This ancient empire held the largest territory in West Africa, and it profoundly influenced the culture of the region through the spread of its laws, language, and customs along the banks of the Niger ...

In the 1230s, a man called Sundiata Keita incorporated a series of smaller kingdoms into the Mali Empire ... became the heart of his empire, the centre of trade and culture.

The Mali Empire was the center of the world’s gold production, affording Musa indescribable wealth. During his reign, he embarked on a fabled gold-laden pilgrimage to Mecca.