[44] However, in a wider perspective of 13th century West African military history, Sundiata stood out as a great leader who was able to command the loyalties of his generals and army. McGuire, James R. 1999. Sundiata Keita was the first ruler of the Mali Empire from 1235 C.E. [44][56], It was during his reign that Mali first began to become an economic power, a trend continued by his successors an improved on thanks to the ground work set by Sundiata, who controlled the region's trade routes and gold fields. [12][59][60] Some scholars such as Ellen Snodgrass, and others have observed similarities with the 13th-century Epic of Sundiata to Walt Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King. He is now regarded as a great magician-king and the national hero of the Malinke-speaking people. Little is known about his early life. Though he was a Muslim, Sundiata also exploited local religion, building a reputation as a man of powerful magic. [43] Assisted by his generals, Tiramakhan being one of the most prominent, he went on to conquer other states. He adopted the title of Mansa, meaning Emperor. 1260) was the founder of the Mali empire in West Africa. He was crowned the Emperor after The Battle of Kirina in 1235 where he defeated the Sosso king. At present, there is no consensus among the scholars regarding the name Sundiata Konaté. Why did Sundiata think that the escape of Nana Triban and Balla Fassék ... How did Sundiata die? [44] In Kaabu (part of present-day Guinea Bissau), he defeated the last great Bainuk king (King Kikikor) and annexed his state. Corrections? It was on the plain of Siby (var: Sibi) where they formed a pact brotherhood in order to liberate their country and people from the powerful Sosso king. Monteil, Charles, "La légende officielle de Soundiata, fondateur de l'empire manding". The great Kikikor was killed and his kingdom was renamed Kaabu. The lands of the old Ghana Empire were conquered. "By unifying the military force of 12 states, Sundiata becomes an emperor known as the Lion King of Mali, who controls tribes from the Niger River west to the Atlantic Ocean. Updates? Sundiata Keita: Sundiata Keita was born to King Nare Maghann Konate of the kingdom of Mali in sub-Saharan west Africa. Keita was the son of Nare Maghan, the ruler of Kangaba, a small state located on an offshoot of the upper Niger River. Jara and many of its variations such as jata, jala or jada are merely regional variations, from Gambia, Guinea or Mali, for instance. Sundiata, or Sun Djata, was also known in the Tarikhs (Moslem chronicles) as Mari Djata. This account is a well-known oral tradition. [39], After his victory at Kirina, Mansa Sundiata established his capital at Niani, near the present-day Malian border with Guinea. The famous West African and ostentatious[55] ruler Mansa Musa was his great-nephew. Sundiata Keita, whose name means Lion Prince, was born early in the 13 th century to a noble family within the Malinke people. Sundiata Keita, Sundiata also spelled Sundjata or Soundiata, also called Sundiata, Mārī Diāṭa, or Mari Jata, (died 1255), West African monarch who founded the western Sudanese empire of Mali. The warlords of Mali at the time who were his age group included: Tabon Wana, Kamadia Kamara (or Kamadia Camara), Faony Condé, Siara Kuman Konaté and Tiramakhan Traore (many variations: "Trimaghan" or "Tiramaghan", the future conqueror of Kaabu). There are written versions of the epic (just as there are written summaries of movies or film adaptations of books) but its original form is as an oral poem, performed by a jali - a professional bard. 1210-ca. This significantly affected Sundiata and he was determined to do everything he possibly could in order to walk like his peers. He defeated Sumanguru decisively in the Battle of Kirina (near modern Koulikoro, Mali) about 1235 and succeeded in forcing the former tributary states of Kaniaga to recognize his suzerainty. He did so by fulfilling many of the traditional religious functions expected of rulers in the West African societies whose political leaders were viewed as religious figures with quasi-divine powers. During his reign he established the territorial base of the empire and laid the foundations for its future prosperity and political unity. He is recorded on the Bible Timeline with World History between 1217 and 1260. Through this determination, he one day miraculously got up and walked. Upon finding him in Mema, they persuaded him to come back in order to liberate the Mandinkas and their homeland. See: BBC World Service, The Story of Africa. There was no Diara Kanté in the oral sources. Belcher, Stephen. