“When Mali Conquered the Region of Walata”: Trade and the Expansion of the Empire of Mali

Discussion of how the expansion of Mali facilitated trans-Saharan trade

6 Oct 2025 — 2 min read

Section of the Catalan Atlas showing caravan trade across the Sahara. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

From page 60 of the AP World History Course and Exam Description.

As the kingdom of Mali expanded, it conquered other small kingdoms in West Africa. By the middle of the thirteenth century, the Malians had gained control as far north as Walata (see maps below). This city was critical to the trans-Saharan trade.

The Source

Afroeurasian Exchange Networks and the Spread of Religions before 1450

Extensive trade networks crisscrossed Afroeurasia before 1500. These networks facilitated more than the movement of goods; cultural traditions and technologies also spread through the networks. We can easily see this through the spread of the four most popular universal religions. The Source