Mansa Musa's Journey to Mecca and Its Impact on Western Sudan
The sacred journey of Mansa Musa to Mecca for pilgrimage in 1324 25 is considered by many historians as one of the major events that brought deep changes on west African societies. These changes affected the social, economic, political and cultural aspects in West Africa. The paper explores the sacred journey of Mansa Musa to Mecca for pilgrimage and its impact on the empire of Mali. The research is divided into three parts, in the first, we attempt to trace this sacred journey and the different urban areas it passed through from Niani, the capital of the Empire of Mali, Walata, Taghza, Tuat, Ghdames, Cairo, Medine arriving in Mecca, with a special reference to the economic and social impacts of this journey on these urban areas. The second part of the paper deals with the route back from Mecca to Niani and the major urban areas it passed through. It is necessary to mention that, for political reasons, at Ghdames, the caravan swerved to the south to reach Gao, then Timbuktu to arrive in Niani. The third part of the paper is devoted to the local and international impact of this journey focusing on the spread of Islam, the Islamic culture and architecture and the boom in the trade of manuscripts, which made of Timbuktu a paramount center of trade and knowledge. Finally, it is important to mention that the journey of Mansa Musa for pilgrimage had deep geopolitical consequences on Africa in which the European seapowers played an important role.