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Sonni Ali was the ruler who helped build the Songhai empire. Soon after his death in 1492, Askia
Muhammad came to power. Askia Muhammad helped to organize and unify the Songhai empire.
He improved the government and also turned the region into an Islamic empire. As you read,
note the important contributions Askia Muhammad made to the Songhai empire. Then, on a separate sheet
of paper, answer the questions that follow.

Askia Muhammad (about 14411538)

Very little is known about Askia Muhammads
early life. It is believed that he was born
around 1441 into a Senegalese family that had
settled in the city of Gao. In 1493, he rebelled
against Sonni Alis son and successor. In that
same year, Askia Muhammad took the throne.
Askia Muhammad was a Muslim. Two
years into his reign, he made an
extended pilgrimage to Mecca. The
pilgrimage became legendary in
Europe and the Middle East for its
showiness, but it strengthened his
devotion to Islam and his desire to
create a strong Islamic empire.
When Askia Muhammad
returned in 1497, he made many
changes. He replaced some Songhai
administrators with Arab Muslims.
He appointed Muslim judges to run
the legal system according to Islamic
legal principles. He also favored
Muslim scholars with grants of land and high
posts in government.
Askia Muhammad also established strict
religious policies in Songhai. He made Islam
the official religion and created rules to ensure
that Muslim teachings were strictly practiced.
While these rules made certain that Islam was
followed, it also made the religion less popular.

To expand his empire, Askia Muhammad

led a series of wars to gain land. Under his
rule, the Songhai empire grew, reaching as far
west as the Atlantic Ocean.
To oversee this extensive empire, Askia
Muhammad created a large, organized
bureaucracy. He standardized weights, measures, and currencies throughout
his territory. He established administrative positions for finance, justice, agriculture, and other areas of
government; set up a system of
taxes; and regulated agriculture. He
divided Songhai into provinces,
placing each under the leadership
of a governor.
Askia Muhammad had come to
power by overthrowing his predecessors, and he lost his power in
the same way. Throughout his life,
his children had fought over their
part of the empire. In addition, the fear he
had instilled in his people eventually led to
disrespect and scorn for him. In 1528, Askia
Muhammads eldest son plotted against, and
overthrew, him. In 1531, a new king banished
Askia Muhammad to an island in the Niger
River. Another son gained the throne in 1537
and brought his father back to Gao. Askia
Muhammad died there a year later.

1. What were some ways in which Muhammad

tried to create a strong Islamic empire?

4. Determine Relevance How would standardizing weights, measures, and currencies

throughout Songhai have created a more
centralized and organized government?

2. How did Muhammad lose his power?

3. Recognize Cause and Effect How did
Muhammads pilgrimage to Mecca affect
him and his policies in Songhai?

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