The Mali Empire's Dyula Merchants and the Gold Trade Networks
The Mali Empire: The Richest Civilization in History — Fexingo HistoryPlay episode
Show notes
Lucas and Luna explore the Dyula, the Mande merchant clans who built the Mali Empire's vast trade network linking West African gold to North Africa and the Middle East. They unpack how Dyula traders operated without a common currency, using barter systems and cowrie shells, and how their commercial codes shaped the empire's economy. The episode covers the Wangara goldfields, the salt-gold exchange at Taghaza, and the role of the kankoro-sigui (finance minister) in managing trade. Lucas explains how Dyula networks extended into the Hausa states and beyond, and discusses the little-known figure of Mansa Musa's uncle, Abubakari I, who allegedly launched a fleet into the Atlantic. This episode avoids the familiar Mansa Musa hajj narrative and instead focuses on the everyday commercial engine that made Mali legendary. #MaliEmpire #Dyula #GoldTrade #Wangara #Taghaza #TransSaharanTrade #CowrieShells #KankoroSigui #AbubakariI #WestAfrica #Mande #AlUmari #IbnBattuta #MedievalTrade #Sahel #TradeNetworks #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
