14th century – 14th century
Mali Empire
Mansa Sulayman’s coup crisis was an attempted overthrow of the reigning monarch during the struggle between rival branches of Mali’s ruling family. The episode involved the queen Qasa, court chiefs, a fugitive royal cousin named Djata, and a plot to mobilize the armies against the king. Sulayman successfully prevented the coup in 1352 or 1353, but dynastic conflict continued until civil war in 1360.
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The Story
During Ibn Battuta’s stay in Mali, Sulayman quarrelled with his chief wife Qasa, described as the daughter of his paternal uncle and a partner in kingship according to Sudanic custom. The king imprisoned her with one of the chiefs and replaced her with Banju, a wife who was not a king’s daughter. The people and the chiefs disapproved of this action.
The crisis became a political conspiracy. A female slave of Qasa, brought before the assembled court in chains, stated that Qasa had sent her to Djata, the king’s cousin, who had fled from the king to Kanburni. According to the testimony, Qasa invited Djata to overthrow Sulayman and claimed that she and the armies were ready to accept his authority.
The chiefs treated the alleged plot as a capital crime, and Sulayman succeeded in averting the coup in 1352 or 1353. The event reveals the political role of royal women, chiefs, enslaved dependants, and military forces within the court. Seven years later, in 1360, civil war broke out between Sulayman’s house and that of Mansa Musa.
14th century – 14th century
Mali Empire
Mansa Sulayman’s coup crisis was an attempted overthrow of the reigning monarch during the struggle between rival branches of Mali’s ruling family. The episode involved the queen Qasa, court chiefs, a fugitive royal cousin named Djata, and a plot to mobilize the armies against the king. Sulayman successfully prevented the coup in 1352 or 1353, but dynastic conflict continued until civil war in 1360.
Continue exploring
The Story
During Ibn Battuta’s stay in Mali, Sulayman quarrelled with his chief wife Qasa, described as the daughter of his paternal uncle and a partner in kingship according to Sudanic custom. The king imprisoned her with one of the chiefs and replaced her with Banju, a wife who was not a king’s daughter. The people and the chiefs disapproved of this action.
The crisis became a political conspiracy. A female slave of Qasa, brought before the assembled court in chains, stated that Qasa had sent her to Djata, the king’s cousin, who had fled from the king to Kanburni. According to the testimony, Qasa invited Djata to overthrow Sulayman and claimed that she and the armies were ready to accept his authority.
The chiefs treated the alleged plot as a capital crime, and Sulayman succeeded in averting the coup in 1352 or 1353. The event reveals the political role of royal women, chiefs, enslaved dependants, and military forces within the court. Seven years later, in 1360, civil war broke out between Sulayman’s house and that of Mansa Musa.
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