Polity · 1463 CE – 1608 CE
Songhai Empire
- Peak recorded area
- 665,617 km²
- 1564 CE
- Data series
- 18
- 1493 CE–1580 CE
Overview
The Songhai Empire was a state located in the western part of the Sahel during the 15th and 16th centuries. At its peak, it was one of the largest African empires in history. The state is known by its historiographical name, derived from its largest ethnic group and ruling elite, the Songhai people. Sonni Ali established Gao as the empire's capital, although a Songhai state had existed in and around Gao since the 11th century.
Lead section from Wikipedia, reused under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article.
Territory
8 dated territorial extents on record from Cliopatria. Areas are measured off the recorded polygons; the line steps because each extent holds until the next one is recorded — nothing is interpolated.
The record
The best-attested series in each category; where several projects publish the same quantity, the one with the most observations is shown. Each row is the most recent value the record holds at or before 1608 CE, shown with the year that value belongs to. Some statistical series also publish forward projections — the year column is the honest guide. Nothing on this page is interpolated or estimated by us.
People
| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Largest Settlement Pop2 obs · 1512 CE–1580 CE | 70Kpersons1580 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Polity Population | 6.65score1500 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Population | 4.5Mpersons1493 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
Economy
| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Sophistication | 0.4769score1500 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Monetary Complexity | 0.75score1500 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
Military
| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Military Levels | 5.5levels1493 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Military Sophistication | 0.5625score1500 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
Territory & resources
| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Polity Territory | 5.81score1500 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Territory km² | 650Ksq km1493 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
Governance
| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Admin Levels | 4.5levels1493 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Religious Hierarchy | 3levels1493 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
Development
6 of 7 series| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Government Complexity | 0.78score1500 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Hierarchy Levels | 4.67score1500 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Information Complexity | 0.8231score1500 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Infrastructure | 0.8625score1500 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Largest Settlement Pop | 4.78score1500 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Religious Levels | 3score1500 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
Language & currency
- Official & national languages
- Songhay
- Currency
- cowrie currency
Sources
Every figure above comes from one of these. Nothing on this page is estimated, interpolated or model-generated.
Seshat Global History Databank. Cliopatria: a historical basemap of polity borders (cliopatria.geojson).
Seshat Equinox 2020Equinox 2020
Turchin, P. et al. Seshat Global History Databank, Equinox 2020 release.
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Wikipedia contributors. Article lead sections, reused under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Songhai Empire is one of the polities with a sourced record deep enough to publish.