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 Periodical article |
 Leiden University catalogue |
 WorldCat |
| Title: | From Mande to Songhay: Towards a Political and Ethnic History of Medieval Gao |
| Author: | Lange, Dierk |
| Year: | 1994 |
| Periodical: | The Journal of African History |
| Volume: | 35 |
| Issue: | 2 |
| Pages: | 275-301 |
| Language: | English |
| Geographic term: | Mali |
| Subjects: | Almoravid polity Songhai polity history traditional polities Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) History and Exploration Ethnic and Race Relations |
| External link: | https://www.jstor.org/stable/183220 |
| Abstract: | This is a reply to John Hunwick's critical assessment (in this issue, p. 251-273) of an earlier article by the present author on the rulers of the medieval kingdom of Gao (in present-day Mali). Hunwick dismisses the evidence in favour of the Mande identity of the original Z¯as. The author first identifies the rulers of Gao-Sané as Z¯as. Turning next to the question of the dynastic situation in medieval Gao he tries to show that the Sunnis rose to power in the Almoravid period and that the Malian Z¯as continued to play an important role in the Gao State within the framework of a dual kingship. He further suggests that the final fall of the Z¯as from power at the beginning of the 15th century was the result of a military intervention of Kebbi (Old Songhay) in support of the Sunnis. Building on this reconstruction of the political history of Gao he argues that the introduction of Songhay speech and culture was mainly the consequence of a massive arrival of Sorko troops under the command of Kebbi governors. Towards the middle of the 15th century the Sunnis were able to assert their authority over the Sorko. Notes, ref. |
