The Songhai Naval Fleet on the Niger River

Timbuktu: Africa's Forgotten Center of Knowledge — Fexingo History · May 10, 2026 · 5m · transcript

While Timbuktu's libraries and scholars are legendary, its power once rested on the waters of the Niger River. This episode dives into the Songhai navy—the war canoes that carried armies, trade, and the empire's reach across the Sahel. We explore the famous hi-koi boats, the arsenal at Bara, and the pivotal Battle of Tondibi where cavalry fought from boats. Lucas and Luna piece together accounts from the Tarikh al-Sudan and European travelers like Ibn Battuta, revealing a forgotten maritime tradition that sustained West Africa's largest empire. From the river patrols that…