In the 15th and 16th centuries in West Africa‚ the dominant power was the Songhai Empire. Covering an area of around 310‚000 square miles (800‚000 kilometers2)‚ the Songhai Empire‚ at its height‚ was about twice the size of California.   Centered around the Niger River‚ the Songhai Empire eclipsed the Mali Empire‚ which had been the regional power before. Songhai rose to great wealth and power and‚ for almost two centuries‚ controlled West Africa politically and economically.   Like many empires before and after‚ Songhai fell prey to hubris. Greed and the political machinations of human beings were the reasons for its downfall.   This is the story of one of Africa’s greatest empires.   Prelude to an Empire The location of Gao (which would evolve to become the Songhai Empire) and the Ghana Empire around 1000 CE in West Africa overlaid onto modern borders‚ image created by the author with mapchart.net and Paint   Receiving its name from the Songhai people who lived in a small area on the eastern banks of the Niger River‚ the Songhai Kingdom was born. Before the 10th century‚ the Songhai had already amalgamated several other peoples into their nation‚ with each group of people bringing their own special skills that would help the Songhai achieve new heights of success.   The Sorko people would bring with them knowledge of boatbuilding‚ while the Gao people specialized in hunting river animals such as hippopotami and crocodiles. The Do people were expert farmers and grew crops along the banks of the river. All these people were subjugated under Songhai rule when the Songhai people arrived on their horses. Through the centuries‚ all these people would coalesce into a single ethnolinguistic group.   All this happened around the time when the Ghana Empire was at its height to the west. Much trade with this Empire and the Songhai was done through the Songhai town of Gao‚ which became the center of the small Songhai Kingdom‚ and was named as the capital under the reign of Dia Kossoi. Eventually‚ Gao would grow to become a powerful trade hub‚ bringing extraordinary wealth to the Songhai people. Trade goods included dates‚ gold‚ ivory‚ kola nuts‚ leather‚ salt‚ and enslaved people.   Map of the Mali Empire‚ showing the subjugated Kingdom of Gao‚ via World Atlas   The earliest history is descended from myth and legend. With an early tradition of history being passed down orally‚ it is difficult to determine what is true and what isn’t. A text from 1655 states that the first rulers were the Za dynasty‚ and the first Za ruler‚ Za Alayaman‚ came from Yemen and made his home in the town of Kukiya.   Knowledge of the second dynasty is just as enigmatic. Ancient tombstones in a cemetery near the village of Saney tell of these rulers having the title of Zuwa‚ but beyond that‚ not much is known of their rule.   Around 1300‚ the prosperity of Gao attracted the unwanted attention of the neighboring Mali Empire‚ which eclipsed the Ghana Empire and conquered Gao and the Songhai people‚ adding Gao to their expanding empire. Gao remained a part of the Mali Empire until around 1430. Before that‚ however‚ internal strife within the Mali Empire made it difficult to maintain control of all its provinces. Gao found itself being able to assert more independence as the decades passed.   Around 1360‚ an age of strife began in the Mali Empire. Mansa (ruler) Sulayman died‚ leaving a dispute over who should inherit the empire. The following Mansa‚ Mansa/Mari Jata II‚ drove the Empire into financial ruin. Mansa Musa II succeeded him and was left with an Empire crumbling into rebellion. He succeeded in quelling a Tuareg rebellion but was unable to stop the Kingdom of Gao from breaking away and re-asserting its independence in 1375.   The Rise of Songhai Askia the Great as imagined in Civilization 5‚ published and developed by Firaxis/Aspyr/2K; via Civilization Wiki   Not only did Gao gain independence‚ but it began to assert itself militarily. Thus began the Sonni dynasty. Under Sonni Sulayman Dama‚ Gao began to seek conquest over Malian territory. Thus began the transition from the Kingdom of Gao into the Songhai Empire. In the 1460s and the 1470s‚ the Songhai Empire expanded rapidly‚ conquering neighboring territories and swallowing up what was left of the crumbling Mali Empire. This was done under the rule of Sonni Ali‚ who succeeded Sonni Sulayman Dama.   After defending against the Mossi Kingdoms to the south and conquering the Dogon people to the north‚ Sonni Ali annexed Timbuktu into the Songhai Empire by taking it from the Tuaregs‚ who had taken it from Mali. He then besieged the city of Jenné and‚ after a seven-year siege‚ managed to starve the city into submission‚ annexing it in 1473. Sonni Ali is believed to have ruled as a brutal tyrant‚ especially over the people of Timbuktu‚ until his death in 1492. He was succeeded by his son‚ Sonni Baru‚ whose reign was cut short shortly thereafter‚ and the throne was seized by Askia Muhammad I‚ who became known as Askia the Great.   