Latest / Timbuktu: Africa's Forgotten Center of Knowledge — Fexingo History
Timbuktu's Scholar-Prince and the Fall of Songhai
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the dramatic story of Askia Ishaq II, the last great emperor of Songhai, whose disastrous military decisions led to the empire's collapse at the Battle of Tondibi in 1591. They discuss the Saadian invasion from Morocco, the technological disparity between Moroccan arquebusiers and Songhai's cavalry, and the internal political strife that weakened the empire. Lucas explains how Ishaq's refusal to adopt gunpowder weapons, despite warnings, sealed Songhai's fate. The episode also touches on the aftermath: the sacking of Timbuktu, the…
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