Latest / The Songhai Empire: Africa's Powerful Forgotten Kingdom — Fexingo History
Songhai's Royal Succession Wars and the Cost of Power
While previous episodes explored Songhai’s naval dominance, architectural achievements, and intellectual golden age, this episode turns its gaze to the volatile heart of the empire: the royal court. We examine the intricate and often brutal dynamics of succession after the death of Sonni Ali Ber in 1492, focusing on the usurpation by Askia Muhammad and the subsequent civil wars that fractured the empire. Lucas and Luna discuss how the concept of legitimacy shifted from divine right to military merit, and how this instability invited external threats, particularly from the Saadian dynasty of…
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