West Africa 750 CE

What is happening in West Africa in 750CE

With the establishment of Muslim power in North Africa, the long-distance trade across the Sahara received a further boost. This stimulated trade within the Saharan and sub-Saharan regions. Large towns appeared, with organized networks of markets. Powerful kingdoms also became established. The most famous of these was the kingdom of Ghana. The Soninke people of Ghana acted as middlemen in the gold trade, keeping the source of gold a secret from the Berber traders. Gold was traded for salt (a highly-prized commodity in the region) at king’s capital.

Takrur was another West African kingdom of the period, controlling the southern end of the westerly trade route to Morocco.