Songhai's Coup: How Askia Muhammad Seized Power

In 1493, a general named Muhammad Toure staged a coup against Sonni Baru, the son of the legendary Sonni Ali, and founded the Askia dynasty that would rule Songhai for a century. But how did a military commander with no royal blood—and a controversial reputation for piety—convince the empire's Muslim scholars and pagan warriors to back him? This episode follows Muhammad Toure's rebellion from the battlefields of Anfao to the mosques of Timbuktu, where he sought a fatwa to legitimize his rule. We explore the role of the ulema, the uneasy alliance between Islam and traditional Songhai beliefs, and how Askia Muhammad reshaped the empire as a caliphate. Along the way, we meet Sonni Baru, the last Dia king, whose defeat opened a new chapter in West African history. No prior episodes have covered this pivotal coup—only its aftermath. Now we return to the moment it happened. Journey back to the Niger bend, where horses charged and scholars debated, and one man's ambition changed the course of an empire. #SonghaiEmpire #AskiaMuhammad #SonniBaru #Anfao #Timbuktu #Fatwa #Ulema #WestAfrica #NigerRiver #1493 #Coup #DiaDynasty #Islam #Kingship #AfricanEmpires #History #FexingoHistory #Sankore Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo