Sundiata

Sundiata Keita (?-1255) ruled the Mali Empire in West Africa from about 1240 to 1255. He helped make the Mali Empire one of the largest and wealthiest empires in the region.

Sundiata became a hero of the empire-and is still a hero of the Malinke people of West Africa-because he freed the small state of Kangaba from Ghana. Sundiata reorganized the Kangaba army and, in the Battle of Kirina in 1235, defeated the forces of Sumanguru. Sumanguru was the last of the rulers of what once was the Ghana Empire. As a result of Sundiata's victory, Kangaba became the core of the Mali Empire.

Sundiata built the city of Niani after 1235 and made it his capital. Niani and later capitals lay between salt mines and gold mines on the trans-Saharan trade routes. The Mali Empire became an important trade center after Sundiata gained control of the gold-producing areas.

Excerpt adapted from the "Sundiata Keita" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999