The Rise of the Mali Empire, How Gold Built One of Africa’s Greatest Civilizations
The Mali Empire, flourishing between the 13th and 16th centuries, became one of Africa’s most powerful and wealthy civilizations, thanks largely to its control of the trans-Saharan gold trade. Founded by Sundiata Keita, Mali’s strategic position between West Africa’s gold fields and the Mediterranean world transformed it into an essential trading hub. Scholars widely agree…