Mansa Mahmud III, also known as Mamadou II, was mansa ("king of kings") of the

Mali Empire The Mali Empire (Manding: ''Mandé''Ki-Zerbo, Joseph: ''UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. IV, Abridged Edition: Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century'', p. 57. University of California Press, 1997. or Manden; ar, مالي, Māl� ...

from 1496 to 1559. He was the last mansa to rule from Niani and is known as the mansa under which Mali suffered the most losses to its territory.

Further Songhay Expansion

Songhai forces under the command of Askia Muhammad I defeat the Mali general Fati Quali in 1502 and seize the province of Diafunu.Turchin, Peter and Jonathan M. Adams and Thomas D. Hall: "East-West Orientation of Historical Empires and Modern States", page 222. Journal of World-Systems Research, Vol. XII, No. II, 2006 In 1514, the Denanke dynasty is established in Tekrour. It isn't long before the new kingdom of

Great Fulo The Empire of Great Fulo, also known as the Denanke Kingdom or Denianke Kingdom, was a Pulaar kingdom of Senegal, which dominated the Futa Tooro region. Its population dominated its neighbors through use of cavalry and fought wars against the Mal ...

is warring against Mali's remaining provinces. To add insult to injury, the Songhai Empire seizes the copper mines of Takedda.

More Talks with Portugal

In 1534, Mahmud III received another Portuguese envoy to the Mali court by the name of

Peros Fernandes Peros is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Nick Peros (born 1963), Canadian classical composer *Steven Peros, American playwright, screenwriter, director and television writer See also

*Pero (name) {{surname ...

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This envoy from the Portuguese coastal port of

Elmina Elmina, also known as Edina by the local Fante, is a town and the capital of the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem District on the south coast of Ghana in the Central Region, situated on a bay on the Atlantic Ocean, west of Cape Coast. Elmina was ...

arrives in response to the growing trade along the coast and Mali's now urgent request for military assistance against Songha

Still, no help is forthcoming and Mali must watch its possessions fall one by one.

Rise of the Kaabu Empire

Mansa Mahmud III's reign also sees the military outpost and province of

Kaabu The Kaabu Empire (1537–1867), also written Gabu, Ngabou, and N'Gabu, was an empire in the Senegambia region centered within modern northeastern Guinea-Bissau, larger parts of today's Gambia; extending into Koussanar, Koumpentoum, regio ...

become independent in 153

The Kaabu Empire appears every bit as ambitions as Mali was in its early years and swallows up Mali's remaining Gambian provinces of Cassa and Bat

Sack of Niani

The most defining moment in Mahmud III's reign is the final conflict between Mali and Songhai in 1545. Songhai forces under Askia Ishaq I, Askia Ishaq’s brother, Daoud, sack Niani and occupy the palac

Mansa Mahmud III is forced to flee Niani for the mountains. Within a week, he regroups with his forces and launches a successful counter-attack forcing the Songhai out of Manden proper for good.Niane, D.T.: "Histoire et tradition historique du Manding". Presence Africaine, 89. Paris, 1974 The Songhai Empire does keep Mali's ambitions in check, but never fully conquers their old masters.

From Niani to Kangaba

After liberating the capital, Mahmud III abandons it for a new residence further north. Still, there is no end to Mali's troubles. In 1559, the kingdom of Fouta Tooro succeeds in taking Takru

This defeat reduces Mali to Manden proper with control extending only as far as Kita in the west, Kangaba in the north, the Niger River bend in the east and Kouroussa in the south.

Further Songhay Expansion

More Talks with Portugal

Rise of the Kaabu Empire

Sack of Niani

From Niani to Kangaba

References

See also