Rulers of Songhai‚ via Coolaboo   Under the rule of Askia Muhammad‚ the military was reformed into a full-time professional army‚ and he effectively reorganized the structure of the empire. He was a devout Muslim who focused on opening mosques throughout the empire and recruiting Muslim scholars. Despite his religious zeal‚ he did not force religion on his subjects. He waged a Jihad against the Mossi Kingdoms to the south‚ but when he defeated them‚ he did not force them to convert to Islam. During his rule‚ he also completed the Hajj – the pilgrimage to Mecca.   The Songhai Empire at its height at the beginning of the 16th century under the rule of Askia the Great‚ via Wikimedia Commons   Askia Muhammad was a military leader but was also a scholar. He was interested in astronomy‚ built observatories in his Empire‚ and hired astronomers. Under his rule‚ schools were built throughout the empire‚ and Sankore University in Timbuktu was expanded. He fostered trade and relations with the rest of the Muslim world‚ and many skilled workers emigrated from Arabia‚ Egypt‚ Morocco‚ and Muslim Spain to work in Songhai. These nations also exchanged ambassadors with Songhai‚ which empowered Askia Muhammad’s diplomatic weight.   Trade also flourished during this time. Canals were built‚ and trade networks expanded. The salt mines of Taghaza were brought under the control of the Songhai Empire‚ which significantly increased economic output. Agricultural methods were improved‚ and a system of weights and measures was introduced to facilitate trade.   The Grand Mosque in Djenné‚ via The Travel Blog   The Niger River was essential for this trade‚ and much of the river was under the direct control of the Songhai Empire. Trade was done via camel trains in the north and across the Sahara. The industry was centered around a clan system‚ and one’s occupation was determined by which clan they were born into. Thus‚ each clan had a monopoly on its own industry and could influence the affairs in much the same way as guilds or unions.   At the bottom end of the social ladder were many thousands of enslaved people. Compared to other West African empires‚ Songhai relied heavily on their labor. Many of them were prisoners taken in battle‚ and most enslaved people worked in the agricultural industry‚ tilling the fields.   Above them were freemen‚ merchants‚ and traders. Depending on their expertise‚ immigrants could fall into any of these categories‚ and some even became enslaved.   The caste at the top were the noblemen and the descendants of the original Songhai people. Generally‚ the upper classes were expected to be Muslims‚ while the lower classes were often permitted to engage in their traditional religions.   Askia Muhammad I died in 1528‚ and the Songhai Empire continued to prosper under a succession of emperors over the next few decades.   The Decline &; Collapse of the Songhai Empire The Grand Mosque in Djenné‚ via Encyclopaedia Britannica   The period of peace and prosperity following Askia Muhammad’s death did not last forever. Political chaos and multiple civil wars rocked the Empire‚ creating a target for opportunistic enemies to exploit their weakened neighbor.   In 1591‚ the Moroccans‚ under Sultan Ahmad I al-Mansur Saadi‚ invaded Songhai with the intention of conquest. Although the Songhai army consisted of professional soldiers and heavily outnumbered the invading force‚ the Moroccan army had arquebuses and several cannons‚ which they used to devastating effect. The Battle of Tondibi was an ignominious defeat for the Songhai Empire‚ and the Moroccan army proceeded to capture Timbuktu‚ Jenné‚ and Gao‚ causing the complete collapse of the empire.   The Songhai people still exist today and still wear traditional clothing‚ via Joe Penney / Reuters / The Baltimore Sun   The occupation was not easy for the Moroccans. Constant unrest and rebellion made governing the former Songhai Empire a nightmare‚ and the Moroccans eventually withdrew several decades later. Nevertheless‚ the Songhai Empire could not be revived‚ and it fractured into dozens of smaller kingdoms‚ some of which tried to carry on the Songhai traditions. These states would eventually fall to the French during the age of colonization‚ marking a final end to what remained of Songhai.   Camels and camel trains were‚ and still are‚ vital to trade across the Sahara Desert‚ via AP Photo/Brennan Linsley/Quartz   The Empire of Songhai was a powerful state in Africa that was hugely successful through various means‚ but notably through trade and diplomacy. It rose in power and collapsed spectacularly‚ much the same as empires have done all over the world. What is important about the Songhai Empire is that it challenges Western beliefs about the history of Africa and the capabilities of the African people.

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As more Americans struggled to pay their monthly bills this Thanksgiving‚ President Joe Biden spent the holiday living like a king. Fleeing D.C. on yet another vacation trip‚ Biden spent Thanksgiving at a lavish home owned by billionaire David Rubenstein in tony‚ exclusive Nantucket‚ Massachusetts‚ home of the super-rich and...

