Latest / Mansa Musa: The Richest Man Who Ever Lived — Fexingo History / Mansa Musa's Lost Brother Abu Bakr II and the Atlantic Expedition
Transcript
- Lucas: When we talk about Mansa Musa, we usually start with Cairo, with the gold he spent so freely that he crashed the economy for a decade. But before Musa took the throne in 1307, there was another emperor whose ambitions reached far beyond the Sahara. His name was Abu Bakr II, and while Musa is remembered for his pilgrimage to Mecca, Abu Bakr is remembered for something much stranger. Luna: He went somewhere else? Lucas: He didn't just go somewhere; he disappeared. According to the accounts collected by the Egyptian historian al-Umari decades later, Abu Bakr II abdicated his throne right before Musa’s reign began. He handed power to Musa, who was essentially his deputy or Farba, and then set sail on a massive expedition into the Atlantic Ocean. Lucas: The sources say he equipped a fleet of one thousand ships, carrying men, supplies, and enough provisions for years. The idea was to find the end of the Atlantic, to see what lay beyond the western horizon. It’s a claim that has fascinated historians and skeptics alike for centuries. Luna: One thousand ships is a terrifying amount of manpower. Lucas: It is staggering, especially considering the technology of the early fourteenth century. We know the Mali Empire had access to shipbuilding techniques along the Niger River, using local woods like iroko and mahogany. These weren't ocean-going caravels; they were likely large, river-capable vessels adapted for coastal travel, known as jeliw. Lucas: The chronicler al-Umari reports that the second ship to return brought news from the previous year’s expedition. They claimed to have encountered a great current or whirlpool that had swallowed up many of the ships. Abu Bakr II, refusing to accept defeat, launched the final expedition himself, never to be seen again. Luna: So he just vanished into the waves. Lucas: That’s the literal interpretation, but let’s look closer at why he would do this. We have to remember the political context of the Mali Empire at the time. The Kouroukan Fouga, the grand charter that organized the state, emphasized balance and spiritual duty. Maybe Abu Bakr felt the empire was stagnant, or perhaps he was driven by a deep curiosity about the world. Lucas: There’s also the matter of succession. By stepping down, he ensured a smooth transition to Musa, who was already groomed for leadership. This wasn’t a madman fleeing chaos; it was a calculated decision by a stable ruler. The empire remained strong under Musa, which suggests Abu Bakr’s departure didn’t weaken the state. Luna: But did anyone actually make it across? Lucas: No credible evidence exists of them reaching the Americas or even Europe. However, some historians argue that they might have discovered islands further out, or perhaps just explored the coast of West Africa more thoroughly than previously thought. The point is, the attempt itself shows a level of maritime ambition we rarely attribute to inland African empires. Lucas: The narrative relies heavily on oral traditions recorded in the Tarikh al-Sudan. These texts preserve the memory of the Farba, the deputy who became emperor, and the Jeliw, the fleets that once patrolled the rivers. It reminds us that the Mali Empire was not just a land-based gold trader but a complex society with diverse ambitions. Luna: It changes how I picture their navy. Lucas: Exactly. We often think of the Dyula traders moving goods north to Taghaza and Egypt, but here we see them potentially looking south and west. The logistics of feeding a thousand ships require a sophisticated supply chain. Who provided the food? Where did they anchor? These questions highlight the administrative strength of the Niani court. Lucas: Abu Bakr II’s story is also a contrast to Musa’s. Musa sought spiritual validation through the Hajj, reinforcing his place in the Islamic world. Abu Bakr sought physical exploration, pushing against the unknown. Both were attempts to expand Mali’s influence, one through diplomacy and religion, the other through sheer audacity. Luna: Did the survivors bring back any artifacts? Lucas: The records are vague on specific objects, focusing more on the phenomenon of the whirlpool and the silence of the missing fleet. But the fact that al-Umari included it in his encyclopedia of the world suggests it was a well-known legend among the scholars of Timbuktu. It wasn’t dismissed as mere rumor. Lucas: We should also consider the role of the Jeliw, the griots and storytellers. They preserved these tales long after the ships sank. For them, the expedition was part of the imperial mythos, a testament to the courage of the rulers. It adds a layer of drama to the otherwise bureaucratic records of tax collection and legal codes. Luna: So the stories survived because they were exciting. Lucas: They survived because they were true to the spirit of the age. The fourteenth century was a time of expansion and curiosity. Whether it was Marco Polo traveling east or Abu Bakr sailing west, there was a desire to map the edges of the known world. The Mali Empire participated in this global impulse, even if its methods were unique. Lucas: I think what’s most compelling is that Musa didn’t condemn his predecessor. He accepted the throne without conflict. This implies that Abu Bakr’s choice was respected, perhaps even seen as a noble sacrifice for the good of the empire. It’s a rare moment in royal history where abdication isn’t seen as weakness. Luna: It feels very modern in its pragmatism. Lucas: It does. And it leaves us with a haunting image: a thousand ships disappearing into the mist of the Atlantic, leaving behind only a whisper in the archives of Timbuktu. Did they find anything? Or did the ocean simply reclaim them? We may never know for sure. Luna: Maybe that’s better than knowing the truth. Lucas: Perhaps. But the mystery keeps us asking questions about what else we might have missed in our histories of the pre-colonial world. There are still shadows in the archives waiting to be illuminated. Luna: And maybe new ships are being built in those shadows. Lucas: That’s the hope. Every fragment of information adds color to the picture. Speaking of keeping things going, if you’ve been enjoying these deep dives into the Sahel, your support really helps us keep the lights on. If today was worth a coffee to you, that's the link — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo — that's F. E. X. I. N. G. O. Luna: Thanks for keeping the history alive. Lucas: It’s the listeners who make it possible. We’ll see you next time when we explore the silk trade routes that connected Mali to the wider world.