page_title: 14th & 15th century Africa
section_title: 15th Century Mali
hierarchical_section_title: 14th & 15th century Africa / The Mali Empire / 15th Century Mali
caption_attribution_description: English: Tuareg at the Festival au Désert near Timbuktu, Mali 2012
context_page_description: In the 14th and 15th century the main civilizations and kingdoms in Africa were the Mali Empire, Kingdom of Kongo, Benin Kingdom, Hausa City-states, Great Zimbabwe, Ethiopian Empire, Kilwa Sultanate and the Ajuran Sultanate. These kingdoms flourished in the 14th century, especially the Mali Empire, who saw a cultural flowering within their empire centred on the University of Timbuktu.
context_section_description: Though the Mali Empire was now in the hands of weak kings, it continued to exist well into the 15th century. Timbuktu was an important point of both trade and learning in Imperial Mali, so its loss to Tuareg Berbers in 1433 was a significant blow to the weakening state. In addition to Tuareg rebellion, the Mossi people revolted and began raiding towns deep within Mali. Eventually, the city of Gao in the East broke off from Mali, as did the Wolof cities along the coast in the West. Throughout the 15th century, Mali progressively shrunk in size as many of its territories abandoned the empire, though it continued existing as an independent entity well into the 16th century. However, in 1546, the Songhai kingdom sacked Mali's capital, Niani, formally ending Mali's rule as an independent empire.
caption: A Tuareg man near Timbuktu in Modern Mali
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