Earlier this week‚ Tucker Carlson spoke for 30 minutes at the RiskOn360 Global Success Conference in Las Vegas‚ Nevada.  In that relatively short talk‚ he looked with foreboding to 2024. "I'm just telling you‚ once again‚ what you already know‚ which is -- this is going to be -- the...

What is going on here? Why are so many people having absolute freak out meltdowns on airplanes and in airports? I get it‚ it’s not exactly the best place to spend time… Hostile environments… Hostile employees… But it’s been like that for a while‚ why are we suddenly seeing a bunch of these freak out sessions? I’m not entirely sure but here’s the latest. Watch here: “She’s possessed!” Passenger freaks out during Frontier Airlines flight‚ another passenger accuses her of being possessed. pic.twitter.com/TTXhvkqR4k — Mike Sington (@MikeSington) November 21‚ 2023 Backup here: NEW: “Possessed” woman starts screaming and climbing over seats on a Frontier Airlines flight‚ claiming she was kidnapped. After the situation briefly calmed down‚ one woman got up and declared that the woman was “possessed” and started singing gospel music. “Stop blocking me!… pic.twitter.com/5yfo95h69h — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 21‚ 2023 The Blaze actually reports it was THREE separate women: ‘That’s not her‚ she’s possessed!’ 3 different women meltdown on alleged Frontier Airlines flight from hell Multiple women allegedly interrupted a recent flight with screaming‚ singing‚ and even crawling over seats causing claims of demonic possession. A three-hour flight from Houston‚ Texas‚ to Denver‚ Colorado‚ was delayed by three hours — including a stop in Dallas‚ Texas — after multiple women interrupted a flight‚ stemming from one woman’s apprehension. Video of the incident titled “My little sister’s first experience flying by her self on Frontier” purportedly took place on a Frontier Airlines flight. It began with a woman‚ already being subdued by security‚ screaming desperately for the guards to let go of her arm. After about a minute of the woman crying while she was taken to the front of the plane‚ the video cut to a man arguing with security from his seat. At the same time‚ the previously apprehended woman began an attempted escape to toward the back of the plane‚ crawling and falling over three sets of seats and passengers. Soon thereafter‚ a second woman appeared toward the back of the plane and began yelling in apparent objection to the first woman who caused the alleged delay. “Straight Texas style! … [I’m going to] beat your ass!” the woman in sunglasses and a bandana screamed. Not 45 seconds later‚ a third woman emerged in the aisle and attempted to explain to her fellow passengers what was happening. “This is not happening for no reason. This is actual evidence that there is a real devil that wants to kill each and every one of y’all including your family members‚” she explained. “That’s not her‚ she’s possessed! She needs help!” the woman wearing the inside-out beanie declared. “I’m only telling y’all because all hell is about to break lose and you’re getting the evidence of it‚” she continued before moving toward the front of the plane. Once at the front‚ the woman turned around and began singing to the detained woman as the situation escalated. The bandana-wearing woman soon spouted off more comments toward the woman allegedly causing a delay: “Ain’t nobody playing with you‚ girl!” “I’ll be crazy right along with you. You’re doing all that crying? I ain’t playing with you!” she continued. Watch the full incident here: Just a case of some edible marijuana gone wrong? Hmmmm‚ I don’t know: She’s probably not “possessed”‚ she was probably told an “marijuana edible” would calm her down for the flight‚ instead‚ it caused a psychotic break which puts everyone on the plane at risk. https://t.co/pFfeLJX0dR — Aubree Adams (@AubreeAdams4) November 22‚ 2023 RELATED: Off-Duty Pilot Attempts To Shut Down Plane Engine – Facing 83 Counts of Attempted Murder An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot was apprehended after attempting to shut down an airplane engine midflight. The pilot faces up to 83 felony counts of attempted murder. The off-duty pilot was sitting in the jump seat up in the cockpit‚ resulting in a severe risk to the safety of the entire plane. Luckily‚ the suspect was subdued‚ and the plane could land safely in Portland. BREAKING REPORT: Off-Duty Alaska Airlines pilot faces Multiple counts of ATTEMPTED MURDER and 83 counts of reckless endangerment after trying to "SHUT DOWN JET'S ENGINES" mid-flight while seated in cockpit jump seat.. Joseph David Emerson‚ 44‚ is charged with numerous counts of… pic.twitter.com/Jh6OtmWdW4 — Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) October 23‚ 2023 NBC News shares more details on the story: An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot has been charged with over 80 counts of attempted murder after he allegedly attempted to shut off a plane’s engines midflight on Sunday‚ causing the flight to divert to Portland. Flight 2059 took off from Everett‚ Washington‚ and was bound for San Francisco‚ Alaska Airlines said in a statement. It was operated by Alaska Airlines subsidiary Horizon Air‚ but was diverted