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Mansa Musa and Timbuktu: A Captivating Guide to the Emperor of the Mali Empire and a Major City for Trade in Medieval West Africa (Exploring Africa’s Past) Kindle Edition

by Captivating History (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 38 ratings
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Two captivating manuscripts in one book:
  • Mansa Musa: A Captivating Guide to the Emperor of the Islamic Mali Empire in West Africa and How He Developed Timbuktu into a Major Center for Trade
  • Timbuktu: A Captivating Guide to an Important Ancient City and How It Became a Part of the Wealthy Mali Empire during the Reign of Mansa Musa

In the grand scheme of things, very little is known of Mansa Musa’s life. We know that he was one of the greatest emperors of the Mali Empire. And we know that he was actually one of the richest men of all time due to the enormous gold deposits in West Africa that were under his dominion, but large parts of Mansa Musa’s life remain a mystery.

We know, for example, that he later expanded the reach of the Mali Empire considerably, eventually incorporating the legendary Timbuktu into his realm. Such things certainly make for fascinating tales, but the truth is much of Mansa Musa’s early life is virtually unknown. This is largely due to the fact that Mansa Musa did not have a biography of his exploits written about him during the time in which he lived.

Rather than a written record, the narrative of his exploits that are remembered come down to us through the lore of the griot—Mali’s oral storytellers. The tales that these bards spin are indeed riveting, but they tend to focus on certain key events in Mansa Musa’s later life. The epic journey of Mansa’s hajj to Mecca is covered, and so are some other key parts of his personal history. But many other aspects still draw a blank.

Here in this text, however, we have really run the gamut when it comes to uncovering the life of Mansa Musa. Utilizing both the testimony of Arab chroniclers familiar with Mali and Mansa Musa, the oral stories of the griot, and archaeological evidence, we have put together a book that captures the essence of who Mansa Musa was and what he tried to accomplish. His story is like some great mosaic that has fractured over the centuries, but we have pieced it all together to present to you the best portrait possible of Mansa Musa and the life he lived.

Some of the topics covered in part 1 of this book:
  • The backstory of the Mali Empire and its founders
  • The rise of Mansa Musa as the emperor
  • The transition of Mali from a pagan to a Muslim Kingdom
  • Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca
  • The incorporation of Timbuktu into the Mali Empire
  • Mansa Musa’s successors
  • Mansa Musa’s legacy
  • And much more!

Some of the topics covered in part 2 of this book:
  • The foundation of Timbuktu and some believed translations of its name
  • The life of the Tuaregs, the original people of Timbuktu
  • The creation of the Mali Empire and its acquisition of Timbuktu
  • The various mansas of the Mali Empire, including the great Mansa Musa
  • The collapse of the Mali Empire
  • The creation and early stages of the Songhai Empire
  • The various kings of the Songhai Empire who transformed Timbuktu
  • The collapse of the Songhai Empire and Morocco’s occupation in Timbuktu
  • The early Tuareg rebellions and the transfer of power in Timbuktu between the various groups still inhabiting the city during the Moroccan occupation
  • The French acquisition of Morocco and Timbuktu
  • French Sudan’s (modern-day Mali’s) road to independence
  • The creation of the Republic of Mali
  • The modern-day struggles in Timbuktu between the Tuareg rebels and the terrorist occupations
  • The current state of Timbuktu and what’s in store in its future

So if you want to learn more about Mansa Musa and Timbuktu, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button!
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  1. Part of series
    Exploring Africa’s Past
  2. Print length
    202 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    January 7, 2022
  6. File size
    5235 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Total Price: $21.96
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09Q196VDW
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 7, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5235 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 202 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 38 ratings

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Captivating History

Captivating History

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A lot of history books just contain dry facts that will eventually bore the reader. That's why Captivating History was created. Now you can enjoy history books that will mesmerize you. But be careful though, hours can fly by, and before you know it; you're up reading way past bedtime.

Get your first history book for free here:

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Make sure to follow us on Twitter: @CaptivHistory, Facebook: www.facebook.com/captivatinghistory and Youtube so you can get all of our updates!

