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In 600 A.D., Koumbi was established as the capital of Ghana.
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Tenkamenin became the ruler of Ghana. He lived in an ornate wooden and mud castle, full of beautifully made sculptures, windows, and paintings. He built many structures, like prisons, temples, and tombs. His kingdom was very wealthy.
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Tenkamenin's beautiful, wealthy kingdom began to crumble when Muslim invaders, known as the Almoravids, attacked Ghana.
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King Sumanguru attempted to ward off the Almoravids and restore Ghana to its former glory.
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The Empire of Ghana crumbled under the power of the Almoravids, along with the last king, Sumanguru.
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The king of empire of Mali was Sundiata, a magician and a warrior.
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He destroyed it by taking over the gold and salt trade.
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Mansa Musa, Sundiata's nephew, became the new ruler.
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Mansa Musa visitted the holy city of Mecca which all muslims are required to visit in their lifetime.
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Mansa Musa died and left behind an empire government by law and a good economy.
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Sunni Ali defeated Mali and became ruler of a new empire, known as Songhai.
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A new ruler takes control of Songhai, Askia Muhammad, who is known as one of Songhai's greatest emperors.
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Askia made Hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca, as Muslims are told to do in the Koran. Askia brought back people of many different professions. Because of this, his empire grew and thrived. This is when Songhai obtained its reputation of being the most powerful West African empire.
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The two kingdoms that surrounded Songhai, Morroco and Spain, destroy Songhai, the last of the West African empires.
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The king of Ghana, at the time, became a Muslim. He decided to tax all goods passing through and established a large army to collect payments.
