Latest / The Songhai Empire: Africa's Powerful Forgotten Kingdom — Fexingo History / Songhai's Sonni Ali: The Lion of the Sahel
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about the Songhai Empire under the Askia dynasty — Askia Muhammad, Askia Dawud, the great administrators. But before all of them, there was the man who actually built the empire: Sonni Ali. And honestly, his reputation is one of the most polarizing in West African history. Luna: I've heard he's sometimes called 'Sonni Ali the Great' and also 'Sonni Ali the tyrant'. Which is it? Lucas: Exactly, and the answer depends heavily on which source you read. The Tarikh al-Sudan, written by the Timbuktu scholar Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'di, portrays him as a brutal, impious ruler who persecuted the scholars of Timbuktu. But the Tarikh al-Fattash, by Mahmud Kati, is more balanced, even admiring in some places. Sonni Ali reigned from about 1464 to 1492, and he transformed the small kingdom of Songhai — centered on the city of Gao — into a massive empire by conquering the key trading cities of Timbuktu and Djenne. Luna: So he was a military conqueror first. Lucas: Absolutely. He spent most of his reign campaigning. He fought the Mossi kingdoms to the south, the Fulani pastoralists, and the Tuareg who controlled the trans-Saharan trade routes. One of his most famous campaigns was against the Maghsharen Tuareg, who had dominated Timbuktu for decades. In 1468, he captured Timbuktu and drove out the Tuareg, bringing the city under Songhai control. But that's where the controversy begins. Luna: Because of what he did to the scholars? Lucas: Right. According to the Tarikh al-Sudan, Sonni Ali was deeply antagonistic toward the scholarly elite of Timbuktu — the Sankore scholars. He allegedly executed several of them and forced others to flee. The chronicle says he was a practitioner of 'magic' and that he had no respect for Islam. But we have to be careful: al-Sa'di was writing over a century later, under the Askia dynasty, who had overthrown Sonni Ali's son. So there's definitely a political bias there. The Tarikh al-Fattash, on the other hand, suggests that Sonni Ali was actually a Muslim, albeit one who blended Islamic practices with local traditions. Luna: So it's a classic case of history written by the victors. Lucas: Exactly. Sonni Ali's son and successor, Sonni Baru, was overthrown by Askia Muhammad in 1493, and the Askia dynasty legitimized itself by painting Sonni Ali as a tyrannical pagan. But there's more to the story. Sonni Ali was also an innovator. He constructed an extensive network of canals linking the Niger River to the Bani River, which helped irrigate farmland and facilitated trade. He also built up the Songhai navy — the war canoes of the Sorko people — which gave him control over the Niger River. That was crucial for moving troops and goods. Luna: The Sorko — we've talked about them before. They were the river warriors. Lucas: Yes. Sonni Ali relied heavily on the Sorko as his naval force, and he also integrated other ethnic groups like the Fulani and the Mossi into his army. He was a pragmatist. He didn't care about ethnic or religious purity — he wanted results. And he got them. By the time of his death in 1492, the Songhai Empire stretched from the Niger bend to the Senegal River, encompassing some of the wealthiest cities in West Africa. Luna: What happened after he died? Did the empire fall apart? Lucas: Not immediately, but his son Sonni Baru only lasted about a year before Askia Muhammad led a rebellion. Askia Muhammad was one of Sonni Ali's generals, and he claimed that Sonni Baru was too lax in his Islamic practice — which is ironic, given that Sonni Ali himself was accused of being un-Islamic. But Askia Muhammad was a devout Muslim and he had the support of the Timbuktu scholars. So history remembers Sonni Ali as the founder, but the Askia dynasty as the builders of the golden age. Luna: It's funny — the man who built the empire is almost forgotten, while his usurper gets all the credit. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why we're doing this episode. Sonni Ali deserves to be remembered, not just as a tyrant, but as a complex figure who fought to create something lasting. Before we move on, I want to mention something: if you're enjoying these deep dives into West African history, and you want to support the show, you can do so at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to keep us ad-free and independent. And honestly, that support is what makes episodes like this possible. Luna: Yeah, it really does. We put a lot of research into each episode, and knowing that listeners appreciate it means a lot. Lucas: Totally. So back to Sonni Ali. One of the most fascinating aspects of his reign is his relationship with the city of Timbuktu. After he captured it, he didn't just pillage — he actually invested in the city's infrastructure. He built a mosque and a palace, and he ordered the construction of a canal to bring water from the Niger to the city's gardens. So despite the bad press, he did contribute to Timbuktu's growth. Luna: So the canal wasn't just for farming, it was for urban development too. Lucas: Exactly. And it's a reminder that Sonni Ali was more than just a warrior. He had a vision for an integrated empire. Unfortunately, the Askia dynasty's historians downplayed his achievements. But we can piece together a different picture from archaeological evidence and from the more neutral parts of the chronicles. For instance, the Tarikh al-Fattash mentions that Sonni Ali personally led prayers during the Muslim festivals, which suggests he was at least outwardly observant. Luna: That contradicts the story that he was a pagan magician. Lucas: Completely. And it highlights the danger of relying on a single source. Sonni Ali's legacy is a perfect example of how political bias shapes historical memory. The Askia dynasty had every reason to blacken his name, and they succeeded for centuries. But modern historians are beginning to re-evaluate him as a pragmatic ruler who built the foundation for one of Africa's greatest empires. Luna: So what's the takeaway? How should we remember Sonni Ali? Lucas: I think as a complex figure — flawed, certainly, but also brilliant. He was a military strategist, an urban planner, and a unifier of diverse peoples. He wasn't a saint, but he wasn't the monster some chronicles made him out to be. And in the end, his empire outlasted him, even if his dynasty didn't. That's a legacy worth exploring.