African Empires in the Sahel in Historical Perspective Cover Image

Afrikai birodalmak a Száhel-övezetben, történeti áttekintés
African Empires in the Sahel in Historical Perspective

Author(s): Gábor Búr
Subject(s): Cultural history, Economic history, Middle Ages, International relations/trade
Published by: Pécsi Tudományegyetem
Keywords: Sahel region; corridors of civilization; empires; trans-Saharan trade; European colonization;

Summary/Abstract: In the last millennium and a half, a series of empires arose, flourished, and then disappeared in the Sahel region stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. To what extent these empires were the result of autochthonous development, and to what extent were the consequences of migration and cultural diffusion through civilizational corridors, is a subject of debate. On the other hand, it is indisputable that the basis of their existence was trans-Saharan trade, providing resources and military superiority. The decline was also clearly caused by the relocation of the main trade routes, which was only completed by European colonization. These Sahelian empires and their prominent rulers are historical landmarks in today’s Africa, serving as a source of pride in a continent that has been squeezed out and forced into submission until recently. There is therefore a wellunderstood interest in creating an adequate historical image, cleansed of prejudices, exaggerations, and often from products of fantasy.

  • Issue Year: 18/2024
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 5-16
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Hungarian
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