Africahas a rich, complex, and exciting history.
The continent is said to be the root of human civilizations.
It had many kingdoms and empires spread across various countries.
African empires. Photo: pexels.com, @Porapak ApichodilokSource: UGC
Most, if not all, have declined.
Today, the continent is divided into 54 countries.
Various African kingdoms and political dynasties are known.
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Before civilization, people lived in a state of nature with no rules or development.
The three top African civilizations were Egypt, The Kingdom of Kush, and The Kingdom of Axum.
The Aksumite Empire
The Aksumite Empire is also known as theKingdom of Aksumor Axum.
Aksumite civilization ruins, Ancient monolith stone obelisks behind the Church of Our Lady of Zion, the symbol of the Aksum, Ethiopia. Photo: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
The empire is spread across modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The Aksumites played a vital role in establishing commercial trading routes between ancient India and the Romans.
Gold and ivory were the most valuable export commodities.
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During the pre-Christian time, people put up several stelae to act as monuments.
The Obelisk of Axum monument in Ethiopia is approximately 1700 years old.
Over time, many Aksumites converted to Christianity and eventually formed Ethiopias Orthodox Church.
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Today, the empire is believed to be the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant.
The empire was home to between 15,000 and 20,000 people.
One of its biggest challenges in this empire was water shortage.
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Despite this, it was known as the Land of Gold.
Trade in the kingdom was facilitated by the abundance of iron, copper, gold, and ivory.
People from this empire specialized in trading gold and kola nuts.
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Easy access to the Niger and Senegal Rivers and their tributaries promoted trade.
The kingdom had large organized armies and a well-laid-out method of taxation and administration.
The empire’s power and popularity mainly came from gold mining.
Great Zimbabwe ruins in Masvingo area, Zimbabwe. Photo: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
The empire existed inthese nationsbetween the 13th and 17th centuries.
It brought wealth, culture, and the Islamic faith to West Africa.
The empire was protected by a well-trained imperial army.
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It benefitted from being in the middle of trade routes.
Its people mined gold and had gigantic salt deposits.
Its height of strength was seen during the reign of Mansa Musa I.
Which African empire was the oldest? Photo: pexels.com, @Quang Nguyen VinhSource: UGC
He ensured territorial expansion and cultural advancements, particularly in architecture.
He also established Islamic learning centers.
As a result, many West African civilizations are linked to this kingdom.
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When Mansa Musa died around 1337, the empire’s influence started declining.
Poor leadership led to its ultimate decline in power and influence.
The Songhai Empire
TheSonghai Empireis home to some of the ancient African civilizations.
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Its people settled on the banks of the middle Niger River.
They established a state in the 15th century.
The royal family of Sonni ran it from the 13th to the late 15th century.
What is the oldest civilization in Africa? Photo: pexels.com, @David McEachanSource: UGC
Its capital was Gao, a city surrounded by a wall.
The Songhai had an elaborate and well-equipped defence system that was a political instrument and an economic weapon.
People paid taxes to the king in return for internal and external security.
Photo: canva.com (modified by author)Source: UGC
The Kingdom of Zimbabwe
The Kingdom of Zimbabwe is also known asGreat Zimbabwe.
It got its name from the stone ruins of an ancient city near modern-day Masvingo in Zimbabwe.
Did you know Great Zimbabwe is the largest stone structure in pre-colonial Southern Africa?
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Historians have found pottery from China and Persia and Arab coins in the ruins.
Elite Shona people controlled trade.
However, the urban empire was largely abandoned by the 15th century as the Shona people migrated elsewhere.
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They migrated due to the exhaustion of resources and overpopulation.
The Kingdom of Mutapa
The Kingdom of Mutapa is also known asMatapa, Mwenemutapa, or Monomotapa.
This empire was based in the north of modern Zimbabwe along the Zambezi River.
It covered parts of present-day South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Swaziland.
It flourished between the mid-15th and mid-17th century CE.
It prospered due to its local resources, i.e., gold and ivory.
Civil wars and the Portuguese conquest weakened and caused the death of this territory in 1633 CE.
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7.
The Ethiopian Empire
TheEthiopian Empireis also known as the Abyssinia.
The Ethiopian Empire is one of the longest-running African empires.
It started as the Zagwe dynasty.
Most of Ethiopias modern history occurred during the reign of The Ethiopian Empire.
In the early 15th century, the empire made diplomatic contact with European kingdoms.
The diplomatic ties helped it avoid invasion.
The kingdom successfully resisted Italian colonization in the 19th century.
The Kingdom of Kongo
TheKingdom of Kongowas a big kingdom in the western part of central Africa.
It was named after KiKongo-speaking people.
The kingdom was founded in 1390 CE through the political alliance between Nima a Nzima and Luqueni Luansanze.
Most of the early territorial expansion of the kingdom was done via voluntary agreements with smaller neighboring communities.
It was overseen by a Kikongo warrior named Luken Lua Nimi.
Luken Lua Nimi’s political and military prowess was highly recognized as he dominated central Africa.
His people traded copper, ivory, textiles, and pottery.
Its decline was sparked by scheming nobles, the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, and feuding royal factions.
The Kingdom of Benin
TheKingdom of Beninprospered from the 1200s to the 1800s C.E.
It was based in western Africa, in present-day Nigeria.
The kingdom reached its peak under Oba Ewuare the Great.
This leader expanded the kingdom and improved the capital.
It was under his tenure that present-day Benin City, a city defined by massive walls, was built.
Artisans from this community were known for sculping plaques from wood and ivory.
They traded with the Portuguese, who wanted the kingdoms artwork, ivory, gold, and pepper.
The Portuguese were also involved in slave trade.
This was after royal family members fought for power and control of the throne.
The situation was aggravated by civil wars.
The Kingdom of Kush
TheKingdom of Kushis an African kingdom also known as the Kushite Empire or Kush.
Kush is often referred to as Nubia.
Kush was located in Northeast Africa, south of ancient Egypt.
This empire stood as a regional and robust power in Africa for more than a thousand years.
Its people traded in iron, slaves, gold, feathers, incense, animal hides, and ivory.
People built pyramids and worshipped Egyptian gods.
They also mummified the dead.
What were the major empires in Africa?
There were multiple empires in Africa.
What were the major ancient civilizations of Africa?
What is the biggest kingdom in Africa?
Songhai was arguably the largest of the indigenous empires in Africa.
How many kingdoms are there in Africa?
There were numerous African kingdoms in the past.
Today, the continent is divided into 54 countries.
What are the names of the African kingdoms?
Each African kingdom had a unique name.
What is the oldest civilization in Africa?
Egypt was the first African nation to experience civilization.
Which African empire was the oldest?
Top 15 greatest African leaders of all time and their achievements
The earliest kingdom in Africa was ancient Egypt.
Without African civilizations, the continent would not be as is today.
Ancient Africans established kingdoms that changed the history of their communities.
The most powerful country on the continent has the strongest military.
She graduated from the University of Nairobi with a degree in Mass Communication in December 2014.
In 2023, Ruth finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques.
She has worked for Briefly.co.za for five years now.
She specializes in topics like lifestyle, entertainment, travel, technology, and sports.
Email: gitongaruth14@gmail.com.
She holds a Diploma in Mass Communication and a Bachelors degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Kenyatta University.
Cyprine joined Briefly.co.za in mid-2021, covering multiple topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle.
In 2023, she finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques.
She received the Writer of the Year awards in 2023 and 2024.
In 2024, she completed the Google News Initiative course.
Email: cyprineapindi@gmail.com
