Time Line

Brief Chronology of the West African Empires and Modern Mali

300s A.D.
Soninke people possibly united by a Soninke chief. Town of Kumbi Saleh possibly founded.

Late 300s
Beginnings of the Ghana Empire.
The Songhai establish markets at Kukiya and Gao on the Niger River.

c. 950
Ibn Haukal, an Arab geographer, describes Ghana and its capital Kumbi Saleh.

1000
Ghana reaches its zenith.

1076
Muslim Almoravids from Morocco conquer Ghana. Beginning of decline of Ghana Empire.

1100
Timbuktu begins as a seasonal nomad camp.

1230
Sundjata Keita becomes king of Mali.

1235
Sundjata Keita defeats Soumangourou of Sosso.

1240
Sundjata Keita conquers and destroys the Ghana Empire and establishes the Mali Empire.
Modern Djenne develops.

1307
Mansa Moussa becomes emperor of Mali. The Mali Empire expands westward to the Atlantic and eastward to the Adrar des Iforas.

1324
Mansa Moussa starts his pilgrimage to Mecca via the Sahara and Cairo, carrying large quantities of gold. On his return in 1325 he stops at Gao to receive the submission of the Songhai king. The Mali empire reaches its zenith.

c1350
Ibn Batuta, a north African geographer and scholar, visits the Mali empire.

1400
Decline of the Mali Empire.

1465
Sunni Ali Ber becomes emperor of the Songhai Empire. Under him the empire grows in size and strength.

1529
Askia Mohammed Touré deposed by his relatives

1549-83
Reign of Askia Daoud of the Songhai Empire. Under him the empire reaches its zenith.

1585
Moroccan invasion of the Songhai Empire. Beginning of the Moroccan occupation of the western Sudan. Anarchy and decline ensue.

1795-97
Mungo Park, Scottish explorer, visits Kaarta and Segou, and explores much of what is now western Mali.

1828
Réné Caillié enters Timbuktu, becomes the first then known European to visit the city and return alive.

1863
Faidherbe, governor of Senegal, negotiates a commercial treaty with Amadou Tall, head of the Tukulor Empire.

1880
French decree constituting the region of the Upper Senegal a distinct territory under a French  military officer, subordinate to the governor of Senegal, but enjoying a considerable measure of administrative freedom.

1890
Decree changing the title of the territory to Soudan Français; to be under the general direction of the governor of Senegal but with its own budget.

1892
French Sudan given complete autonomy, directly under the home government.

1899
French Sudan broken up: six districts transferred to French Guinea, two to Dahomey (now Benin), three to Ivory Coast. Remainder divided into three military territories. Territories of the Upper Senegal and Niger become a dependency of Senegal.

1902
Upper Senegal and Middle Niger became the Territories of Senegambie et Niger (Senegambia and Niger).

1904
Afrique Accidentale Française (AOF), a Federation of French West African territories created. French Sudan became the colony of Haut Sénégal et Niger (Upper Senegal and Niger), with its own lieutenant governor and of exactly the same status as the other colonies of the Federation. The capital is transferred to Bamako.

1919
Decree creating the Upper Volta colony and detaching seven provinces from Upper Senegal and Niger.

1920
Decree restoring the name of Soudan Français (French Sudan) to the colony.

1932
Decree abolishing the colony of the Upper Volta and restoring to French Sudan some parts of the provinces taken earlier.

1947
Colony of Upper Volta re-created, with former provinces detached again from the French Sudan.

1958
The French Sudan becomes the République Soudanaise (Sudanese Republic) within the French community.

1959
Mali Federation established with Senegal and the Sudanese Republic as members.

1960
Breakup of the Mali Federation. République du Mali (Republic of Mali) proclaimed in Bamako. Full independence.


Source: Imperato, Pascal J. Historical Dictionary of Mali. 2nd edition Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1986.