Africa is the world’s second largest continent, and today it is home to over 1.4 billion people, living in 54 different countries and speaking over 2,000 languages. Yet many living in Europe know very little about the history of Africa.
Did you know that the richest person who has ever lived ruled the Kingdom of Mali in the first half of the fourteenth century?
Did you know that for centuries, Timbuktu (in modern-day Mali) was a thriving city, connected to cities all over the world by trade?
Did you know that Benin City (in modern-day Nigeria) was one of the first cities in the world to have streetlamps installed?
And did you know that women played an extremely important role in ruling the Kingdom of Asante?
This talk by Katie Amery and Teni Gogo will give you a taste of the fascinating history of four West African kingdoms: the Kingdom of Mali, the Kingdom of Songhay, the Kingdom of Benin and the Kingdom of Asante. You will gain an insight into how historians know about life in medieval Africa by looking at a range of beautiful objects, exploring the importance of gold and getting to know some of the people who lived in Africa’s greatest kingdoms.