12 Surprising Facts About African History – Part 2
7). Black rule in Egypt
The Twenty-fifth dynasty of Egypt was a line rulers originating in the Nubian Kingdom of Kush. The dynasty ushered a new period of Egyptian renaissance and influence. it lasted for a nearly a hundred years before being deposed of by the invading Neo Assyrians.
8). One of the longest lasting civilizations was located in Africa
Ancient Egypt is often cited as among the longest lasting civilizations, coalescing around 3150 BC until 30 BC when the Roman conquered Egypt and the native culture become increasingly Romanized. Even to the Greeks of old, Egypt was incredibly ancient.
9). A king so rich, his visit collapsed the prices of gold in two nations
Musa I, the king of Mali during his pilgrimage to Mecca, brought along with him 21 tons of gold bars and 9 tons of gold dust carried by his vast procession of 30 thousand men and many camels. On his stop to Cairo and Medina, he gave away much of his gold to the poor, which inadvertently plunged the gold prices in both Egypt and Arabia, causing a mass inflation that would take years to recover from.
10). In the Middle Ages, one of the biggest universities was located in Africa
During the early 14 century, one of the most important Islāmic centers of learning was the Sankoré Madrassa in Timbuktu. The University was fully staffed and capable of housing 25,000 students. Its library was said to be the largest in the world at that time, holding a collection of a million manuscripts.
11). Arabs traded more blacks as slaves than Europeans
Compared to the infamous trans-Atlantic slave trade, the Arab slave trade lasted longer, persisted for over millennia and enslaved far more Africans. Modern historians estimate between 8 -17 million Africans were bought by Arab slave traders and reportedly an even greater number died en route to their destinations.
12). Pre-colonial Africa was home to up to 10,000 different states
Before colonial times, roughly 10,000 different states with their own distinct languages and customs existed in Africa. While most of these cultures became assimilated in modern times, the continent is still very diverse with over 25% of all known languages exclusive to the region.