due to a “credible security” threat linked to a person in the cockpit’s flight deck jump seat. “The jump seat occupant unsuccessfully attempted to disrupt the operation of the engines‚” the airline said. “The Horizon Captain and First Officer quickly responded‚ engine power was not lost and the crew secured the aircraft without incident.” The flight crew followed “appropriate FAA procedures and guidance from air traffic control” in landing at Portland International Airport. The flight took off just before 5:30 p.m. local time and landed about an hour later in Portland‚ according to FlightAware data. Everyone aboard the flight is lucky that nothing more happened. Reports show that the suspect had ample chance and opportunity to damage the plane seriously. Off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot‚ 44‚ 'tried to shut down jet's ENGINES in mid-air while riding in cockpit jump seat‚' forcing plane to divert: Charged with EIGHTY-THREE counts of attempted murderJoseph David Emerson‚ 44‚ faces charges along with an additional 83 counts of… — Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) October 23‚ 2023 CNN shares more on the story: Emerson is the off-duty pilot who is accused of trying to seize control of the flight‚ a source familiar with the matter told CNN. The airline Emerson works for wasn’t immediately known. The plane took off from Seattle Paine Field International Airport and was diverted to Portland International Airport because of the “credible security threat‚” the airline said in a statement Monday. “We’ve got the guy that tried to shut the engines down out of the cockpit‚ and he doesn’t sound like he’s causing any issues in the back right now‚” the pilot told Seattle-area air traffic controllers‚ according to audio recorded by LiveATC.net. “I think he’s subdued. Other than that‚ we want law enforcement as soon as we get on the ground and are parked.” I’m interested to know why this maniac tried to down an entire plane. Was he insane? Domestic terrorism? We’ll have to wait for the FBI and police to obtain more information. We’ll keep you updated on any developments in the story. And of course who could forget this? She’s now trying to walk it back‚ but are you buying that? “Crazy Plane Lady” Reveals EXACTLY What She Saw On That Plane… Tiffany Gomas‚ the “crazy plane lady‚” appeared on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take‚” where she finally tells what she saw on that plane. Watch the clip here: Crazy plane lady‚ Tiffany Gomas‚ REVEALS what she SAW! pic.twitter.com/VYt788eFyS — DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) November 3‚ 2023 So the story given is that she got into some altercation with the person next to her‚ which prompted her to respond‚ “That motherf***** is not real.” Check out the original video here: 'That guy is not real': Astonishing moment distressed woman has meltdown on plane over 'imaginary' passenger and demands to be let off A woman was filmed in distress aboard an American Airlines flight in Dallas The clip was shared on TikTok on Sunday and has been pic.twitter.com/PL4nVhmGNM — MassiVeMaC (@SchengenStory) July 4‚ 2023 The folks at Fox News share more on the story: The clip of the incident that took the internet by storm this summer depicted a distraught Gomas walking down the center aisle of the plane before turning to flight attendants and other passengers and stating‚ “I don’t give two f—s‚ but I am telling you right now‚ that motherf—–  back there is not real.” She took to social media in August to apologize for the outburst. But the cryptic quote from Gomas had gone unexplained until now‚ prompting many on social media to speculate for months about what she really saw‚ with theories spanning from the mundane to the paranormal. Finally‚ on Friday‚ the Dallas marketing executive told podcast co-hosts “Big Cat” &; “PFT Commenter” she was reacting to an argument with another passenger and hadn’t revealed the truth for months because she found the situation “cringe” and “mortifying.” “You know‚ the reason I probably haven’t come out yet‚ ’cause it’s like so cringe – I did not see anything‚” she said. Gomas continued‚ “So I got in a bit of an altercation. It spiraled out of control. It was not my best moment. I mean‚ it was actually a horrible moment. It’s absolutely mortifying.” What do you guys think? I don’t buy the story. Something seems off. Going back and watching the original‚ it doesn’t seem like she is referring to some altercation. And why did it take so long for her to come out with it? Would it not have been better for her to say she got upset at someone rather than letting rumors circulate for months that she saw a ghost‚ alien‚ or lizard person? It’s still fishy. And let’s assume that she is telling the truth about what happened. How can someone be so selfish as to delay a flight because the ‘energy was bad?’ At least some people are still having fun with the story. Tiffany Gomas held a Halloween contest to see who could pull off her look the best. Check it out here: Halloween 2023 • The Crazy Plane Lady‚ Who Wore it Best? pic.twitter.com/rTiVlvftTK — @amuse (@amuse) October 30‚ 2023 Halloween 2023… pic.twitter.com/0jCnAf1BjC — @amuse (@amuse) October 30‚ 2023