Carol Thompson. The Empire of Mali. New York: Franklin Watts, 1998. 64 pp. Grades
4-8, Ages 9-12. $22.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-531-20277-7.
Reviewed by Jonathan Rotondo-McCord (Department of History, Xavier University of
Louisiana)
Published on H-AfrTeach (September, 1999)
Kings, Wealth, and Culture in Mali
This book, part of a series of introductory readers
about African history for grades four through seven, explores the second of the three large medieval Sudanic
states of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. Reaching a zenith
of power and wealth between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, the fame of Mali spread far and wide–
even to Europe–especially because of the prosperous rule
of Kankan Musa in the fourteenth century. Even before Musa’s reign, Mali was associated with the formation of the griot tradition of epic storytelling, which saw
MusâÒs predecessor Sundiata as its great patron.
for his famous pilgrimage to Mecca and the wealth and
organization of his court. Chapter Five, “The Decline,”
explains fifteenth-century depredations by rival African
states at the expense of Mali, and notes examples of European contact, including the intriguing story of a highborn Songhay woman who married a Frenchman and
traveled to France, where a physician accompanying her
from Africa treated members of the French royal house.
This final chapter also mentions the beginnings of the
trans-Atlantic trade in slaves, and Mali’s final collapse
in the wake of the Moroccan conquest of Songhay just
before 1600.
An introduction, five brief chapters, a timeline, glossary, and bibliography (including Web resources) make
up this book. The introduction explains the historical
context for the rise of Mali: the gold-salt trade and the
decline of Ghana in the eleventh century. Chapter One,
“Mali before the Empire,” introduces the griot tradition
as historical source, Sundiata as the first mansa or ruler
of a united kingdom, and the sacred shrine at Kangaba,
still celebrated today as the ancestral center of Mandinke
society. The story of Mali’s first emperor is the subject of the next chapter, “Sundiata: The Hungering Lion.”
The author summarizes the Sundiata epic story, discusses
tribute and the Niger River trade as the economic foundations of the mansâÒs power, and notes the presence
of Islam in Mali. Chapter Three, “The Wealth of Empire,” examines the relationship between daily life and
Mali’s prosperity, in areas such as agriculture, textile
production, iron production, hunting, pottery, and local and long-distance trade. Chapter Four focuses on the
fourteenth-century reign of Mansa (Kankan) Musa, noted
The Empire of Mali is written in a clear, straightforward style, which should make it accessible to most readers in its intended grade levels. Fourth- and fifth-grade
teachers might need to supply more background, however. There is one egregious misspelling (“allegience”, p.
16), which teachers might also need to correct. The fact
that the book blends its discussion of culture and history
is both a strength and a weakness: while a richer view
of literary and cultural developments is presented, the
historical impression conveyed is somewhat disjointed.
Many excellent full-color photographs illustrate the text;
the sole map at the book’s beginnings is inadequate. In
sum, The Empire of Mali is a useful introduction to one of
the high points of the west African Middle Ages.
Copyright (c) 1999 by H-Net, all rights reserved. This
work may be copied for non-profit educational use if
proper credit is given to the author and the list. For other
permission, please contact [email protected].
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Citation: Jonathan Rotondo-McCord. Review of Thompson, Carol, The Empire of Mali. H-AfrTeach, H-Net Reviews.
September, 1999.
URL: http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=3448
Copyright © 1999 by H-Net, all rights reserved. H-Net permits the redistribution and reprinting of this work for
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