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Gao
Mali
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Gao on the Niger River became the capital of the Songhai Empire, West Africa's largest Sudanic state, after the ruler Kossoi converted to Islam around 1010 and undertook the hajj to Mecca, receiving symbols of authority from the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad. Under the Songhai Askia dynasty from the late fifteenth century, Gao grew alongside Timbuktu and Djenne into one of West Africa's three great centers of Islamic scholarship and jurisprudence.
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TraditionIslam: the ruler Kossoi's conversion around 1010 and hajj to Mecca brought the city into the Islamic world, and under the Songhai Askia dynasty Gao grew into one of West Africa's three great centers of Islamic scholarship and jurisprudence. 1 Status
UNESCO World HeritageInscribed on the World Heritage List 2 History
Notable DevelopmentUnder the Songhai Empire, especially the Askia dynasty founded by Askia Muhammad in 1493, Gao grew into one of West Africa's three great centers of Islamic scholarship and jurisprudence, alongside Timbuktu and Djenne. 1 Origins
FoundedRuler Kossoi converts to Islam c. 1010; Songhai capital 1 Traditions
Sacred and Liturgical LanguagesArabic, the language of Islamic scholarship and jurisprudence in the Songhai empire. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names Baghdad directly: "authority from the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad."
Became capital of the Songhai Empire after the ruler Kossoi converted to Islam around 1010 and undertook the hajj.
This source names Niger directly: "Gao on the Niger River became the capital of the Songhai Empire, West Africa's largest Sudanic state, after the ruler Kossoi converted to Islam around 1010 and undertook the hajj to Mecca, receiving..."
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