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Sundiata Keita (Mandinka, Malinke, Bambara: [sʊndʒæta keɪta]) (c. 1217 – c. 1255[8]) (also known as Manding Diara, Lion of Mali, Sogolon Djata, son of Sogolon, Nare Maghan and Sogo Sogo Simbon Salaba) was a prince and founder of the Mali Empire. His generals, however, continued to extend the boundaries of his empire to include areas as far north as the southern fringes of the Sahara (including the important trade centre of Walata), east to the Great Bend of the Niger River, south to the goldfields of Wangara (the exact location is still unknown to scholars), and west to the Sénégal River. The semi-historical but legendary Epic of Sundiata by the Malinké/Maninka people centers on his life. Sundiata's mother was most responsible for her son's exile. [32] After his victory at Kirina, Sundiata took control of the former conquered states of the Sosso and appropriated privileges among those who participated in the defeat of Soumaoro. Sunjata Keita, also spelled Sundiata or Soundiata, is a heroic figure still praised today in the songs of griots - traditional storytellers and keepers of history in West Africa. [49], Mansa Sundiata Keita died in c. 1255. Timeline Search. to 1255 C.E. As the region became more Muslim, so did the portrayal of Sundiata. It is the traditional way of praising someone in some West African societies (Gambia, Senegal, Mali and Guinea in particular). Newton, Robert C. 2006. Why is the Epic of Sundiata important? -Explain the importance of the following people to the Mali Empire:-Sundiata Keita: organized many of the Mandé chiefs to fight a rival, the Soso kingdom. [39] Claims such as these are referred to by scholars like G. Wesley Johnson as nothing more than "Islamic legitimacy" - in African countries where Islam is now the predominant religion such as Senegal, and where Muslim griots try to link historical African figures to the prophet Muhammad either through a line of descent or by claiming that the ancestor of the historical figure belonged to Muhammad's tribe or was one of his followers (an attempt to distant them from their traditional African religious past). Johnson, John William. Sundiata is portrayed as good in part because he embraced Islam, at least when it was appropriate to do so. Soon after 1240 Sundiata moved the seat of his empire from Jeriba to Niani (also called Mali), near the confluence of the Niger and Sankarani rivers. Sundiata Keita, whose name means Lion Prince, was born early in the 13 th century to a noble family within the Malinke people. According to Fyle, Soumaoro was the inventor of the balafon and the dan (a four-string guitar used by the hunters and griots). eds Alexander, Leslie M., & Walter C. Rucker, The International Journal of African Historical Studies, A Grammar of the Mandingo Language: With Vocabularies, Making America – A History of the United States. [11], The oral traditions relating to Sundiata Keita were passed down generation after generation by the local griots (djeli or jeliw), until eventually their stories were put into writing. It's a testament to the themes of patience, destiny, and heroism. The Malian ruler Mansa Musa, who made a pilgrimage to Mecca, was his great-nephew. See: Great Britain. The king of Jolof was defeated by Tiramakhan and his kingdom reduced to a vassal state. She was constantly teased and ridiculed openly for her son's disability. This date celebrates the birth of an African King Sundiata Keita, also known as Mari Diata, in approximately 1210. Sundiata, by never despairing and trusting patiently in his impending destiny, has come to this moment of recognition ready to take up the mantle. Keita is a widely used family name. [5][50] There is however very little information regarding his cause of death. [37], Some Muslim griots later added to the epic of Sundiata by claiming that Sundiata has "an ancestral origin among the companions of Muhammad in Mecca" (namely, Bilal Ibn Rabah)[38] and speaks of himself as a successor to Dhu al-Qarnayn, a conqueror and king mentioned in the Quran, commonly regarded as a reference to Alexander the Great[dubious – discuss]. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. That was an addition by Delafosee which was contrary to the original sources. [45][46] Sundiata was responsible for the conquest of Diafunu and Kita. Sundiata Keita established the Mali Empire. He also learnt about Islam during his exile. "The History of the Sunjata Epic: A Review of the Evidence." [57] Disney has maintained that the film was inspired by William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Introducing high school students to an “out of culture experience” can be difficult.But, as the world history curriculum broadens from its European focus to a more global one, teachers need to find ways to move beyond a “names, dates, and places” approach to non-European studies. Ralph A Austen (ed.). Sundiata Keita (Mandinka, Malinke, Bambara: [sʊndʒæta keɪta]) (c. 1217 – c. 1255 ) (also known as Manding Diara, Lion of Mali, Sogolon Djata, son of Sogolon, Nare Maghan and Sogo Sogo Simbon Salaba) was a prince and founder of the Mali Empire. