- Located near the Niger River, it was one of the wealthiest cities inWest Africa.- Trans-Saharan trade brought great wealth to the kingdoms of WestAfrica and led to the development of important commercial and cultural centers.- By the mid-1300s was part of the Mali Empire; with the conversion of the emperor to Islam, it became a leading cultural center in Africa.- Reached its height under the Songhai, attracting merchants, traders, andIslamic scholars.- To encourage learning, mosques, schools, and libraries were built throughout the city.- The collapse of the Songhai Empire and the establishment of European trading posts along the coast of West Africa led to the decline of the city.

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