Decline of the Mali Empire

Timeline

1. 1411–1415Niani · MaliDecades after Mansa Musa's death, the Mali court could no longer effectively govern its vast territory; royal branches contested the throne, central control over local governors and vassals declined markedly, and the imperial administrative system grew loose.
2. 1413–1418Timbuktu-Gao trade route · Niger River basinTuareg nomadic tribes frequently raided Sahara trade routes; though trading centers such as Timbuktu still prospered, Mali's armies could no longer secure caravan safety, trans-Saharan trade profits and tax revenues leaked away, and the empire's finances and military resources were further depleted.
3. 1416–1420Gao · Niger River basinSonghai people in the middle Niger River grew in power around Gao, gradually shaking off Mali suzerainty and controlling river trade and salt-gold exchange nodes. Mali's hegemonic position in West Africa was substantially challenged, laying the foundation for the Songhai Empire to replace Mali in the late 15th century.