The African Middle Ages, 1400–1800

The African Middle Ages covers the period of African history from 1400 to 1800.

Roland Oliver (Author), Anthony Atmore (Author)

9780521298940, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 31 March 1981

228 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.3 cm, 0.34 kg

The African Middle Ages covers the period of African history from 1400 to 1800. During this period Africa was influenced by external forces as the Islamic states of the north extended their sway and as maritime trade with Europe and Asia increased. The notorious slave-trade created the black population of North and South America, the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean islands. The authors, however, emphasize the extent to which Africans dealt with outsiders on equal terms. The peoples of Africa were coalescing into tribal states rather like those of early medieval Europe. These states were often capable of providing a high degree of law and order, of exploiting resources and organising trade; of redistributing the products of local industries, and of defending themselves against outside attack. Though eventually subordinated by the colonial conquests of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the tribal states of pre-colonial Africa continue to exert a powerful residual influence upon the post-colonial states of modern Africa.

1. The African dimension of Islam
2. The back country of the African Middle Ages 3. Egypt and the Nilotic Sudan
4. The north-eastern triangle
5. The states of Barbary
6. Western West Africa
7. Eastern West Africa
8. From the Niger to the Nile
9. The upper Nile basin and the East African plateau
10. From the Lualaba to the Zambezi
11. The land of the blacksmith kings
12. The approaches to Zimbabwe
13. The peoples of the south Epilogue.

Subject Areas: Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], African history [HBJH]