The Songhai Empire's Slave Soldiers: Askia Muhammad's Guard Corps

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the little-known institution of the Songhai Empire's slave soldier corps, the farari, under Askia Muhammad Toure. Drawing on the Tarikh al-Sudan and accounts from Leo Africanus, they discuss how Askia Muhammad built a personal guard of enslaved soldiers from conquered regions like the Mossi and Hausa states. These warriors, known as the koyam, were loyal only to the askia and formed the backbone of his military campaigns. Lucas explains the paradox of slave soldiers wielding immense power, the training and discipline they received, and how this system both strengthened and eventually destabilized the empire. The episode also touches on the role of eunuchs in the palace administration and the legacy of this practice in later West African states. #SonghaiEmpire #AskiaMuhammad #SlaveSoldiers #Farari #Koyam #LeoAfricanus #TarikhAlSudan #WestAfricanHistory #Sahel #Gao #Mossi #HausaStates #Timbuktu #MilitaryHistory #Slavery #Eunuchs #AfricanEmpires #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo