Description of the Pilgrimage of Mansa Musa of Mali on Al-Umari’s Description of the Pilgrimage of Mansa Musa of Mali
Introduction: Control of the Trans-Saharan trade from the cities of the Sahel to the North African ports was a certain guarantee of enormous wealth.
During the medieval period, three great empires – Ghana, Mali, and Songhay – dominated this traffic in gold, salt, slaves, and ivory. The most magnificent of the West African emperors was Mansa Musa of Mali (1312–1337 CE).
Description of the Pilgrimage of Mansa Musa of Mali Writing Guideline
Mansa Musa visited Cairo in 1324 during his Pilgrimage to Mecca. He arrived in Cairo at the head of a huge caravan that included 60,000 people and 80 camels carrying more than 2 tons of gold to be distributed to the poor. His lavish display of wealth and largess while on his pilgrimage drew international attention. The following description is from Al-Umari, an Arab traveler who visited Cairo several years after Mansa Musa’s visit.
Read only my uploads and answer my 5 question: the excerpts from Al-Umari (writing about Mansa Musa’s Pilgrimage),
Description of the Pilgrimage of Mansa Musa of Mali Response Writing
Write your responses to the five questions below in a 2 page essay:
1. In what way was Mansa Musa’s conduct found to be contrary to Muslim law, and how did the Emperor react upon being informed of this?
2. According to Mansa Musa, what happened to his predecessor, and under what circumstances did Musa himself come to the throne?
3. What can we tell about the extent of Mansa Musa’s wealth? What economic and/or other effects did Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage have in Egypt?
4. What can historians tell about Mansa Musa from this account? How did he view himself?
5. What can historians learn about Islam in Africa from this account of Mansa Musa’s Pilgrimage?
