In addition, Malis location on the Niger allowed its people to control trade on the river. Through this control of trade, the empire grew rich and powerful. ... Traders came to Timbuktu from the north and the south to trade for salt, gold, shells, and many other goods. Religion was also very important to Mansa Musa.
How did the Kingdoms of West Africa develop and prosper? The were created by men who became wealthy because of the gold-salt trade. They were extremely cunning, extremely lucky, or both. Their wealth gave them power turning them and their descendants into powerful lords of land and people.
In this collection, we examine the big three of the Ghana Empire, Mali Empire, and Songhai Empire as well as the lucrative trade connections they made with West and North Africa.
In Western Africa, three kingdoms became wealthy beyond belief by controlling important stops along the trans-Saharan trade routes. ... The kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai mined an abundance of gold, which was in high demand in North Africa and the southern Mediterranean coast of Europe.
