Gao

(noun)

A city in Mali located on the River Niger that for much of its history was an important commercial center involved in the trans-Saharan trade. Towards the end of the 13th century, it became part of the Mali Empire, but in the first half of the 15th century the town regained its independence and with the conquests of Sonni Ali (ruled 1464–1492) it became the capital of the Songhai Empire.

Related Terms

Examples of Gao in the following topics:

  • Songhai

    • Sonni Ali established Gao as the capital of the empire, although a Songhai state had existed in and around Gao since the 11th century.
    • During the second half of the 13th century, Gao and the surrounding region had grown into an important trading center and attracted the interest of the expanding Mali Empire.
    • Mali conquered Gao towards the end of the 13th century and the town would remain under Malian hegemony until the late 14th century.
    • But as the Mali Empire started to disintegrate, the Songhai reasserted control of Gao.

  • Trade Under the Tang Dynasty

    • The Tang captured the vital route through the Gilgit Valley from Tibet in 722, lost it to the Tibetans in 737, and regained it under the command of the Goguryeo-Korean General Gao Xianzhi.

  • Mali

    • He embarked on a large building program, raising mosques and madrasas in Timbuktu and Gao.