a circuit wall and monumental gateway. Goods were often taxed twice, once when they came into the country and again when they left it. That’s awesome, could you be having a History on Rwanda? Iron was used to make farming tools and weapons. There was a certain cultivated mystique about the ruler, partly due to his role as leader of the animist religion amongst his people. Also known simply as Ghana, it is located 322 km (200 miles) north of modern Bamako, Mali. Ghana is part of one of Africa’s oldest civilizations – the Ghana Empire. The Ghana empire was also known as Wagadou / ouagadugou , the Muslim geographers also called this place Middle Niger .The meaning of Ghana isWarrior kings, Ghana Empire was one of the great empires in sub-Sahel Africa and in the world, it’s wealth and magnificent architecture and some of the ruins of this great empire can still be found at a certain sites which then belongs to the Ghana empire. Last modified March 05, 2019. From its origins, to its long history, to its rich culture, here are 10 things you didn’t know about the Ashanti Kingdom. Not connected geographically to the modern state of Ghana, the Ghana Empire was located in the western Sudan savannah region (modern southern Mauritania and Mali) sandwiched between the Sahara desert to the north and the rainforests to the south. Dear Mark! It is also called the Wagadou Empire. thanks well done, and also I am waiting you the History of Somalia, Dear Sadak! The kings of Ghana once again illustrated their supreme position by prohibiting anyone else but themselves from owning gold nuggets; merchants had to be satisfied with gold dust. Its lands are now partly in Mauritania and partly in Mali. By 1000 AD, the Empire of Ghana had grown very large. Dear Ronald! The Ghana king was an absolute monarch and the state’s head of justice and religion. You Have Successfully Subscribed to the Newsletter, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Right for Education uses cookies to improve your experience on our site. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. If you continue to surf rightforeducation.org , you agree to our use of. , south and West Happy to hear about Ghana its so rich of Kingdom. First seen by Portuguese traders in 1470 Caravanby Holger Reineccius ( CC BY-SA ) along river Volta and river.. 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