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
38 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

F. R. Isom
5.0 out of 5 stars Grandeur and riches in the African desert
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2022
Mansa Musa was one of the most notable leaders of the middle ages and he impacted greatly the economy of the world. He was well known throughout the world for his riches and his generosity. This book bundle highlights the influence of Mansa Musa and the city, Timbuktu, he built up as an education and cultural center. It is well researched and easy to read because of the interesting stories included. I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to study African history at its best. A great read.

Part 1 Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa ruled the Mali Empire from his capital city of Niani, which sat right on top of a gold mine. His wealth is estimated to be 400 billion dollars in today's currency making him the most wealthy man to ever live. One of his most memorable moments occurred when he visited Cairo while on the hajj and managed to singlehandedly crash the gold markets. In Egypt Mansa Musa gave gifts to the general populace. He arranged to have gifts of clothes and food distributed to the poor and homeless who lived in Cairo’s streets. After the Hajj Mansa Musa renovated Timbuktu and made it a major trading hub between several North African trade routes and a center for education and religious studies.

Part 2 Timbuktu
Sundiata, a surviving member of the royal family, gained enough strength to to retake Niani and in so doing established the Mali Empire. He united the states from east of Niani to the Atlantic coast and the Malinké kingdoms. The Mali Empire gained goldfields, salt mines, and agricultural resources, as well as large trading cities such as Timbuktu.
When the Songhai Empire, emerged as an Empire it conquered the area which included Timbuktu. As it had lost much of its splendor, they restored it reestablishing its place as a center for trade, worship and learning. Morocco overran the Songhai Empire and Timbuktu fell into ruin and one faction after another gained control. When the French made Morocco a protectorate they tried to restore Timbuktu for its historical value but many Europeans flocked there because of tales of buried gold.
3 people found this helpful
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Michael States
5.0 out of 5 stars An inspiration for the Black Panther and Wakanda
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2022
Captivating History provides a bundle of two prior publications on Mansa Musa and Timbuktu. This six-hour read introduces us to Mansa Musa. a monarch, who ruled over West Africa in the 1300s, and owned some of the largest gold deposits in the world. Four hundred billion dollars is the estimated net worth of his possessions which exceeds the worth of today's billionaires.

This monarch's life is documented by several anecdotes that capture how Mansa Musa was able to manage this wealth and influence his trading partners. His interest in developing the material wealth and the skills and knowledge of his people left the area with a legacy and history which is seldom illuminated in our culture.

The depiction of Mansa Musa, his nation and the political structure of his life is a remarkable history and is well captured. .

Then the interest of the publication turns to Timbuktu, which is frequently referenced as a distant, far-off location synonymous with the "middle of nowhere." Captivating History starts with the earliest years of Timbuktu founded as early as the fifth century, but the more common thought is the 11th or 12th century. The ethnic group that populated this area is spread throughout northwestern Africa south of the Sahara Desert.

The people and the myths of the area influenced Disney's The Lion King, Marvel's Black Panther, and Shakespeare's Hamlet. Timbuktu once housed some of the world's top scholars and artists but has now essentially disappeared from history.

