Empire of Songhai

The Songhai Empire was the largest in West Africa at the time, and ruled a vast area around the Niger River basin in the inland savannah of West Africa from the late 15th century to the 16th century. The Songhai were under the control of the Mali Empire, which flourished around the bend of the Niger River from the 12th to the 15th century, and expanded their power as the Mali Empire declined. In the late 15th century, under the rule of Sunni Ali, they conquered and controlled cities such as Timbuktu and Djenné, which were the economic and cultural centers of the region at the time, from their base in Gao, and thus completed a powerful empire. However, at the end of the 16th century, they were defeated in a battle with the Moroccan army that had crossed the Sahara Desert, which marked the beginning of their decline.

[Takehiko Haraguchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

15世紀後半から16世紀にかけて、西アフリカの内陸部サバンナのニジェール川流域を中心に、広大な地域を支配していた、ソンガイSonghai人の当時の西アフリカ最大の帝国。12世紀から15世紀にかけて、ニジェール川湾曲部を中心に繁栄していたマリ帝国の支配下にあったソンガイ人は、マリ帝国の衰退とともに勢力を拡大した。15世紀後半、スンニ・アリの治政下の30年足らずの間に、ガオを本拠に、当時この地域の経済、文化の中心であったトンブクトゥ、ジェンネなどの諸都市を征服し支配下に治め、それによって強大な帝国を完成した。しかし16世紀末、サハラ砂漠を越えて到来したモロッコ軍との戦いに敗北し、それを契機に衰退に向かった。

［原口武彦］

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