WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Under the rule of Sonni Ali, the Songhai surpassed the Malian Empire in area, wealth, and power, absorbing vast areas of the Mali Empire and reaching its greatest extent. Following Ali’s reign, Askia the Great strengthened the Songhai Empire and made it the largest empire in West Africa’s history.

Detailed explanation-2: -The most powerful of these states was the Songhai Empire, which expanded rapidly beginning with king Sonni Ali in the 1460s. By 1500, it had risen to stretch from Cameroon to the Maghreb, the largest state in African history.

Detailed explanation-3: -Founded in 1464 out of the ruins of the Malian Empire, Songhay was the largest of the indigenous empires in Africa. At its zenith, it covered around 540, 000 square miles, stretching east-west for 1, 200 miles along the River Niger with the Sahara to the north and the Sudan savannah to the south.

Detailed explanation-4: -First, the Songhai Empire was much larger than the Mali Empire. Second, the Songhai Empire was centered around its capital city of, Gao, while the Mali Empire lacked central cities and had numerous small towns and villages.

Detailed explanation-5: -It replaced the Mali Empire (1240-1645) as the most important state in West Africa. Originating as a smaller kingdom along the eastern bend of the Niger River c. 1000, the Songhai expanded their territory dramatically from the reign of King Sunni Ali (1464-1492).

Detailed explanation-6: -The Mali Empire, with its large gold and salt trade and large military, was a force to be reckoned with through much of West Africa, and had several vassal states, making it the larger of the three empires.