ISLAMIC EMPIRES IN AFRICA AND INDIA WEST AFRICA

ISLAMIC EMPIRES IN AFRICA AND INDIA

WEST AFRICA (MALI) 1200 -1450 • Replaced Ghana, but LARGER and MUSLIM • Grew from Sub-Saharan trade route – controlled gold fields • Sundiata founded empire and took over cities such as Gao, Jenne • Griots – oral historians told stories of Sundiata • He created basic rules and relationships of society – clans & jobs, crime punished

MANSA MUSA • Mansa (“emperor”) Musa pilgrimmage to Mecca showed wealth • Ibn Battuta saw Mali’s government as safe (p. 378)

Timbuktu – Sankore Mosque Timbuktu became a great trading and financial capital and later a center of learning: universities, libraries and over 150 schools devoted to the Qur’an.

SONGHAY • Songhay replaced Mali in Niger valley • Sunni Aki took over Timbuktu and Jenne • A fusion of Islamic, pagan and African traditions…local interpretation meant that men and women mixed freely, women went unveiled – often matrilineal

INDIA – DELHI SULTANATE • Indian Islam more violent than Africa – Hindu’s never forgave the violence (problems later) • NORTHERN INDIA: Sultan Iltutmish became a benign ruler – gave throne to daughter Raziya • Raziya never accepted: later Sultan Muhammad ibn Tughluq (tolerated other religions) and Sultan Firuz Shah (no toleration, taxed Brahmins) • Islam helped centralize political authority

INDIAN OCEAN TRADE • 1200 -1500: more trade in Indian Ocean • Dhow produced in SW India on Malabar coast • Junks were larger and developed in China • Ibn Battuta describes 12 sails, 1000 men crew • Trade decentralized and cooperative

SWAHILI/ZIMBABWE AND ADEN • Swahili cities such as Kilwa exported gold near Great Zimbabwe (GZ) • GZ economy: agriculture, cattle herding, trade Great Zimbabwe declined because of deforestation • Aden: S. Arabia: rainfall for drinking water, grain – stopover for trade from India to Africa • “sorting spot” (cotton-India; spices-SE; horses-Arabia; pearls-Red Sea; slaves/gold/ivory-Ethiopia; grain & opium)

MALABAR COAST and MALACCA • INDIA: Malabar Coast – Trade included: cotton, leather skins, embroidey, gold thread, linen, silk, gemstones, jewelry, ivory, beads • Calicut, Cambay • SE ASIA: Malacca - Sumatra and Siam – Islamic trade instead of Hindu helped it grow

SOCIAL & CULTURAL CHANGES • Islamic influence in Africa & Asia saw changes in architecture – rock carving in Africa • Islam brought literacy to Africa (arabic script) • Islam brought study of law, administration, math, medicine, Greek science • Delhi, Timbuktu & Malacca learning centers • Islam usually spread peacefully through trade, marriage but developed differently by adopting local practices

SOCIAL AND GENDER DISTINCTIONS • Elites and commoners gap widened with wealth of trade • In India, some lower castes adopted Islam as it offered “hope” from inequalities of Hinduism • Slavery increased in Africa and India • Slaves were often trained for special purposes • Women’s status determined by males: India women expected to marry before puberty • African Muslim women: not required veil, could interact with men