Al-Bakri

Timeline

1. c. 1014–1040Huelva · al-AndalusBorn into an Arab noble family of the Taifa era in al-Andalus, a descendant of the local rulers of Huelva. In his early years he received a traditional Islamic education in al-Andalus, studying Arabic language and literature, poetry, geography, and history. The political fragmentation of the Taifa period gave him room for independent development as a scholar.
2. c. 1040–1068Córdoba · al-AndalusAfter moving to Córdoba he widely collected geographical information about North Africa, West Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula from merchants, travelers, and written sources. He maintained contact with several Taifa courts and was renowned for his learning. During this time he accumulated the rich materials needed to write his great geographical work.
3. 1068Córdoba · al-AndalusHe completed his major work, the Book of Roads and Kingdoms (Kitab al-Masalik wa-l-Mamalik), with detailed descriptions of the Maghreb in North Africa, the Sahara, the Ghana Empire in West Africa, and East Africa. Its records of the Ghanaian capital Koumbi Saleh, King Tunka Manin, and the gold trade became the most important document for later study of medieval West African civilization.
4. 1068–1094Córdoba · al-AndalusIn his late years he continued scholarly writing in Córdoba, and other works on language, etymology, and history also survive. He witnessed the historical turning point of the Almoravid entry into al-Andalus (1086) and died around 1094.