Government and Military/Trade: The Source of Ghana's Wealth

Government and Military/Trade

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Arab scholars described Ghana as a fabled “land of gold.” Their accounts paint a picture of a rich kingdom with a strong government and a large, powerful army.

Ghana: a medieval civilization and empire in West Africa

The King and His Government

 Ghana was ruled by a powerful king. The king was the head of the army, made the final decisions in matters of justice, and led the people in religious worship.

Ghana's king acquired great wealth through control of the gold trade. Gold was especially plentiful in areas to the south of Ghana. As you will see, Ghana's government collected taxes on the gold that passed through the kingdom.

The King and His Government

To preserve his wealth, the king tightly controlled the supply of gold. All the gold nuggets, or chunks, found in the kingdom had to be given to the king. Ordinary people could have only gold dust. One of the king's gold nuggets is said to have weighed almost forty pounds. According to legend, another was large enough to be used as a hitching post for his horse.

Each day, the king held court with his people. The king, splendidly dressed in colorful robes, gold jewelry, and a cap decorated with gold, arrived at court to the beating of royal drums. His people demonstrated their respect for him by kneeling and throwing dust on their heads as he approached.

The King and His Government

Once at court, the king conducted the business of his empire and heard the people's concerns. One Arab historian described the scene at the court like this:

Behind the king stand ten pages [young servants] holding shields and swords decorated with gold and on his right are the sons of the vassal kings of his empire wearing splendid garments and their hair plaited [braided] with gold. The governor of the city sits on the ground before the king and around are ministers seated likewise. At the door . . . are dogs of excellent pedigree [ancestry] who hardly ever leave the place where the king is, guarding him. Round their necks, they wear collars of gold and silver.

The King and His Government

A large hierarchy of officials, some Muslim, helped the king govern. These officials were probably in charge of different parts of Ghana's society, such as the armed forces, industry, tax collection, and foreigners. The king appointed governors to rule some parts of his empire, such as the capital city and some conquered areas.

The King and His Government

When the king died, his son did not inherit the throne because the royal inheritance was matrilineal, which means that it was traced through women's bloodlines rather than men's. Therefore, in Ghana, the son of the king's sister was the heir to the throne.

matrilineal: a family line traced through the mother

Ghana's Military

 Ghana's military included a regular army, reserve forces, and elite soldiers. The regular army was comprised of several thousand career soldiers who kept the borders secure, suppressed minor revolts, and maintained peace and order. These soldiers wore knee-length cotton pants, sleeveless tunics (long shirts), sandals, and headdresses adorned with feathers. Both the color of a soldier's tunic and the number of feathers in his headdress indicated his rank. The soldiers used weapons such as spears, daggers, swords, battle clubs, and bows and arrows. They were well paid and highly respected.

Multiple Choice

They were well paid and highly respected.

• true

• false

Ghana's Military

During wartime, the king called up additional reserve forces and the troops of other governors under his rule. Every man in the empire was required to complete military training so that he would be prepared to serve when called. Stories describe a king who could call up an army of 200,000 warriors. This number no doubt grew as the story was passed on, but the king certainly could summon a sizable army, including infantry archers.

Special groups of soldiers were selected for their courage, honesty, and intelligence. These soldiers served the king as bodyguards, escorts, and military advisors.

Multiple Choice

The king of Ghana was the head of the army and had the final say in matters of justice

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What two groups helped the king govern?

• Officials and Governors

• Officials and kings

Multiple Choice

matrilineal

• a medieval civilization and empire in West Africa

• a family line traced through the mother

Multiple Choice

Ghana

• a medieval civilization and empire in West Africa

• a family line traced through the mother

The History of Trans-Saharan Trade

 Trans-Saharan trade has a long history. Archaeologists have found evidence that North Africans brought back gold from the southern forests of West Africa as long ago as 400 to 500 B.C.E. Travel across the Sahara, however, was especially challenging for these early peoples.

Centuries later, two factors contributed to the growth of trans- Saharan trade. The first was the introduction of the camel to the Sahara, and the second was the spread of Islam.