Subsaharan

Sub-Saharan Africa

By ethan.gass
  • 500

    Bantu farmers reach Orange River in present-day South Africa

    Bantu farmers reach Orange River in present-day South Africa
  • 550

    Kingdom of Ghana is established in west Africa

    Kingdom of Ghana is established in west Africa
  • Oct 3, 650

    Traders from Arabia establish the first Islamic settlements on the east coast of Africa

    Traders from Arabia establish the first Islamic settlements on the east coast of Africa
  • Oct 3, 753

    Arab expedition crosses the Sahara desert and makes contact with the kingdom of Ghana

    Arab expedition crosses the Sahara desert and makes contact with the kingdom of Ghana
  • Oct 3, 1076

    City of Kumbi, capital of Ghana, is sacked by an Almoravid army

    City of Kumbi, capital of Ghana, is sacked by an Almoravid army
  • Oct 3, 1100

    Bantu migration stopped

  • Oct 3, 1117

    City of Lalibela becomes the capital of Christian Ethiopia

    City of Lalibela becomes the capital of Christian Ethiopia
  • Oct 3, 1200

    Kingdom of Mwenemutapa is established in Zimbabwe

  • Oct 3, 1200

    Churches, such as that of St. George, are carved out of solid rock at Lalibela in Ethiopia

  • Oct 3, 1203

    Samanguru establishes himself as ruler of the remnants of the kingdom of Ghana

  • Oct 3, 1230

    Sundiata I becomes king of the city-state of Mali

  • Oct 3, 1240

    Sundiata, king of Mali, defeats Samanguru, city of Ghana, and establishes the empire of Mali

  • Oct 3, 1270

    Warlord Yekuno Amlak seizes control of Ethiopia and establishes the Solomonid dynasty

  • Oct 3, 1300

    Kingdom of Benin is established on the west coast of Africa

  • Oct 3, 1316

    Military expedition from Egypt establishes an Islamic ruler in Nubia

  • Oct 3, 1320

    King Amda Seyon extends Chrisitian control to south Ethiopia

  • Oct 3, 1324

    Pilgrimage of Mansa Musa to Mecca marks the highpoint of the empire of Mali

  • Oct 3, 1332

    War breaks out between Christian Ethiopia and neighboring Islamic kingdoms

  • Oct 3, 1375

    Kingdom of Songhai breaks away from the empire of Mali

  • Oct 3, 1416

    Portuguese explorers reach Cape Bojador on the west coast of Africa

  • Oct 3, 1421

    Ships from Ming China establish direct contact with the Islamic towns of east Africa

  • Oct 3, 1433

    Desert nomads capture the city of Timbuktu in the southwest Sahara desert

  • Oct 3, 1434

    Zara Yaqob becomes king of Ethiopia

  • Oct 3, 1440

    Walled enclosure and tower are built at Great Zimbabwe, capital of the Mwenemutapa kingdom

  • Oct 3, 1445

    Portugese explorers reach Cape Verde, west Africa

  • Oct 3, 1464

    King of Songhai, Sonni Ali, begins campaigns to overthrow Mali; start of Songhai empire

  • Oct 3, 1468

    Songhai empire conquers Timbuktu

  • Oct 3, 1471

    Portuguese establish a trading post at El Mina on the coast of present-day Ghana

  • Oct 3, 1483

    Portuguese explorers make contact with the west African kingdom of Kongo

  • Oct 3, 1487

    Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias sails around the south tip of Africa into the Indian Ocean

  • Oct 3, 1490

    Nzinga Nkuwu, king of Kongo, converts to Christianity

  • Oct 3, 1493

    Muhammad Askia becomes emperor of Songhai, with the city of Gao as his capital

  • Oct 3, 1498

    Sailing from Portugal, Vasco da Gama calls at the east Africa port of Mombasa en route to India

  • Port of Zanzibar on the east coast of Africa is founded by Islamic traders from south Arabia

    Port of Zanzibar on the east coast of Africa is founded by Islamic traders from south Arabia

  • Kingdom of Kanem is established around the west shore of Lake Chad

    Kingdom of Kanem is established around the west shore of Lake Chad

  • Falasha warriors under Queen Gudit sack the city of Aksum

    Falasha warriors under Queen Gudit sack the city of Aksum