A Timeline of African Greatness
Africa's story is not one of darkness or deficit — it is one of empire, scholarship, architecture, trade, and resistance. The events below highlight a legacy of glory and the global consequences of its interruption.
c. 2400 BCE – Kingdom of Kush (Nubia)
Located in what is now Sudan, Kush rivaled Ancient Egypt and ruled over it during the 25th Dynasty.
c. 700 CE – Ghana Empire
One of the earliest great empires in West Africa, known for its wealth and control of gold and salt trade.
c. 1235–1600 – Mali Empire
Home to the legendary Mansa Musa, the wealthiest person in history, and the center of Islamic learning in Timbuktu.
c. 1464–1591 – Songhai Empire
Known for its advanced administration and universities. Gao and Timbuktu were thriving centers of trade and learning.
c. 1180–1897 – Kingdom of Benin
Renowned for its sophisticated bronzework and complex urban planning. Destroyed during British colonization.
c. 1100-1450 – Great Zimbabwe (also called Mutapa Empire)
Stone city complex that housed thousands and engaged in extensive trade across the Indian Ocean.
1452 CE – Papal Bull Dum Diversas
Pope Nicholas V authorizes the Portuguese to conquer and enslave non-Christians — a root of the transatlantic slave trade.
