Kankou Moussa

Kankou Moussa or Mansa Moussa. Kankou Moussa is the new one of the legendary Soundiata Keita. From 1312, it will reign for 25 years on the empire founded by his uncle while increasing the surface of this one.According to the history of the Malian dynasties. The grandfather of kankou is Aboubakr (probably Bakari or Bogari). According to the oral traditions. Aboubakr will not rise on the throne and his son Faga Leye the father of kankou Moussa has no (The kingdom of Mali does not have a written archive). If one takes into account the reign of his son Maghan (1332-1336) As well as the fact that he had reigned 25 years, the date of his death would be 1332.

Kankou Moussa built many mosques and madrasas in Gao and Timbuktu. His best known work remains the medersas of Sankorea. In Niani he built a courtroom, a building communicating through an inner door with the royal palace. L 'Edifice' built of cut stone is surmounted by a dome decorated with colored arabesques.

The pilgrimage to Mecca of Kankou Moussa was famous in North Africa. He left for Saudi Arabia in 1324 with its suite, which included 60,000 men, 12,000 servants and slaves, clothes, herbs, silk and golden staff bearers to take care of horses and sacks. Moussa provided everything necessary for the procession, providing food for men and animals. In the caravan are also found according to some stories, camels bearing between 50 and 300 pounds of powdered gold each. In every town he passed through, Kankou Moussa offered his wealth. It was also indicated that he was building a new mosque every Friday, no matter where he stopped during the day. On his return he had to use money to come into his empire. Moussa learned that his army, headed by General Sagamandia, had taken over Gao, in the Songhai region. This town had left the empire even before the reign of Sakoura and was reestablished at this time as an important commercial center, although its rebel tendencies are notorious.

It was thanks to Kankou Moussa that Islam was propagated in Gao, Timbuktu and the rest of his empire. He became famous for his sense of justice, generosity and extreme pilgrimage that he led from Mecca to Mali through Egypt, giving a lot of gold there. Moussa developed education in Mali. Djenne and Timbuktu and Gao became important cultural shopping centers and intellectual centers, in particular literature, which supplanted that of North Africa. He died leaving behind him the image of a great empire, known all over the world for its wealth. Kankou Moussa was the richest man the earth has ever known. Not only was he rich but very generous. His story will always remain in our memories. Ibrahim Sangaré