Khalifa Keita
Encyclopedia
'Mansa Khalifawas the fourth mansa
of the Mali Empire
. He ruled the empire for only a year from 1274 to his assassination in 1275.
Mansa Khalifa or Khalifah was an adopted son of the legendary founder Sundiata Keita
. Like Mansa Wati before him, Khalifa was actually the son of an imperial general for Sundiata. Khalifa was raised at court and fought in a destructive war with Wati after Mansa Wali's death in 1270.
Mansa Khalifa was defeated and forced into exile while Mansa Wati ruled incompetently for four years. After Wati's death, Khalifa seized the office. His rule is remembered as the worse of all the emperors. Legend holds that Khalifa climbed on the roof of his palace to fire arrows at passerby for sport. During his reign, the recently conquered Songhai kingdom of Gao broke away from Mali. It would not return under Mandinka rule until the reign of Mansa Sakura.
The intolerable behavior of Khalifa was ended by the Gbara
or Great Assembly in charge of counciling the mansa. Mansa Khalifa was assassinated and replaced with Sundjata's aging brother, Manding Bory alias Abubakari I.
Mansa
Mansa is a Mandinka word meaning "king of kings". It is particularly associated with the Keita Dynasty of the Mali Empire, which dominated West Africa from the thirteenth to the fifthteenth century...
of the Mali Empire
Mali Empire
The Mali Empire or Mandingo Empire or Manden Kurufa was a West African empire of the Mandinka from c. 1230 to c. 1600. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa I...
. He ruled the empire for only a year from 1274 to his assassination in 1275.
Mansa Khalifa or Khalifah was an adopted son of the legendary founder Sundiata Keita
Sundiata Keita
Sundiata Keita, Sundjata Keyita, Mari Djata I or just Sundiata was the founder of the Mali Empire and celebrated as a hero of the Malinke people of West Africa in the semi-historical Epic of Sundiata....
. Like Mansa Wati before him, Khalifa was actually the son of an imperial general for Sundiata. Khalifa was raised at court and fought in a destructive war with Wati after Mansa Wali's death in 1270.
Mansa Khalifa was defeated and forced into exile while Mansa Wati ruled incompetently for four years. After Wati's death, Khalifa seized the office. His rule is remembered as the worse of all the emperors. Legend holds that Khalifa climbed on the roof of his palace to fire arrows at passerby for sport. During his reign, the recently conquered Songhai kingdom of Gao broke away from Mali. It would not return under Mandinka rule until the reign of Mansa Sakura.
The intolerable behavior of Khalifa was ended by the Gbara
Gbara
The Gbara or Great Assembly in Old Malinke was the deliberative body of the Mali Empire, which ruled much of West Africa during the Middle Ages...
or Great Assembly in charge of counciling the mansa. Mansa Khalifa was assassinated and replaced with Sundjata's aging brother, Manding Bory alias Abubakari I.
Sources
External links
See also
- Mali EmpireMali EmpireThe Mali Empire or Mandingo Empire or Manden Kurufa was a West African empire of the Mandinka from c. 1230 to c. 1600. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa I...
- Keita DynastyKeita DynastyThe Keita Dynasty ruled pre-Imperial and Imperial Mali from the 12th century into the early 17th century. It was a Muslim Dynasty, and its rulers claimed descent from Bilal. Bilal was a freed slave who accepted Islam and became one of the Sahabas of the Prophet Muhammad. Bilal bears the...