Timbuktu and the Songhay Empire: Al-Saʻdī's Taʼrīkh Al-Sūdān Down to 1613 and Other Contemporary Documents

ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbd Allāh al- Saʿdī

BRILL, Jan 1, 1999 - History - 412 pages

The principal text translated in this volume is the "Ta'r?kh Al-s?d?n" of the seventeenth-century Timbuktu scholar 'Abd al-Ra?m?n al-Sa'd?. Thirty chapters are included, dealing with the history of Timbuktu and Jenne, their scholars, and the political history of the Songhay empire from the reign of Sunni 'Al? (1464-1492) through Moroccan conquest of Songhay in 1591 and down to the year 1613 when the Pashalik of Timbuktu became an autonomous ruling institution in the Middle Niger region. The year 1613 also marked the effective end of Songhay resistance. The other contemporary documents included are a new English translation of Leo Africanus's description of West Africa, some letters relating to Sa'd?an diplomacy and conquests in the Sahara and Sahel, al-Ifr?n?'s account of Sa'd?an conquest of Songhay, and an account of this expedition by an anonymous Spaniard. This publication has also been published in paperback, please click here for details.

Contents

• Abbreviations: xiii
• Preface: xv
• Dates References and Conventions: xx
• an Interpretive Essay: xxii
• Tarikh alSūdān: lxiii
• Introduction: 1
• The Zuwa Dynasty: 3
• The Sunni Dynasty: 7
• Sultan Kankan Mūsā and Malian Rule over the: 9
• Mali and its Provinces: 13
• Jenne and its History: 17
• Scholars and Holymen of Jenne: 23
• The History of Timbuktu: 29
• The Tuareg: 35
• Scholars and Holymen of Timbuktu: 38
• Scholars and Holymen of Timbuktu Ctd: 52
• The Imams of the Great Mosque and the Sankore: 81
• The Reign of Sunni Ali: 91
• The Reign of Askiya alḥājj Muḥammad: 109
• The Reigns of Askiya Mūsā and Muḥammad: 118
• The Reign of Askiya Ismāil: 132
• The Reign of Askiya Isḥāq I: 137
• The Reign of Askiya Dāwūd: 144
• The Reign of Askiya alḤājj: 160
• The Reign of Askiya Muḥammad Bāni: 162
• The Reign of Askiya Isḥāq II: 172
• 1 The: 186
• 2 Songhay: 200
• Rulers of Jenne during the Arma Administration: 213
• Pasha Maḥmūds Campaigns Arrest of the: 218
• Pasha Jawdars Recall Jenne under Attack: 233
• The Sultans of Masina: 237
• The Administrations of Pasha Sulayman and: 244
• Pasha Maḥmūd Lonko: 247
• The Sadian Dynasty and its Decline: 258
• Obituaries and Events of the Years 15911613: 259
• Other Contemporary Documents 1 Leo Africanuss Description of the Middle Niger the: 271
• Letters Relating to Sadian Diplomacy and Conquests in: 292
• An Account of the Sadian Conquest of Songhay by an: 318
• Appendices: 331
• Offices and OfficeHolders under the Askiyas: 338
• Colophon to Askiya Muḥammad Bānis copy of the: 351
• North and West Africa: 358
• The Askiyas: 364
• Index: 389

About the author

John Hunwick, Ph.D. (1974) in Islamic Studies, University of London, is Professor of History and Professor of Religion at Northwestern University. His publications include "Shar a in Songhay" (Oxford, 1985) and "Arabic Literature of Africa, Vol. II The Writings of Central Sudanic Africa" (Brill, 1995)

Bibliographic information

• Title: Timbuktu and the Songhay Empire: Al-Saʻdī's Taʼrīkh Al-Sūdān Down to 1613 and Other Contemporary Documents; Volume 27 of Islamic History and Civilization; Volume 27 of Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Science Series; Volume 27 of Islamic history and civilization: Studies and texts
• Author: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbd Allāh al- Saʿdī
• Editor: John Owen Hunwick
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: BRILL, 1999
• ISBN: 9004112073, 9789004112070
• Length: 412 pages
• Subjects: Architecture / Interior Design / General; History / Africa / General; History / Middle East / General