Gao on the Niger River became the capital of the Songhai Empire, West Africa's largest Sudanic state, after the ruler Kossoi converted to Islam around 1010 and undertook the hajj to Mecca, receiving symbols of authority from the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad. Under the Songhai Askia dynasty from the late fifteenth century, Gao grew alongside Timbuktu and Djenne into one of West Africa's three great centers of Islamic scholarship and jurisprudence.
Facts
Attributions
TraditionIslam: the ruler Kossoi's conversion around 1010 and hajj to Mecca brought the city into the Islamic world, and under the Songhai Askia dynasty Gao grew into one of West Africa's three great centers of Islamic scholarship and jurisprudence. 1 Status
UNESCO World HeritageInscribed on the World Heritage List 2 History
Notable DevelopmentUnder the Songhai Empire, especially the Askia dynasty founded by Askia Muhammad in 1493, Gao grew into one of West Africa's three great centers of Islamic scholarship and jurisprudence, alongside Timbuktu and Djenne. 1 Origins
FoundedRuler Kossoi converts to Islam c. 1010; Songhai capital 1 Traditions
Sacred and Liturgical LanguagesArabic, the language of Islamic scholarship and jurisprudence in the Songhai empire. 1 Connections
Associated With
This source names Baghdad directly: "authority from the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad."
Source The Oxford Dictionary of World ReligionsJohn Bowker (ed.)
Became capital of the Songhai Empire after the ruler Kossoi converted to Islam around 1010 and undertook the hajj.
Source The Oxford Dictionary of World ReligionsJohn Bowker (ed.)
This source names Niger directly: "Gao on the Niger River became the capital of the Songhai Empire, West Africa's largest Sudanic state, after the ruler Kossoi converted to Islam around 1010 and undertook the hajj to Mecca, receiving..."
Source The Oxford Dictionary of World ReligionsJohn Bowker (ed.)
Contained In
Related To
Sacred To
Source The Oxford Dictionary of World ReligionsJohn Bowker (ed.)
Sources
1. The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
John Bowker (ed.), Oxford University Press, 1997on the Songhai Empire and its conversion to IslamView the Source 2. UNESCO World Heritage List
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO World Heritage CentreView the Source Encyclopaedia Britannica (online academic reference)
Encyclopaedia Britannica editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 2024s.v. Gao, Songhai EmpireView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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