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Askia Dawud's Navy: Songhai's River Patrol on the Niger
When you think of the Songhai Empire, you probably picture camel caravans crossing the Sahara or cavalry charging across the Sahel. But this episode explores a lesser-known arm of Songhai power: its river patrols on the Niger River. Under Askia Dawud, the empire maintained a fleet of war canoes crewed by the Sorko people, who policed the river from Gao to Dendi. We look at how the fari-mondio, the imperial minister of waterways, organized these patrols to suppress piracy, collect tolls, and project power into the Niger Delta. Lucas and Luna discuss the design of Songhai's large dugout…
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