Songhai Empire
Kingdom Date & Geological Location
800 C.E. to 1375 C.E.
Western Sahel 15 degrees West to 10 degrees East, 12 degrees North to 27 degrees 27 North

Kingdom End Date & Reason for Demise
1591 C.E. to 1901 C.E. (for ending of Songhai tradition)
After a period of peace ended in 1591, a civil ar broke out and Morocco Sultan Ahmad I al-Mansur Saadi sent an army to conquer Songhai in hopes of controlling the West African gold fields and establish himself as the Caliph of Sudan.
The Moroccans faced Askia Ishaq II, the last Songhai Emporer at the Battle of Tandibi. Although the Moroccans were outnumbered, the outcompeted Songhai with primitive musskets, called arquebus, and six cannons, both of which first appeared during this invasion. The Songhai fell back in confusion after the Moroccan's allies, the Taureg, killed Ishaq.
The Moroccan Army left the region in 1661 after continuous problems in governing the region. Sadly, the Songhai Empire couldn't be reestablished. The surviving elites fled Gao and set up a new capital at Lulami. From 1591 to 1901, various Askias (Emperors) attempted to continue the traditions of the old empire. Finally in 1901, French colonial forces conquered their state, eradicating the last relic of Songhai's earlier glory.

Prominent Ruler & his/her Early Influence
Sunni Ali Ber (The Great), also known as Sonni Ali, expanded songhai greatly. He gained control of crucial trading cities, like Jenne and Timbuktu. He had conducted a repressive policy against the scholars of Timbuktu and any other opposers to him. He built a fleet to patrol the Niger River and expand the emipre even more. He is said to have died two different ways. The book Tarikh al-Sudan says he drowned while crossing the Niger River. Oral tradition disagrees by saying that he died by his sister's son, Askia Muhammad Ture, killed him by pushing him into the Niger with a rock tied to his foot.

Major Accomplishments
1469 - Songhai helped Timbuktu fight off the Taureg then turned and took control of Timbuktu.
1473 - Sonni Ali took control of Jenne.

Significance
Caused the fall of the Mali empire and the attraction of the Moroccans. Turned Tibuktu into a learning center.

Major Trade Networks
Songhai traded Copper, Gold, salt, slaves, and other items

Contemporaries
Jolof Empire, Sennar (sultanate), and Oyo Empire

Sources
http://www.blackpast.org/?q=gah/songhai-empire-ca-1375-1591


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonni_Ali


http://africanhistory.about.com/library/biographies/blbio-SonniAli.htm


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_empires

Great Ages of Man A History of the World's Cultures: AFRICAN KINGDOM by Basil Davidson and The Editors of TIMES-LIFE BOOKS (Cht. 4)