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← The Mali Empire: The Richest Civilization in History — Fexingo History
Mali's Gbara: The Great Assembly That Governed an Empire artwork

Mali's Gbara: The Great Assembly That Governed an Empire

The Mali Empire: The Richest Civilization in History — Fexingo History
S2 E8507:44
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Show notes

For centuries, the Mali Empire was ruled not by one man alone, but by a sprawling council of clans known as the Gbara. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how this assembly of 30 seats — held by generals, griots, marabouts, and representatives of free and servile clans — shaped imperial policy from succession disputes to trade regulation. Learn how the Gbara elected Mansa Musa after Abu-Bakr II's Atlantic voyage, how it balanced the power of the Keita dynasty against the military farari and the religious suwuraw, and how its decline under Mansa Sulayman opened the door to Songhay expansion. Drawing on the Tarikh al-Sudan, the Manden Charter, and oral traditions, this episode reveals the democratic heart of one of history's greatest empires. #MaliEmpire #Gbara #WestAfricanHistory #Mande #MansaMusa #TarikhAlSudan #KouroukanFouga #SundiataKeita #farari #suwuraw #jeliw #MandenCharter #Niani #OralTradition #MedievalAfrica #Governance #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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The Mali Empire: The Richest Civilization in History — Fexingo History — Mali's Gbara: The Great Assembly That Governed an Empire | Podcast | Josplay Music