Yet the empire within this history sent two expeditions to the West but there is no proof that they were successful in reaching the Americas. This is a great three-hour read and provides an extensive bibliography for further research.
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LJM
3.0 out of 5 stars Poorly written but hard to find topic
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2022
Verified Purchase
This was new-to-me history and I had a difficult time finding a book written for adults about the Empire of Mali. I enjoyed reading this account (two short history books, one about Mansa Musa and the Empire of Mali, and the other about Timbuktu) but be aware that it is poorly written. The writing is at a middle school or high school research paper level, not the level one would expect from a historical account. It attempts to address the subject in a conversational tone, but even there it needed better editing to remove all of the filler and contradictory statements. Also, when I looked up a picture of a mosque described in the book, I found that Wikipedia disputed the book's assertions about the mosque's architect, leaving me wondering about the veracity of the entire contents. However, since information about the Empire of Mali seems hard to come by, at least this gives a general overview.
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thomas j miller
4.0 out of 5 stars Book
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2022
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Excellent book
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Dale
5.0 out of 5 stars The story of a great king and a great city
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2022
Timbuktu was once the center of trade, economic wealth, and learning, in west Africa. What happened to make the great fall? Timbuktu, as an expression, is synonomous with "the middle of nowhere." This is the story of how a city rose from a simple farm, to be one of the greatest cities in Africa. But, more than the story of a city, it is a story of empires, and tribal warfare, which all served to bring down one of the world's great cities. Mansa Musa was a great and legendary king of the Mali Empire. He elevated the his kingdom to an empire, and inspired many legends along the way. His is a fascinating story of a great leader.
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alsjc55
5.0 out of 5 stars Great bundle
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2022
One cannot learn about Timbuktu without learning the life of one of its great leaders, Musa Mansa.
An exotic locale like Timbuktu cannot have reached its glory, and therefore its popularity without a leader that put it in history’s map. The man himself was an unforgettable character. Wealthy and powerful, and at the same time benevolent.
I especially liked the reference to Disney’s “The Lion King” when describing Sundiata Keita. There is a book written by Leo Africanus called “Description of Africa” for those wishing to read more about Timbuktu. The bibliography section provides more references you can check out.
This is very well-researched bundle given the lack of recorded historical data which is disclosed in these two books. Highly recommended.
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Top reviews from other countries

Mr. Stuart J. Williams
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Couple of Books worth Investing a little Time to have a read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
I have now a few of these Captivating History books and I have to admit the content is very interesting to read.

This is a two in one book so I will write a review for each book in turn

Mansa Musa

I had heard of this man before I read the book. I knew that he was a very rich man that ruined the economy of Egypt on his way to do his Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. That's about all I knew so was interested to find out a bit more.

Mansa Musa was Mansa (King, Emperor and so fourth) of the Powerful but not well known Mali Empire in the Middle Ages. The book goes and covers some of the general history before his rule and a little bit of information after his rule. This includes a few interesting little titbits of information, including how slavery was rampant during this time. The slaves however were treated a lot better than they were during the European empire building time. In fact it is heavily rumoured (there is a lack of written sources for the period, and a lot of the history is based or oral record only) that the one great Mansa's before Musa was born was a slave before serving with distinction in the military. He then became Mansa hence obtaining his freedom from slavery.

The book deals mainly with the Mansa Musa 1 year Hajj to Mecca. This is where he pumped so much gold in the Egyptian economy it is said he destroyed their economy. The good thing for him was he did not get the blame and was loved in Egypt for his perceived generosity. This suggests Musa was a very clever politician as he could of purposely crashed their economy. On the way back from his Hajj he did visit the small town at the time called Timbuktu. Due to Timbuktu location being by one of the great African rivers he turned this small town into a major trading centre of the Mali empire. Timbuktu also became a centre of learning for the Muslim religion and scholarship. Mansa Musa built great buildings and temples built during this rein.

Mansa Musa was regarded as one of the greats if not the greatest Mansa of the Mali Empire and he led a very interesting life.

Timbuktu

This book does have some crossover with the Mansa Musa story so will mostly review this book after Mansa Musa death. Timbuktu has an interesting but a sad history. Located in modern day Mali the city is now pretty much destroyed by Islamic extremism nowadays. That being said it has been destroyed and rebuilt before so hopefully that can happen again. The book covers all the battles for this city between the Mali Empire, the Songhai Empire and the original discovers of the town the Tuaregs. The book also covers the effects of the European empire builders and follows into the modern day city which despite being a World Heritage site, it is mostly destroyed. There is also some supposition of what is instore for Timbuktu future.

The book is very much inline with the fading power of the Mali empire and what consequences that had for the once great city. Overall an eye opening but as said before sad story but if you are interested in the causes of some of the modern days issues in Mali this book will give you a good grounding.

I preferred the book about Mansa Musa out of the two if I am honest. Both were interesting and well written. These books are not going to tell you everything you want to know about the period as they are not meant to. They really an introduction that allows to the reader to find out some important information which may lead the reader to try and find out more. Overall a good read and worth the purchase
One person found this helpful
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Charles D Beddie
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in Australia on August 13, 2023
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