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Songhai empire
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Map of Africa with the location of the historical Songhai region highlighted in bold red text in West Africa, near the Niger River, showing its position relative to the continent, Europe, and Asia. Map of western Africa showing the greatest territorial extent of major historical states from the 11th to 16th centuries. The 14th-century Kingdom of Mali is outlined in green, the 16th-century Songhai Empire in purple, and the 16th-century Hausa Bakwai states in red. Major cities, rivers, and regional names are labeled within and around these territories.
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Map of Africa with the location of the historical Songhai region highlighted in bold red text in West Africa, near the Niger River, showing its position relative to the continent, Europe, and Asia.
Songhai empire The Songhai empire flourished in what is now Mali.

Songhai empire

historical empire, Africa
Also known as: Gao empire, Songhay empire
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History

Songhai empire, great trading state of West Africa (flourished 15th–16th century), centred on the middle reaches of the Niger River in what is now central Mali and eventually extending west to the Atlantic coast and east into Niger and Nigeria. Though the Songhai people are said to have established themselves in the city of Gao about 800 ce, they did not regard it as their capital until the beginning of the 11th century during the...

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