Mali Empire
/ˈmɑːli ˈɛmpaɪər/noun
A powerful West African empire that flourished roughly from the 13th to the 16th century.
Did you know?The empire’s most famous ruler, Mansa Musa, became legendary for a 14th-century pilgrimage whose lavish distribution of gold reportedly disrupted economies in Cairo and Medina.
Etymological Timeline
Before 13th Century
Manding
mali
“Often interpreted as “hippopotamus,” though the exact origin of the name remains debated.”
13th Century
Manding
Manden / Mali
“Names associated with the heartland and kingdom established by the Keita dynasty in West Africa.”
13th–14th Century
Arabic
Mālī
“Arabic historical and geographical writings used forms such as Mālī for the West African kingdom.”
14th Century
Latin
imperium
“Command, authority, or dominion; the source of English “empire.””
14th Century
Old French
empire
“An imperial realm or supreme dominion, borrowed from Latin imperium.”
16th Century
English
Mali Empire
“The established English name for the medieval West African imperial state.”