| Back to The Rich History of Africa - African Kingdoms and Empires |
Today’s Africa contrasts immensely with the Africa of centuries ago. In the past, before the first Europeans arrived in the 15th century, different regions of Africa had different kingdoms and empires which had their own spheres of influence. There was no such thing as border demarcations or countries. Most African peoples used to live in communities that varied in size. Each community engaged in different activities, including hunting and fishing for their livelihood. For the most part, it was migration that characterized their lives. People moved around to find favourable climates for their animals and/or crop cultivation. Communities traded different commodities with each other. In different parts of Africa, kingdoms were formed as communities grew in size. |
| Western Africa |
West Africa was and still is known for its gold. West Africans in the Kingdoms of Ancient Ghana, the Empire of Mali, the Songhay Empire and the AsanteKingdom were involved in long distance trade trading their main commodity, which was gold. They also worked with stone and metals to a high degree, creating sophisticated tools, which they used and traded as well. These kingdoms and empires came into existence between the 5th-16th centuries and had some features in common; wide spread trans-Saharan trade with the Northern Africa and a taxation system. This system allowed the kingdoms to have control of their people and their expanding economies.
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| Northern Africa |
 The ‘Arabisation’ of Northern Africa occurred from the 10th to the 18th centuries. This period saw large numbers of Arabs from Arabia moving into Northern Africa, specifically settling in Egypt. Some continued their journey and moved into the Maghreb area. This explains why to this present day, the countries of North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Libya) speak Arabic. Egypt came under the Ottoman Empire in 1517 after several centuries of different dynasties (Fatimad, Ayyubid, Mamluk) which contributed to Egypt’s positive development - dams were improved, wheat and cotton production increased and the army was reorganized. However, lack of unity amongst the Egyptians subjected the country to foreign invasion. Between the 16th and 8th centuries, the Maghreb region (Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco) came under the control of Spain and the Muslim empire in different times.
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| Eastern Africa |
 The Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia ruled Ethiopia from the 9th to the 16th century. It was during this period that many churches (e.g. the church of Lalibela); churches that are still present today. The East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Somalia, share a history of trading with the Middle East. Traders mainly from the Red Sea and Persian Gulf exchanged commodities and inevitably, ideas with East Africans. These trade relations gave birth to a rich Swahili culture that was nurtured through intermarriages. Strong cultural links exist between these regions still exist. The Portuguese also found their way to the East African coast in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and established themselves in various parts, such as Mozambique and other coastal regions. |
| Southern Africa |
Up until the 17th century, the early communities of Southern Africa were involved in trade, specifically trading cattle as it was an important source of food. Cattle-keeping culture spread to various areas such as south of Limpopo and eastern Botswana. The arrival of Europeans in the 16-17th century generated conflict and wars between Europeans and Africans and within different African groups. European (Dutch and English) sailed through Southern Cape, to replenish their ships before proceeding to India to trade and over time they decided to settle in big numbers. African leaders such as Shaka Zulu were determined to fight for their land.
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