There is a widespread belief that Africa had no history before the coming of the Europeans in the 15th century. Many upholders of this credence credit the trans-Atlantic slave trade/ colonialism as the beginning of Africa’s history. Contrary to this belief, Africa’s history comprises numerous empires and Kingdoms, with multinational structures and populations. These entities are responsible for shaping the continent’s cultural practices and even some of the present societal structures. With that being said, here are the 10 largest African empires in History.
10. The Ethiopian Empire (1270–1974)
The Ethiopian Empire formerly known by the exonym Abyssinia was one of the largest African empires in history. The empire historically spanned the geographical area of present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea from the establishment of the Solomonic dynasty by Yekuno Amlak approximately in 1270 until 1974 when Emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown by a military coup, marking the end of the empire.
Throughout much of its existence, the empire was surrounded by hostile forces (The Ottoman, Italian, and numerous Islamic Sultanates) in the African Horn; however, it managed to develop and preserve a kingdom based on its ancient form of Christianity. The Empire was occupied by Italy from 1936 to 1941. The occupation ended with Ethiopia’s liberation by Allied forces during World War II.
9. The Mutapa Empire (1450–1629)
The Mutapha Empire also known as the Monomotapa Empire, was a medieval kingdom that existed in present-day Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and parts of Zambia and South Africa. The Empire existed from approximately 1450 to 1629. It was founded by a Bantu-speaking group known as the Karanga, who migrated from the Great Zimbabwe civilization. Mutapa is believed to have emerged as a successor to the decline of Great Zimbabwe.
The Mutapa Empire controlled extensive gold resources and traded gold with merchants from the East African coast, the Swahili city-states, and later with Portuguese traders. The Mutapa Empire faced internal conflicts, succession disputes, and external pressures from neighboring African kingdoms and Portuguese colonial interests. These factors contributed to the gradual decline and fragmentation of the empire by the early 17th century.
8. Zulu Kingdom (1816 – 1897)
The Zulu Kingdom sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire was established by King Shaka in the 1810s. The Kingdom rose to prominence in Southern Africa and became a dominant force in the region, challenging European colonial powers, and neighboring African tribes. It had a standing army that consolidated rival clans and built a large following which ruled a wide expanse of Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to the Pongola River in the north.
In 1879, a British force invaded Zululand, beginning the Anglo-Zulu War. After an initial Zulu victory at the Battle of Isandlwana in January, the British regrouped and defeated the Zulus in July during the Battle of Ulundi, ending the war. The area was absorbed into the Colony of Natal and later became part of the Union of South Africa.
7. Kanem-Bornu Empire (700 – 1900)
The Kanem-Bornu Empire situated in the Lake Chad region, was one of the largest African empires in history, known for its skilled military and administration. It controlled parts of present-day Chad, Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon. The Kingdom was known to Arabian geographers as the Kanem Empire from the 8th century AD onward and lasted as the independent kingdom of Bornu (the Bornu Empire) until 1900.
The Kanem-Bornu Empire was able to withstand various invasions and maintain control over trade routes, thanks to its military strength. The empire however faced internal struggles, external conflicts, and the encroachment of European colonial powers in the 19th century. It gradually weakened and lost its independence when the region fell under British, French, and German colonial control during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
6. Songhai Empire (1464 – 1591)
The Songhai Empire was a state located in the western part of the Sahel during the 15th and 16th centuries. The Empire emerged as a successor to the Mali Empire, becoming one of the largest African empires in history. It controlled an extensive area, including present-day Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and parts of Chad and Mauritania. The Songhai Empire was ruled by the Sonni dynasty but was later replaced by the Askia dynasty
A series of plots and coups forced the empire into a period of decline and instability. Political chaos and several civil wars within the empire also ensured the empire’s continued decline, particularly during the rule of Askia Ishaq I. In 1590, the sultan of Sokoto took advantage of the civil conflict and conquered Songhai Empire. The Sultan took control of the trans-Saharan trade routes, which ultimately led to the collapse of the Empire.
5. Mali Empire (1235 – 1670)
The Mali Empire was one of the largest African Empires in history. It controlled a vast territory in West Africa, including present-day Mali, Senegal, Gambia, and parts of Guinea, Niger, and Mauritania. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa. At its peak, Mali was the largest empire in West Africa, widely influencing the culture of the region.
The Mali Empire faced internal conflicts, external pressures, and challenges to its authority over time. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the empire began to weaken due to succession disputes, rebellions, and the rise of competing powers, such as the Songhai Empire. The empire gradually fragmented into smaller states, leading to the eventual decline of centralized Mali rule.
4. Ghana Empire (8th century – 1235)
The Ghana Empire also known as Wagadou, was an ancient West African empire that existed existed from the 8th century until 1235. The Empire controlling gold and salt trade routes in the region grew to be one of the largest African Empires in history. It had significant influence over present-day Mauritania, Mali, and Senegal. The Empire was founded by the Soninke people and was based in the city of Koumbi Saleh.
After centuries of prosperity, the empire began its decline in the second millennium. It faced a variety of challenges that contributed to its decline. Internal conflicts and shifts in trade routes weakened the empire over time. The rise of the Mali Empire and the Almoravids’ incursions in the 11th century further eroded Ghana’s power. The Empire would finally become a vassal state of the rising Mali Empire at some point in the 13th century.
3. Aksumite Empire (c. 100 CE – 940 CE)
The Aksumite Empire also known as the Kingdom of Aksum was an ancient empire centered in Northeast Africa and South Arabia from Classical antiquity to the Middle Ages. Based primarily in what is now northern Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Sudan, and much of Southern Arabia. The empire was considered one of the four great powers of the 3rd century alongside Persia, Rome, and China.
The Aksumite Empire was a major trading power in the Red Sea region. It controlled important trade routes and was known for its advanced civilization and Christianity. The empire began to decline by the 7th century. The Persian and Muslim presence in the Red Sea caused Aksum to suffer economically. Aksum’s final three centuries are considered a dark age, and through uncertain circumstances, the kingdom collapsed around 960
2. Carthage (814 BCE – 146 BCE)
Carthage is an ancient African empire founded by the Phoenicians in the ninth century BC. The empire covers parts of North Africa, including present-day Tunisia and parts of Libya. Carthage reached its height in the fourth century BC as one of the largest metropolises in the world. It was a major power in the ancient world that dominated the western and central Mediterranean Sea and was a rival to the Roman Republic.
Despite having been one of the most influential civilizations of antiquity, Carthage is mostly remembered for its long and bitter conflict with Rome, which threatened the rise of the Roman Republic. Its competition with Rome in the western Mediterranean culminated in the Punic Wars (264–146 BC). Carthage narrowly avoided destruction after the Second Punic War and was destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC after the third and final Punic War.
1. Ancient Egypt (3100 BCE – 30 BCE)
Ancient Egypt was one of the world’s most renowned civilizations and possibly the largest empire in African history. The Empire flourished from approximately 3100 BCE to 30 BCE. It controlled the Nile Valley and extended its influence across Northeast Africa and was known for its advanced civilization and monumental architecture. The Empire was ruled by a succession of pharaohs, who were believed to be divine monarchs.
The empire engaged in extensive trade with other civilizations, including Nubia, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. It had a significant cultural and economic influence in the ancient Near East. In the 7th century BCE, Egypt fell under the control of several foreign powers, including the Persians, Greeks (Ptolemies), and finally the Romans. The last independent pharaoh, Cleopatra VII, died in 30 BCE, marking the end of ancient Egyptian rule.
