History of Mali
| History of Mali |
|---|
| Ghana Empire (c. 700 – c. 1200) |
| Gao Empire (9th century–1430) |
| Mali Empire (c. 1235–1670) |
| Songhai Empire (1464–1591) |
| Post-Imperial, 1591–1892 |
| French colonization |
| After Independence |
| Related topics |
|
| Mali portal |
The history of Mali can be divided into several major periods:
- Pre-Imperial Mali (before the 13th century)
- The Mali Empire (13th–17th centuries)
- The Songhai Empire (15th–16th centuries)
Mali's present-day borders largely follow those of French Sudan, established in 1891. These colonial boundaries brought together diverse Sudanian and Saharan regions into a single political unit. As a result, Mali developed into a multi-ethnic society, with the Mandé peoples forming a significant part of its cultural and historical identity.
Throughout its history, Mali's position at the crossroads of Trans-Saharan trade routes played a crucial role in its development. The city of Timbuktu, situated near the Niger River on the southern edge of the Sahara, became an important center of commerce, Islamic scholarship, and culture from the 13th century onward.
This prosperity peaked during the rise of the Mali Empire, followed by the expansion of the Songhai Empire, both of which established Mali as a major power in West African history.