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Published translations of the epic include D. T. Niane's prose version, This page was last edited on 7 February 2021, at 22:15. [58] Towards the end of his reign, "absolute security" is reported to have "prevailed throughout his dominion. Sundiata Keita was the first ruler of the Mali Empire in the 13th century C.E. [3][4][5] However, some of Sundiata's successors were Muslim, with Mansa Musa Keita being one of the most widely known. Wilks, Ivor. Some of these former vassals went on to form empires of their own. to 1255 C.E. [40][41] Although Sundiata was not a Muslim, it is clear that the original epic of Sundiata was later affected by what Ralph Austen calls "Islamicate" culture—that is, the integration of Islamic and Arab culture. Sundiata Keita (c. 1210 – c. 1260) was the founder of the Mali Empire.He ruled as emperor (mansa) from 1235 to 1260.He is celebrated as a hero of the Mandinka people of West Africa in the Epic of Sundiata.Sundiata changed his father's small kingdom into the core of the Mali Empire. Delafosse previously proposed that, Soumaoro Kanté's grandfather with the help of his army and the Sosso nobility of Kaniaga captured what was left of the sacked Ghana Empire, and by 1180, Diara Kanté (var: Jara Kante), Soumaoro's father gained control of Koumbi Saleh, dethroned a Muslim dynasty and continued the Diarisso Dynasty (variation: Jariso or Jarisso) whose son (Soumaoro) went on to succeed him and launched an offensive against the Mandinkas. Their cruelty escalated after the death of Naré Maghann (the king and father of Sundiata). "[54] Others have maintained that, he was assassinated at a public demonstration. Niane has advanced the claim that, the Jolofing Mansa sided with Sumaguru [or Soumaoro] because "like him, he was hostile to Islam." It's loosely based on its founder Sundiata Keita. Real story of The Lion King Movie: True story of Sundiata Keita that inspired Disney's The Lion King. 78 • Sundiata pronounced all the prohibitions which still obtain in relations Sundiata KeitaSundiata Keita (ca. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Sundiata won, and the Mali Empire began. Immense wealth was gained from acting as a trade hub between the interior and … Sundiata’s father, Maghan Kon Fatta, was king of the city of Niani. Start This article has been rated as Start-Class on the project's quality scale. Sundiata was admired by the King of Mema for his courage and tenacity. "Sundiata", Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). As such, he was given a senior position within the kingdom. The Malinke kingdom, Kangaba, was part of the Ghana empire of West Africa. [51] His three sons (Mansa Wali Keita, Mansa Ouati Keita and Mansa Khalifa Keita) went on to succeed him as Mansas of the Empire. [31] Soumaoro is regarded as one of the true champions of the Traditional African religion. "[58], From a global perspective, the Epic of Sundiata and the Mali Empire is taught in many schools, colleges and universities, not just in West Africa but in many parts of the World. The Epic of Sundiata:Using African Literature in the Classroom Margaret Lo Piccolo Sullivan. The name Sundiata praises him through his mother which means "the lion of Sogolon" or "Sogolon's lion". Sundiata Keita, Sundiata also spelled Sundjata or Soundiata, also called Sundiata, Mārī Diāṭa, or Mari Jata, (died 1255), West African monarch who founded the western Sudanese empire of Mali. Sundiata Keita was the founder of the Mali Empire and is popularly referred to as the Lion King. Naval Intelligence Division, Index of African mythology and creation narratives, List of African deities and mythical figures, Traditional African religion and other religions, Age of Empires II HD: The African Kingdoms. Sundiata Keita, also known as Sun Djata, Mari Djata, Manding Diara, Sogolon Djata, Lion of Mali, son of Sogolon, Sogo Sogo Simbon Salaba, and Nare Maghan, was the founder of the Mali Empire. He was crowned the Emperor after The Battle of Kirina in 1235 where he defeated the Sosso king. In 1240 Sundiata seized and razed Kumbi, the former capital of the Sudanese empire of Ghana, and by this act succeeded in obliterating the last symbol of Ghana’s past imperial glory. The Manding languages were spoken in the empire. Although a valiant warrior, Soumaoro was defeated at The Battle of Kirina (c. Ralph A Austen (ed.). Sundiata's name is thus a derivation of his mother's name Sogolon (Son or its variation Sun) and Jata (lion).[24][25]. and prescribed Diara Kanté (1180) as the father of Soumaoro, in order to link the Sossos to the Diarisso Dynasty of Kaniaga (Jarisso). [51][52] According to some, he died of drowning while trying to cross the Sankarani River, near Niani. Although Sundiata was nominally a Muslim and therefore acceptable to the predominantly Muslim merchant class, he managed to retain his support among the non-Muslim population. It is believed that Sundiata was once a dugu-tigi, or headman, of one of the villages of Kangaba. The first tribes were Mandinka clans of Traore, Ka… Laws why is sundiata keita important been incorporated into the constitution of modern-day Mali, meaning Emperor their own sinimogo ‘. Soumaoro was defeated at the Battle of Kirina in 1235 where he defeated the Sosso king an animated.! 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