Introduction: Whereas the rise of
the Empire of Mali was swift, its decline was gradual. In
the 15th century it had lost its ability to dominate the affairs of
the Western Sudan for it had shrunk into the tiny principality of
Kangaba, back to where it first emerged in its Malinke heartland. It
was not until the 17th century did Mali completely lose its political
identity as it had broken up into a number of small independent
chiefdoms.
The first outward sign of Mali's weakness occurred
during the reign of Musa's son Maghan I who ruled between 1337 to
1341. During this period the Mossi of present day Burkina Faso
raided across Manding and devastated Timbuktu. The Tuareg of the
Sahara conquered the northern part of the empire. There were as many
as 6 kings within the space of forty years
from 1360 to 1400 and a
series of civil wars and coup d'etat. Many provinces took advantage of
the intermittent power vacuums to break away. In the second half of
the 15th century, the Songhai, under their brilliant leader, Sunni
Ali, conquered Jenne and Timbuktu and replaced Songhai as the most
important power in the Western Sudan.
Reasons Fall: A
number of factors contributed to the decline of the Mali Empire.
However the decline of the Manding Empire can be accounted for by
firstly by dynastic struggles within the empire. Such dynastic
struggles and rivalries were encouraged by the absence of a clearly
defined law of succession and the official power held by many members
of the royal family. Also contributing to a growing weakness in royal
authority was the ambition of powerful noblemen to usurp royal
authority by secluding the semi-divine ruler from human contact. These
factors,
combined with the ineffective government of some incompetent
Mansas, weakened the central power of Manding. The process was further
exacerbated by the growing bankruptcy of the state caused by
extravagance, maladministration of failing gold supplies. This
weakening of the centre gave the opportunity for ambitious individuals
and tributary states to seek independence of the Mansas control.
Introduction:
Whereas the rise of
the Empire of Mali was swift, its decline was gradual. In
the 15th century it had lost its ability to dominate the affairs of
the Western Sudan for it had shrunk into the tiny principality of
Kangaba, back to where it first emerged in its Malinke heartland. It
was not until the 17th century did Mali completely lose its political
identity as it had broken up into a number of small independent
chiefdoms. 
The first outward sign of Mali's weakness occurred
during the reign of Musa's son Maghan I who ruled between 1337 to
1341. During this period the Mossi of present day Burkina Faso
raided across Manding and devastated Timbuktu. The Tuareg of the
Sahara conquered the northern part of the empire. There were as many
as 6 kings within the space of forty years
from 1360 to 1400 and a
series of civil wars and coup d'etat. Many provinces took advantage of
the intermittent power vacuums to break away. In the second half of
the 15th century, the Songhai, under their brilliant leader, Sunni
Ali, conquered Jenne and Timbuktu and replaced Songhai as the most
important power in the Western Sudan.
A
number of factors contributed to the decline of the Mali Empire.
However the decline of the Manding Empire can be accounted for by
firstly by dynastic struggles within the empire. Such dynastic
struggles and rivalries were encouraged by the absence of a clearly
defined law of succession and the official power held by many members
of the royal family. Also contributing to a growing weakness in royal
authority was the ambition of powerful noblemen to usurp royal
authority by secluding the semi-divine ruler from human contact. These
factors,
combined with the ineffective government of some incompetent
Mansas, weakened the central power of Manding. The process was further
exacerbated by the growing bankruptcy of the state caused by
extravagance, maladministration of failing gold supplies. This
weakening of the centre gave the opportunity for ambitious individuals
and tributary states to seek independence of the Mansas control. 
